Manhattan Vacation Day 3: Our day in downtown.
We planned to spend today downtown, so that was where we went after the hotel breakfast this morning. The subway let us out near the 9/11 Memorial, but the line to get inside the museum was crazy-long. So I gave Sara my city pass, and she waited in line for both of us while I went into the One World skyscraper building nearby and got us tickets for today. I even had time to duck into a Wal-Green's nearby for a water bottle (I'd forgotten mine at the hotel) and some gum (I've been stealing from Sara), and she still hadn't reached the front of the line.
Obviously anywhere that you go in this city is going to be crowded, but the 9/11 Museum was probably the most crowded places that we'd been yet. (They are closed every year on 9/11, which was yesterday, and that probably didn't help.) There was a line to get tickets and another line to get inside and through security. The first part of the museum was a more open area and not too crowded. We saw some of the missing posters that were put up around Ground Zero, a very damaged fire truck that responded to the attacks, and more. I wound up stuck behind a field trip of Orthodox Jewish schoolgirls for part of it.
The other part of the museum was behind another very long line. That is where they keep the more sensitive, graphic stuff. There was no photo/video allowed inside, and it was not recommended for young children (although I saw a few inside, anyway). That is where they kept stuff like firefighter hats and badges from people who responded to the fire; sometimes they found personal items among the rubble for people whose bodies were never recovered. That is where you could pick up a handset and listen to phone calls that people made from the planes or the towers. They had a display of photos of people jumping from the towers that was sort of hidden behind a partition, so you couldn't see it by mistake. There was also a little box of tissues back there. I didn't get choked up, but I could understand how some people would. I was in high school when 9/11 happened, and some of the displays brought back a lot of memories, like a large portion of wall showing newspaper front pages from all over the world and country about the attacks.
After the museum, we walked around the memorial for a while. I saw a lot of people taking selfies in front of the reflecting pools, which I found pretty disrespectful. I took some photos of the names, but no selfies or touristy ones. I saw the "Survivor Tree," which I don't think I came across when we visited the memorial last time.
After the 9/11 Memorial, we went to the One World observation deck nearby. When I got us tickets earlier, it was still overcast from yesterday and visibility was low, but it was completely clear and sunny by the time we got out of the museum (probably because I brought the umbrella I bought yesterday). There was almost no line at all to wait in, and elevator ride up was fast, but it was a little shaky, too, and that was it for Sara. She didn't even step out of the elevator. I told the attendant that she needed to go back down, and he actually rode back down with her because she freaked out a little when he told her it would automatically stop on the 100th floor. Sara told me later that he was very concerned and asked her if she needed water or a restroom. I stayed up on the 102nd floor observation deck for a while, and the views were unbelieveable. I got some great photos and a few videos and heard tourists talking in more languages than I could identify. I've encountered a lot more international tourists on this trip than I think I did on my last vacation here. I heard one American woman tell two British guys "I'm sorry for your loss" (re: the death of Queen Elizabeth II) when she heard their accents, which made me roll my eyes.
After OneWorld, we wanted to go to the Museum at Eldridge Street. (I try to see at least one Jewish site on every vacation.) We headed in that direction but realized that by the time we got there, they would almost be closed, so then we went instead to the Brooklyn Bridge. The pedestrian walkway up was crazy crowded with people walking and stands selling snacks and souvenirs. They were all playing music and/or calling out their prices and wares in every accent you can imagine, and between them and the million people taking selfies, it got a little tiring. I guess I should've expected that, but I'd never been to the Brooklyn Bridge before. I walked out to about the first tower, and then we headed back up to the hotel. But before we turned in, we went to a cheap-ish pizza place, Ledo Pizza, near the hotel on 38th Street, for dinner and to Carlo's Bakery near Times Square for dessert. Sara got a chocolate cake slice and cannoli, and I got a giant M&M cookie that was way better than the gas station down the street from my job where I go for them sometimes.
It was a much earlier night than last night, which we both needed. We'd meant to go on a "Catacombs by Candlelight" ghost tour at St. Patrick's Basilica tonight, but Sara told me this morning that we couldn't get into it, and while I'm sorry to have missed it, my feet are still on fire from yesterday. Sara found a marathon of Antiques Roadshow on TV and got a little obsessed with the sound effects for when an update showed the value went up or down. A lot of them went down in value; I think people nowadays just aren't collecting like they used to.
Distance walked today: 5.4 miles.
Obviously anywhere that you go in this city is going to be crowded, but the 9/11 Museum was probably the most crowded places that we'd been yet. (They are closed every year on 9/11, which was yesterday, and that probably didn't help.) There was a line to get tickets and another line to get inside and through security. The first part of the museum was a more open area and not too crowded. We saw some of the missing posters that were put up around Ground Zero, a very damaged fire truck that responded to the attacks, and more. I wound up stuck behind a field trip of Orthodox Jewish schoolgirls for part of it.
The other part of the museum was behind another very long line. That is where they keep the more sensitive, graphic stuff. There was no photo/video allowed inside, and it was not recommended for young children (although I saw a few inside, anyway). That is where they kept stuff like firefighter hats and badges from people who responded to the fire; sometimes they found personal items among the rubble for people whose bodies were never recovered. That is where you could pick up a handset and listen to phone calls that people made from the planes or the towers. They had a display of photos of people jumping from the towers that was sort of hidden behind a partition, so you couldn't see it by mistake. There was also a little box of tissues back there. I didn't get choked up, but I could understand how some people would. I was in high school when 9/11 happened, and some of the displays brought back a lot of memories, like a large portion of wall showing newspaper front pages from all over the world and country about the attacks.
After the museum, we walked around the memorial for a while. I saw a lot of people taking selfies in front of the reflecting pools, which I found pretty disrespectful. I took some photos of the names, but no selfies or touristy ones. I saw the "Survivor Tree," which I don't think I came across when we visited the memorial last time.
After the 9/11 Memorial, we went to the One World observation deck nearby. When I got us tickets earlier, it was still overcast from yesterday and visibility was low, but it was completely clear and sunny by the time we got out of the museum (probably because I brought the umbrella I bought yesterday). There was almost no line at all to wait in, and elevator ride up was fast, but it was a little shaky, too, and that was it for Sara. She didn't even step out of the elevator. I told the attendant that she needed to go back down, and he actually rode back down with her because she freaked out a little when he told her it would automatically stop on the 100th floor. Sara told me later that he was very concerned and asked her if she needed water or a restroom. I stayed up on the 102nd floor observation deck for a while, and the views were unbelieveable. I got some great photos and a few videos and heard tourists talking in more languages than I could identify. I've encountered a lot more international tourists on this trip than I think I did on my last vacation here. I heard one American woman tell two British guys "I'm sorry for your loss" (re: the death of Queen Elizabeth II) when she heard their accents, which made me roll my eyes.
After OneWorld, we wanted to go to the Museum at Eldridge Street. (I try to see at least one Jewish site on every vacation.) We headed in that direction but realized that by the time we got there, they would almost be closed, so then we went instead to the Brooklyn Bridge. The pedestrian walkway up was crazy crowded with people walking and stands selling snacks and souvenirs. They were all playing music and/or calling out their prices and wares in every accent you can imagine, and between them and the million people taking selfies, it got a little tiring. I guess I should've expected that, but I'd never been to the Brooklyn Bridge before. I walked out to about the first tower, and then we headed back up to the hotel. But before we turned in, we went to a cheap-ish pizza place, Ledo Pizza, near the hotel on 38th Street, for dinner and to Carlo's Bakery near Times Square for dessert. Sara got a chocolate cake slice and cannoli, and I got a giant M&M cookie that was way better than the gas station down the street from my job where I go for them sometimes.
It was a much earlier night than last night, which we both needed. We'd meant to go on a "Catacombs by Candlelight" ghost tour at St. Patrick's Basilica tonight, but Sara told me this morning that we couldn't get into it, and while I'm sorry to have missed it, my feet are still on fire from yesterday. Sara found a marathon of Antiques Roadshow on TV and got a little obsessed with the sound effects for when an update showed the value went up or down. A lot of them went down in value; I think people nowadays just aren't collecting like they used to.
Distance walked today: 5.4 miles.