NYC - Day 5, September 12, 2013

Yesterday (Day 4) was a free day, and I stayed home.  Temperature was 96 degrees!

Today started with a new bus driver who doesn't have a clue.   First thing she did was 'get lost' on the way to the Holland Tunnel.  The traffic was much heavier today plus she is a timid driver, so all we did was ride the bus before lunch.

We did drive by the 'Intrepid' and the back of Trinity Church along the way.

 

For whatever reason, we didn't go to the scheduled cafe for lunch and were suddenly dropped off and told there was food across the street.  There were several choices.

We had a scheduled appointment to visit the 9/11 Memorial.  On our way there the sky opened up and we had a brief downpour.  The Memorial is a lovely 'park'.

This is the Survivor Tree.  It survived in the rubble of 9/11 and was replanted.  It then withstood the winds of Sandy in 2012.

I took many photos of Tower Number 1!

The arched glass building in the center of the photo is where Ground Zero was viewed from when I was here in 2006.

 

The steeple is St. Paul's Church which was a haven for rescue workers.  The orange crane is lifting what, to me, looked like wings and will be a parking structure.

The ledge around the two pools list all the names of those lost on 9/11.

There is a pool where each of the towers stood.

Building Number 4 rebuilt.

The grounds.

On our way to Wall Street, we walked by Trinity Church and cemetery.  I was disappointed we didn't go into either.

Taken from down Wall Street.

I have been to Wall Street before, but I had missed the plaque regarding a wall the Dutch had built to protect themselves from enemies.  There is evidence of this wall in the pavement.  Again, my ancestors were part of that Dutch community so I need to do some more reading in a book that is in storage.  These photos were taken in front of Federal Hall.

The plaque says logs, but these remnants are all along Wall Street.  My feet are in the photo on purpose - perhaps my 8th great grandfather stood here as well.  He and his brother owned land near Wall and Broadway.

Next we rode the bus to kill time and drove right by Trinity Church!!

Dinner was at Mustang Harry's.  I had salmon which was very good!

Next we were dropped off at the Gershwin Theater - early - to see Wicked.  I had heard so many raves about this show, but, while the performances were very good, I just didn't care for the show.  I probably had an attitude when I couldn't understand the words of the songs the chorus sang or hear some of the actors' lines. 

We got back to the park after eleven.  By the time I got settled down and ready for sleep, it was 2 a.m.  Up at 7 this morning for 9 o'clock departure.