New York City - Part 2

We made the short walk from Trinity Church to one of the most visited memorials in the country, the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

Known as the Freedom Tower during initial planning stages, One World Trade Center stands majestically on the site of the original 6 World Trade Center.

The top floor on One World Trade Center is 1,368 above ground level, along with a 33 ft. 4 in. parapet makes it the identical roof height of the original One World Trade Center.  The tower's spire brings it to a pinnacle height of 1,776 feet, a figure intended to symbolize the year 1776.

One World Trade Center is the second-tallest freestanding structure in the Western Hemisphere - the CN Tower in Toronto exceeds One World Trade Center's pinnacle height by approximately 40 feet.

A memorial was planned in the immediate aftermath of the attacks and destruction of the World Trade Center for the victims and those involved in rescue and recovery operations.  The architects created a forest of swamp white oak trees with two square reflecting pools in the center marking where the Twin Towers stood.

On September 12, 2011, one day after the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, the memorial opened to the public.  The period from September 11, 2011 to May 25, 2014 was known as the "interim operating period", when the memorial was surrounded by construction of neighboring World Trade Center projects.  Three months after its opening, the memorial had been visited by over one million people.

Seeing the names around the memorial was overwhelming.

The names of 2,983 victims are inscribed around the memorial pools: 2,977 killed in the September 11 attacks and six killed in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.  The names are arranged according to an algorithm, creating "meaningful adjacencies" based on relationships - proximity at the time of the attacks, company or organization affiliations (for those working at the World Trade Center or the Pentagon) and in response to about 1,200 requests from family members.

The "Survivor Tree" is a Callery pear tree which stands distinct from the hundreds of swamp white oak trees on the Memorial.  It was discovered amidst the wreckage of the 9/11 attacks, its bark charred from fires at the site and many of its limbs were reduced to stumps.  Yet somehow, the tree, still bearing leaves, showed signs of life.

Recovery workers transported the tree to a nursery in the Bronx to be cared for by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.  With careful tending, the stumps of burned and gnarled bark gave growth to longer and smoother branches.  Replanted at the Memorial in December, 2010, this Survivor Tree bursts into magnificent blossom each spring, embodying a living symbol of resilience.

We didn't have advance tickets to visit the museum but, fortunately, we were able to go inside.

I'm sure most of us remember that day clearly, but the summary they had was a grim reminder.

The Survivors' Staircase was the last visible remaining original structure above ground level at the World Trade Center site.   During the attacks, the stairs served as an escape route for hundreds of evacuees from 5 World Trade Center.  The staircase was the first artifact placed inside the museum.

A transmission tower approximately 360 feet tall, assembled atop the roof of the North Tower, began broadcasting television signals in 1980.  Changes over time included the installation in 2000 of a high-definition TV master antenna.  Transmissions for most stations failed shortly after hijacked Flight 11 pierced the North Tower on 9/11.  All transmissions ceased by 10:28 a.m. when the tower collapsed.

The main hall of the Museum, showing the Last Column standing.

This piece of steel, once part of the north facade of the North Tower, was located at the point of impact where hijacked flight 11 pierced the building at the 93rd through 99th floors.

This garage door is from a firehouse in Brooklyn Heights, home to FDNY Engine Company 205 and Ladder Company 118.  The door features a mural honoring the eight members of the firehouse who were killed responding to the attacks at the World Trade Center.

Assigned to aid in the evacuation of civilians in the North Tower, members of FDNY Ladder Company 3 are known to have reached the 35th floor by 9:21 a.m.  Captain Patrick "Paddy" John Brown, unable to communicate directly with the lobby command post, used a functioning office telephone to call a Manhattan dispatcher.  He reported that burn victims and numerous others were making their way down the stairs and that he understood the fire to be above the 75th floors.  In his last recorded transmission, Captain Brown said "Three Truck, and we are still heading up."  All 11 responding members of Ladder Company 3 were inside the building and killed when it collapsed at 10:28 a.m.

Probably the most sobering exhibit was the walls of photos of those who perished.

Whew, we were emotionally spent but we hadn't had lunch yet and you know with me, it's all about the next meal.  It was Ron's birthday and his one request was to eat at one of the "world famous" delis in NYC.  Our security guard had given us a recommendation so we hopped in a cab and made our way to the lower east side.

In 1888, a small deli by the name of Iceland Brothers was established on Ludlow Street by the - get ready for it - Iceland Brothers.  Upon the arrival of Wally Katz in 1903, the name of the store was officially changed to "Iceland & Katz".  Willy's cousin Benny joined him in 1910, buying out the Iceland brothers to officially form Katz's Delicatessen.  Their landsman Harry Tarowsky bought into the partnership in 1917.  Katz's Deli was moved across the street to its present location, during the construction of the subway system.  The vacant lot on Houston Street (pronounced "House-ton" after a Dutch emigrant of the same name) was home to barrels of meat and pickles until the present storefront facade was added between 1946-49.

The place was packed!  By now it was about 2:30 and the line outside was down the block.  We asked someone in line how long they'd waited and the estimate was 25 minutes and they still hadn't made their way to the door.  But it was Ron's birthday and he wanted a big deli sandwich (pastrami, to be exact) so we got in line.  

About 30 minutes later, we'd made it to the door and went inside.  Yikes, more lines!

Customers get in a "Cutter's" line and wait to have their requested sandwich made right in front of them.

Check out the tip jar

Another wait and we were finally at the front of the line, got our order, and turned around to find a place to sit.  

We sat with two young men from the University of Florida and being that we'd spent a fair amount of time in Gainesville, we had plenty to talk about.  But the important part was the food - and Ron did get his pastrami sandwich and I had a half turkey sandwich and some Matzoh Ball soup.  Back to my Jewish roots :-)

And with that, we left the deli as we had one more stop to make.