New York Day 2: 9/11, Highline, Chelsea Market

We had planned to go to the Natural History Museum today, but somehow our plans all got changed.  We started by heading to downtown Manhattan, where we hopped off the subway near the World Trade Center Location.

We stopped to check if they had any space to check out the memorial (you need a day pass, which is free, but you have to be given a time to go in, as they are still constructing around it).  They had space, so we started with that.  We checked out the small church on the next block, St Paul’s Chapel.  Built in 1764, and I think is the oldest surviving church in Manhattan.  It survived the Trade Center attacks and subsequent building collapses (without even a broken window), and after, it acted as place of gathering and rest for volunteers and rescuers.  The fences around the church were where many people left flowers, pictures, tokens as a memorial.  After the fences were filled, church officials put up 15 panels for people to use, but in the end, they needed about 400 boards.  Not a lot of memorials on the fences these days, but there are lots of people trying to sell you memorial books.

A small church, but a center of hope and support.  The memorial site was interesting.  They have the first three of the 7 buildings that are going back up, built, and they are glass paned and interesting.  The new buildings are being erected in different places to the lost buildings.  Where the original two towers used to be, there are now remembrance water features.  Each is a square, sunk into the ground, with water flowing down the walls, across the floor, then down into a well in the center.  Each well is surrounded by a wall with the names of all the victims on it.

The whole thing made me quite sad.  So many people died.

 

 

After that, we headed across to a computer shop, where we purchased me a laptop.  It didn’t take us long on our trip to realise we each needed our own laptop, but it took this long to find one that was appropriate, not too expensive, didn’t have to be posted, and didn’t require an American or Canadian credit card to buy.  We stopped by Best Buy to get me a case, then headed far uptown to the Chelsea Market, for a gander and an eating of delishuz food.   We had sandwiches from the Num Pang Sandwich shop, and donuts covered in fancy sugar (I had gingerbread, cranberry and sage sugar) while sitting next to an interesting water fountain.

Conveniently just outside was where the High Line started, so we climbed aboard and wandered along that.  It is an old rail line, that runs along a couple of stories above the road level, that they have converted into a long park type place ,with trees, benches, flowers and grass.    It was a little bare, what with it being only just spring, but there were a few crocuses poking their heads up in a few places.  It was a good walk, nice to walk and see all the buildings, and to get the views down the New York Streets.

After the Highline, we decided on more shopping (I need to replace my running shoes), so we headed uptown even more.  The subway is great.  We popped up right next to Central Park, and checked out the local sports store.  None of my shoes, but a guy who was very interested in us and where we have come from, and he definitely wanted my fox hat.  I wouldn’t trade it though.  They didn’t have my shoes, but it wasn’t a lost cause, as we headed straight into Central Park.

It is quite big.  Also, within a few minutes of walking, I was surrounded by so many squirrels, I didn’t quite know what to do.  At one point I counted 6 that I could view all at once. They weren’t particularly scared of people; I think they know people often have food, and a couple came right up close to me, if I threw them discarded bits of acorn.  SO VERY CUTE.

 

That entertained me for a while, but eventually we walked through a little bit, encountering a few patches of snow, lots of squirrels, lots of nut carts, and a guy making massive bubbles.  There are lots of statues, and we saw a few small lakes.  I definitely intend to go back there, this time with my camera battery charged (I forgot to charge it last night, it died halfway through today.  Bad Becca).

 

 

A subway ride all the way back to Brooklyn, where I summoned up enough energy to sort my new lappy out, and write a few blog posts.