NYC 911 Memorial at Ground Zero Views from A Maine Photographer

A few weeks ago my brother-in-law informed my husband that he and his family would be weekend vacationing in New York City on the weekend of October 19th.  He asked if we wanted to join them?  When my husband asked me I said "yes...absolutely!"  My husband could care less about visiting NYC...he had never been before, and it wasn't on his bucket list.  I, on the other hand, knew it would be a photographers playground, and although I have been once, when in grade school, I really wanted to go as an adult.  I also wanted to visit Ground Zero, and I wanted my boys to see the Statue of Liberty...and...my brother-in-law and family(Mark) live in Florida and the opportunity to visit doesn't come around too often so it was a great opportunity to visit and spend time with them!

So, we started to plan...just a little bit.  We found out where Mark and his family were staying, and we reserved a room "nearby".  We didn't make too many plans because we knew it was going to be a quick trip...just 48 hours...12 of which would be spent driving...so we figured whatever Mark had planned would be our agenda too.

We arrived in NYC at 7pm Friday night.  We checked into our hotel "The World Center" hotel.  I had no idea that our balcony would be overlooking Ground Zero.  I really hadn't paid any attention to the reservations or done any research what so ever, I was just grateful for the opportunity to visit NYC and was pretty much along for the ride and the great weekend getaway.

After a few pics from our balcony, we hooked up with Mark and family, who happened to be in the hotel just a few hundred feet from ours!  We took our first of many, crazy cab rides to Times Square.  Once there we boarded a double decker tour bus and took an evening tour of the city. 

The next morning we took a harbor cruise to view the Statue of Liberty, and the NYC skyline.  We then got back on the tour bus and did a bit of daytime sight seeing.  We ate dinner in Little Italy and then walked Wall Street for an evening stroll. 

Sunday morning we visited the 911 Memorial up close.  It was a very powerful, and sacred experience for me.  I am an American, and just standing there where so much pain happened, it was humbling and intense, all at the same time.  And being there with my family, with my children, the same boys who were in preschool when the attacks occurred.  These boys who I carefully shrouded away from the news in those dark days.  I was proud to visit this sight with them.

As I mentioned before, this was a quick trip for us...truly a trip of a lifetime.  I am sharing a few photos of the Memorial and the Freedom tower, now known as One World Trade Center, taken up close, or from my 10th floor balcony.  Also, I have put together a slide show of the rest of the weekend...because as I said before...NYC is a photographers playground!

 
...and here's the link to my slideshow.
http://animoto.com/play/doDNWh11M03ZTcMrcp1Iaw