More Manhattan

Trying to fit all the New York sights into a few short days is an impossibility! There is an endless number of things I had on my list. One of them was the 911 Memorial.
We got off the train a stop early and walked a few blocks on accident, and then suddenly... chaos!

There were people everywhere, lines forming left and right, construction workers milling around all over, jackhammers drilling a foot away, and to top it all off, every 911 Memorial worker we asked where to enter the Memorial gave us a different answer!
Del heard one person that worked there say this size crowd was completely out of the ordinary. I have a friend who told me that a few months ago they walked right in! We have great timing!

We eventually found the entrance to the World Trade Memorial, but we could not see it. Just a sea of people. Police officers pushed people up onto the sidewalks, so we were literally standing in a holding pen with hundreds of people, chest to back, shoulder to shoulder.

I had made a reservation online, but accidentally only grabbed the confirmation, and not the actual tickets, off the printer. As I said, all the people who worked there gave us a different answer. Some said to walk two blocks back up the street, and get in another crazy line for tickets, some said stay where we were.
Finally, after waiting in the suffocation for 25 minutes, Del was able to get a straight answer from a girl guarding a roped entrance. He told her we had a reservation. She pulled us out of that line, sent us through the rope ahead of all those people, to yet another line!


We waited another half hour, and then finally, success! We got through security, and into the memorial. The kids were so patient with this process. We were all clinging to each other so we wouldn't get lost in the mess! There were not many children there, and I did not see any other strollers while we were at the Memorial.

Once we were inside, it was so much more peaceful, and there was a chance to reflect for a minute, and explain it all to the kids!

As we stood in the second phase of the line, a tour guide was next to us, leading a group through. We listened as she talked to the people she was guiding. She was at work in the World Trade Center on September 11. I did not hear her story of getting out of the building, but she did talk about friends she lost, and how the event changed the course of her life.

She said to make sure that you make note of how when the towers stood, people came from all over the world to look up into the sky at them.
And now, they come to gaze down into the marks left by their foundations. The water pours from the walls to emphasize their footprint, and memorialize those whose names are carved into the plates all around the foundations.
The guide also talked about how as the years have passed, good has come to her life because of that day. She said that now she has a chance to share with others as a guide, and she has made the best of friends with other survivors, and how they have impacted her.
I was really glad we had a quiet moment in line next to her. If we have the opportunity to visit again, I would love to do a guided tour.

Our children obviously do not have a "Where I Was When the Towers Fell" story, but I hope that they can look at pictures when they understand one day, and they will feel a little more connected.
It reminded me that when I went to Pearl Harbor, I knew the significance it had in my grandparents lives. I am really glad that we were able to see this spot. Crazy beginnings and all. It was touching, and
I have a feeling it will become even more so when all the construction is done. There seems to be a long way to go. I am so glad they have completed what they did. I am sure it means a lot to the loved ones of those lost.

After we left the Memorial, we walked to Battery Park to get a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty.
One of the main reasons that I was so anxious to go to New York was that I have have wanted to go to Ellis Island for as long as I can remember.
So, as luck would have it, we were unable to because the island, and the Statue are closed indefinitely because of damage sustained during Hurricane Sandy last year.
We could have done a river tour that would have taken us out closer to it, but I was not prepared to be sea sick, and the kids were not cooperative with the idea.
Again... next time!!

We did our best to get some shots with Lady Liberty in the background. She is pretty far out there, and smaller than I thought she would be. Still, when we walked into the park and I got my first glimpse of her out in the water, I was pretty excited! Still striking, even from a distance!

After we got a glimpse at the Statue of Liberty, we headed up to the Flatiron District. Which was my favorite! Really, a cool neighborhood!

We had a nice view of the Empire State building as we walked down 5th Ave. I wish we could have spent more time on 5th Ave.

I have heard a lot about Eataly, so we stopped in. It is a huge Italian food emporium, with every kind of pasta, seafood, or cheese you can imagine. We ate pizza and pasta in the restaurant in the  back.

The unusual seafood selection kept the kids busy while we waited for a table.

Food! Finally! We were starving! We had not eaten since breakfast! Authentic Italian pasta and a Margherita pizza. It was really good, and very nut safe because they don't use any in the restaurant. I was just warned to be careful with the bread because it comes from their bakery where they do use nuts. I think Del thought the food was just okay here, but it hit the spot for me.

We walked past the Empire State building on our way to the Subway, but we decided not to go up for the tour.
We enjoyed a long walk back to the hotel, by way of Central Park for more play time for the kids, after we got off the Subway. Then, Del went to the church to play basketball, and I put the kids to bed. He made sure to get the scoop on when they play church ball from some of the guys in the hallway on Sunday.

The next morning it was time to pack up and head off for our next adventure! We took our car out of the parking garage, and used it to get a look at some of the neighborhoods that we didn't get a chance to explore.
We drove around the Upper East Side, where I jumped out to grab some more cupcakes at Magnolia in Bloomingdales. That Bloomingdales smells like Heaven, by the way. Perfume!
We also cruised by the bridges!
Queensboro, Manhatten, and Brooklyn!
These pictures have a weird shade of blue to them because of the tint on the windshield.

We drove across the Brooklyn Bridge and then turned the wrong direction to get to the Promenade, and ended up in the Projects instead. We actually found this very intriguing, as a man that we go to church with back home grew up in the Brooklyn Projects, and we were glad to be able to tell him we drove through his old neighborhood.

We also drove through China Town. I was SO bummed that we didn't get to walk around in China Town! It was really, really cool! So much to see, and I could have looked all day!
I was also really hoping to walk around Greenwhich Village. We walked the outskirts of it, but we didn't see Washington Square Park.
I need another trip to Manhattan! Endless amounts of interesting sights, smells, people, and ideas! I have no idea exactly how many miles a day we walked our kids, but they toughened right up after the first few miles! It was a great experience! I hope to repeat it soon!