Vacations Blog

National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center, NY, NY

There are many touching memorials to honor those who died on this day besides the new memorial being built in New York at the World Trade Center. The attack on 9/11 did not tear us apart as intended, instead it brought diverse cultures together to honor those who died:

Russia donated a memorial to a small town in New Jersey, a town in Connecticut came together to build a glass tribute, Ducks Unlimited and a park commission collaborated to create a space for reflection, Staten Island created an uplifting sculpture for their hard hit community. An airport in Boston just dedicated it’s beautiful shrine and the U.S. Department of Defense dedicates their memorial on 9/11–those experts in sadness created an eloquent monument for  those we lost.  All  honor those who sacrificed for us. All are built from the ground up. All are beautiful.

National Memorial in Bayonne, New Jersey, courtesy of sister72.

“Standing more than 100 feet tall, “To the Struggle Against World Terrorism” honors victims of 9/11 and the 1993 World Trade Center bombings and serves a symbol of solidarity in the fight against world terrorism. Created by Russian sculptor Zurab Tsereteli, the memorial was a gift from the Russian people.”–Bayonne Redevelopment Authority.

National Memorial in honor of September 11, 2001 in the Meadowlands, New Jersey, photo courtesy of tonythemisfit

“The memorial site is directly across the  Hudson River from where the World Trade Centers once stood. A permanent memorial consisting of a curved deck with two projecting piers that face the Manhattan skyline was constructed along a marsh cove in the park. The piers are patterned after the World  Trade   Center   Towers  and surfaced with 110 boards representing the 110 floors of the towers. Where the piers meet the main deck, a porcelain enamel plaque dedicates the site in memory of those who lost their lives on 9/11.”–New Jersey Meadowlands Commission in partnership with Ducks Unlimited.

The Danbury September 11 Memorial in Danbury, Connecticut courtesy of carbonnyc

“The Danbury Memorial was constructed by taking huge sheets of e glass and cutting out the center parts of 28 inch squares and using a hammer and chisel to chisel out the inner space, forming a 21 inch square by 144 inch interior space – representing the absence of the World Trade Towers to their proportional dimensions. The interior empty space is the same proportional dimensions as the physical presence of both Towers. The inner polished glass panel has engraved, on the backside, the names of all the Connecticut victims. Danbury residents’ names are highlighted at eye-level.”– City of Danbury, Connecticut

Pentagon Memorial, Dedication is on September 11, 2008

The Pentagon Memorial “honors 184 people whose lives were lost at the Pentagon and  American Airline Flight 77, their families and all those who sacrifice that we may live in freedom.”– U.S. Department of Defense

9/11 Memorial Monmouth Park, New Jersey

“Monmouth County’s 9/11 Memorial has three symbolic components: a timeline walkway to recollect the day’s events; a stone base carved with the names, ages and hometowns of the county residents who lost their lives; and an eagle sculpture with a beam from one of the fallen towers. There were 147 people from Monmouth County who perished in the terrorists attacks of September 11th, 2001… For days and weeks afterward, people visited Mount Mitchill to reflect and remember.” –Monmouth County Parks

Staten Island photo also by acnatta

“Staten Island was one of the hardest hit communities on 9/11, losing nearly 270 loved ones in the terrorist attacks on New York City that day. As a result, Staten Island needed its own memorial, a place for the loved ones of the victims to mourn and reflect, and a place for all visitors to remember those who lost their lives on that tragic day.

A Memorial Advisory Committee was formed, which included members of victims’ families and community representatives. The committee selected Masayuki Sono’s postcards from nearly 200 submissions. The solemn, yet uplifting design features two thin structures resembling postcards, perhaps sent to lost loved ones. From afar,they appear to be outstretched wings or a flower about to blossom.In order to honor the individual lives lost, part of Mr. Sono’s design provides that each Staten Island victim be honored with a 9”x11” granite plaque that will bear their name, birth date and place of work on September 11, 2001 as well as their profile in silhouette.–Staten Island Memorial

The Logan Airport 9/11 Memorial

The Logan Airport Memorial shining cube in Boston “honors the passengers and crews of American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, which departed Logan Airport that morning for Los Angeles. The Memorial also commemorates the dedication to duty of the Logan Airport community in restoring the aviation system to full operation and the contributions its members made toward comforting the families of the passengers and crew who were aboard those flights.”–Massport

 I realize there are many more types of memorials created by thousands of from quilts to tattoos. These spoke to me.

May you go in peace.

This Thursday is the 7th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11.  I still remember where I was and the slow unrolling of sad stories during the next few days.  My sister called and said, “We are under attack. Turn on the TV.”  The first statement I did not believe, the second made me think it was a joke.  Moments later, I was dismayed to see the truth of her words displayed before me on CNN and every other news station.

I went to New York a few weeks later for a business trip and saw the gaping hole and the sad work of the firefighters.  I followed the story  fairly closely for a while—the strength of the New Yorkers, the funeral processions, the ensuing discussion about what to do next.

Memorial march in honor of 9/11, Washington, D.C

The questions of how to rebuild and how to create something better than before were tough to answer.

But as time passed, like many Americans, I just watched the story unfold in the remote corners of my life until last week when I visited New York again and I saw the rebuilding of the World Trade Center and National Tribute to the victims. Surprisingly, during my visit, the attack on the city came up repeatedly in conversation. It still permeates New Yorkers’ lives. Everyone I met remembered the exact moment they heard the news and their reactions of horror, fear and an overwhelming desire to help.  I realized the rebuilding is needed in New York.  It is right and it helps heal and it is what we do as part of  living. Rebuild what has been attacked, rebuild what is falling apart and the healing begins.  Trite phrases that shouted a powerful truth to me as I saw it in action. The new design is a rising of hope and a testament to our country and our people.  We will not be beaten down. We rise up.

 My friend has just taken an apartment directly across the street from Ground Zero.  She will be living next to the construction for the next five years and doesn’t mind.

National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center, NY, NY

To her, the rebuilding of Ground Zero, now called the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center is a monument  to those who lost their lives and to the future of our country.  It represents the best part of America. The discourse of public opinion, public consideration by public and private officials, a long process to make sure all options are  considered and finally a decision to  build something that will live for centuries. The design was selected from 5,200 submissions from 63 nations. It will be built by people working together from all over the world, visited by people from every country, every religion and every culture.

Osama may send another plane or unleash another evil attack, but he can’t destroy that part of my country that accepts all people and all religions.  The pilgrims did a good thing, they came for freedom of religion and gave the next wave of immigrants the same freedom from the moment their feet hit American soil.  I wish Mr. Bin Laden did the same.

Statue of Liberty photo  by acnatta. 

Off the Beaten Subway Track:  New York City’s Best Unusual Attractions is a recently released guide helping visitors and locals in the Big Apple find hundreds of off beaten track destinations in New York City.

We recently interviewed the author, Suzanne Reisman to learn more about the city and her book.  Suzanne is a graduate of Columbia University (MPA) and New York University (BA) and a freelance writer. She is a contributing editor for Travel & Recreation to BlogHer.org, and her writing has appeared in Metro, New York Family, City Limits, New York Nonprofit Press, and Young Children. She and her husband live in New York City.

1. What is the most romantic destination in your book?
Since Off the Beaten (Subway) Track features mostly offbeat and unusual sites, nothing exactly fits the mold of romantic destinations.  However, the garden at the Mt. Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden (421 E. 61st St.) is a lovely step back in time, as well as surprisingly peaceful, given its proximity to the FDR highway.  Concerts are offered regularly throughout the summer.

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