The Day...the beginning

We awoke at 5:30 am. The media on NY1 were reporting from Albany Street, right in our neighborhood, talking about all the police and the lack of access. So when we emerged from our building complex I thought we would be stopped. We bought a coffee at our local shop, roped off to stop people from going further north or east. I felt sorry for the single employee who was tying to fill all the orders from mostly police and reporters. I also felt for those people who desperately wanted to go north and were prohibited. Hopefully they figured out that they could walk around the esplanade to go in that direction.

We walked over to Rector Street and on the way a policeman asked if we lived in the area and had photo ID so that we could get back in later. We met some of our neighbors at Rector and the esplanade, including our friend Mindy. It was a beautiful morning.

We proceeded as a group to Wagner Park where they began the Battery Park City September 11th Observance.

It was a beautiful event, with songs and readings from our neighbors, everyone expressing their hope for a better future. The buzz of the helicopters in the sky prevented us from hearing the speakers as well as we would have liked, but we are used to it and manage to compensate. My friend Tequila showed up, she had read my blog postings and was motivated to come down. A photographer, she of course had her camera and press pass at her side.  The event was sponsored in part by BPC Authority and Chairman of the Board, William Thompson, came.

If you didn't know it was 911 or saw the coast guard ships with their armed guards, you would think it was an ordinary day. People walking, biking, jogging along the esplanade, cruise ships coming and going.

While we were there the USS New York sailed by, the ship that was forged from the steel of the World Trade Center.

After the ceremony we walked down to the end of the battery, where there is a display of Ribbons of Hope. Colorful ribbons, on which you can write your message, were blowing in the wind.

We proceeded north, through the park, where we came across a bagpiper, a familiar symbol of the events of 911.

From the top of the Rector Street bridge we could see the crowds. But we were unable to get closer. The World Financial Center is closed to the public all day today. We could see VIPs overlooking the events. We returned home to rest, watch the names being read on TV and getting ready to out again.

By the way, no one asked for our ID.