Ground Zero

It was absolutely freezing yesterday morning (as this post still hasn't been posted, we're now talking about three days ago!) - the temperature was around 5C but the wind came roaring through at ~ 31 kph.  We rugged up in down jackets, hats, gloves, spencers and long-johns (well, I did anyway!) but the gap between the long johns and ski socks froze my legs.  Many people we passed on the street were wearing ear muffs, but they looked a bit daggy.  Louise tried on a pair down near the 9/11 site, but Thelma and I said we wouldn't walk with her if she bought them.

We started off the day catching a train across to Brooklyn then walked back into NYC on the Brooklyn Bridge - how magnificent it was.  Built way back in 1883 it never ceases to amaze me how anything of this magnitude can be accomplished - it is truly sensational.  It took 14 years to build and many workers died in the process.

Brooklyn Bridge

Louise and Thelma at the entrance to Brooklyn Bridge from Brooklyn side.

Louise and Lorraine - freezing!

New York city skyline from the Bridge.

From the Brooklyn Bridge we walked through the Financial District to see Wall Street, and the New York Stock Exchange but unfortunately not only can you no longer go onto the floor of the Exchange, but there are barriers up along every side of the building with security guards and NYPD blokes stationed about every five metres.  It is such a shame.

Federal Hall, had an extensive museum dedicated to post-colonial New York and exhibits on George Washington's inauguration.  The building was the original City Hall where the first US Congress convened and Washington took the oath of office as the first US President in 1789.  A huge statue of GW stands in front of the building; loads of kids from all around the States are visiting here on their Spring Vacation - they will have a few Aussies in their pics - I couldn't help but prank some of their photos.

A quick Century 21 Shopping store stop - not much purchased unfortunately, then next door to a great café/nosh up shop for some Rahmen noodles - very hot and spicy and good for clearing any possible head cold.  Fed and fortified we moved on to find the huge cast iron bull - necessary for a photo op for one who has just finished a stage of her stocks course.  There was a huge line of people waiting to do the same, so we sneaked in a couple of pics from the other end! LOL!

Now I think I have forgotten what else we did, I'm playing catch-up here and we've walked and seen so much - but ...

We went down past the 9/11 memorial site -


This is a huge mural made from pennies that children collected.  They were melted down and this mural was made depicting the fight to save lives, the rubble, the heroes and the names of all those killed.

In the evening we made our way up to the Theatre District to see the play, "The Madison" starring Edi Falco (Mrs Tony Soprano, in the TV series, "The Soprano's").  I thoroughly enjoyed it - although it's amazing how many people whispered (quite loudly) through various parts of the play, and a row of young things just in front of us laughed and laughed at quite inappropriate times ... it wasn't a comedy as such.

We made our way home on the subway with an interesting bloke who had a big bucket with a lid, a guitar, well, most of a guitar, and his imaginary friend.  It is very sad to see so many homeless people here on the streets of NY, so many who have been either psychologically or physically injured as a result of drugs or war, and there are many amputees too.

Thelma and I went out to a wine bar and enjoyed the company of the waiter who told us he is actually a model and working in the bar part-time and "between jobs".  Just like so many here.  The bar was used in the show, "Sex in the City" and for those of you who are fans - it was the bar that Steve and Aidan bought - the gorgeous one with mahogany timber throughout.

Steve's Bar - with the beautiful mahogany timber ceiling