This morning we met my family at their hotel and we all took the subway down to the 9-11 memorial. It was a cold day with a mix of rain and snow. Somehow it seemed fitting with the memorial. I wasn't sure what to expect when we got to the memorial because I haven't seen any pictures as to what the memorial was like. It was two vast pools that sunk inwards. I could see no end to them. Along the edges were the names of all the service men that lost their lives and their corresponding units. It was a very humbling and somber place and the weather definitely heightened the feeling of loss. I used to say I couldn't imagine what the families of the 9-11 victims were going through, but now I think I actually might have a clue. The sudden and tragic loss of a loved one is something that nobody can ever be prepared for or know how to cope with.
After we left there we walked up to Chinatown in the rain. The girls went shopping while Marshall and I set in the Starbucks across the street and drank some coffee. Soon after Mom came and met us. Eventually, we waited so long for the rest of the family to join us that Marshall and I had to run across the street to McDonald's to pee. When they finally met back up with us, we took Aunt Jo, got on the subway and headed to the Empire State building. It was too cloudy for us to go up in it and be able to see anything so we just walked inside and took some pictures and left. We walked up to Time Square and left Mom and Aunt Jo at the bus stop so they could do the uptown tour of the bus ride they had purchased yesterday. Then Marshall and I got on the subway and went up to Central Park to go to the Natural History Museum. Since the museum wasn't open but a couple of more hours by the time we got there, they didn't make us pay full price for our admission. We walked around and looked at all the exhibits and it was really interesting. My previous experiences in New York with museums had all been art museums so this was something new and different.
When we were done we headed back down to Time Square and met Mom and Aunt Jo in their hotel room. They were both freezing from their bus adventure. While they sat downstairs in the bus, the bus apparently had no heat and every time the bus stopped, rain water came rushing down the steps and soaking their feet! We all relaxed a bit and warmed up until the other girls made it back from their shopping adventures to Soho and Macy's on 34th Street. We all then walked a couple of blocks over and ate at John's Pizza. It was a nice place and the food was decent but it did not sit well with me. After dinner the girls decided to do yet some more shopping so Marshall and I walked Mom and Aunt Jo back to their hotel room, stopping along the way to grab some souvenirs. We were just picking out some mugs for Sally and Shea who had been watching JoJo for us when it hit me - massive stomach cramps. The greasy pizza was giving me hell. I grabbed my mom's key and ran out of there and around the corner to the hotel. I barely made it to their hotel room in time. No sooner had I gotten out of the bathroom and laid down then my Mom was calling me to meet Marshall downstairs to let him in. The pizza ended up getting to him too. Once Mom and Aunt Jo returned to the room, Marshall and I left and headed back to our hotel. Tomorrow afternoon we were heading home, so we had plans to get up early and head over to the Spy Exhibit at Discovery Place.
This morning we met my family at their hotel and we all took the subway down to the 9-11 memorial. It was a cold day with a mix of rain and snow. Somehow it seemed fitting with the memorial. I wasn't sure what to expect when we got to the memorial because I haven't seen any pictures as to what the memorial was like. It was two vast pools that sunk inwards. I could see no end to them. Along the edges were the names of all the service men that lost their lives and their corresponding units. It was a very humbling and somber place and the weather definitely heightened the feeling of loss. I used to say I couldn't imagine what the families of the 9-11 victims were going through, but now I think I actually might have a clue. The sudden and tragic loss of a loved one is something that nobody can ever be prepared for or know how to cope with.
After we left there we walked up to Chinatown in the rain. The girls went shopping while Marshall and I set in the Starbucks across the street and drank some coffee. Soon after Mom came and met us. Eventually, we waited so long for the rest of the family to join us that Marshall and I had to run across the street to McDonald's to pee. When they finally met back up with us, we took Aunt Jo, got on the subway and headed to the Empire State building. It was too cloudy for us to go up in it and be able to see anything so we just walked inside and took some pictures and left. We walked up to Time Square and left Mom and Aunt Jo at the bus stop so they could do the uptown tour of the bus ride they had purchased yesterday. Then Marshall and I got on the subway and went up to Central Park to go to the Natural History Museum. Since the museum wasn't open but a couple of more hours by the time we got there, they didn't make us pay full price for our admission. We walked around and looked at all the exhibits and it was really interesting. My previous experiences in New York with museums had all been art museums so this was something new and different.
When we were done we headed back down to Time Square and met Mom and Aunt Jo in their hotel room. They were both freezing from their bus adventure. While they sat downstairs in the bus, the bus apparently had no heat and every time the bus stopped, rain water came rushing down the steps and soaking their feet! We all relaxed a bit and warmed up until the other girls made it back from their shopping adventures to Soho and Macy's on 34th Street. We all then walked a couple of blocks over and ate at John's Pizza. It was a nice place and the food was decent but it did not sit well with me. After dinner the girls decided to do yet some more shopping so Marshall and I walked Mom and Aunt Jo back to their hotel room, stopping along the way to grab some souvenirs. We were just picking out some mugs for Sally and Shea who had been watching JoJo for us when it hit me - massive stomach cramps. The greasy pizza was giving me hell. I grabbed my mom's key and ran out of there and around the corner to the hotel. I barely made it to their hotel room in time. No sooner had I gotten out of the bathroom and laid down then my Mom was calling me to meet Marshall downstairs to let him in. The pizza ended up getting to him too. Once Mom and Aunt Jo returned to the room, Marshall and I left and headed back to our hotel. Tomorrow afternoon we were heading home, so we had plans to get up early and head over to the Spy Exhibit at Discovery Place.
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