Ground Zero
I remember September 11th 2001, pretty well. I was at home, about to drive to Bristol, on a Tuesday. Next thing you know, I put the TV on before leaving home, and was left as most people were pretty dumb founded. Watching the twin towers burning, was quite surreal, and having never been to New York, I thought when I finally manage to, I should go and visit.Above is the area which is where one of the twin towers used to stand, and now has the visitors exhibition underneath it.
The picture above shows the New York skyline, just a few minutes before impact. It really is very odd to think that within 2 hours, the twin towers had fallen.
Within two hours, we were left with solitary pieces of the original architecture. This was seen as a very monumental piece because it was removed very carefully from the ruins, and so it has handwritten notes all over it, with pictures of fire fighters and members of the public lost.
Michael F Lynch, remembered here, amoungst other, a firefighter who lost his life that day was one example of unbelievable bravery.
One of the most moving sights at the memorial, is Ladder 3, one of the fire trucks that came to help on the day. Led by Captain Patrick "Paddy" Brown, he led two teams to the north WTC. The time of the attacks was in the changeover between two shifts, and so all the men from the previous shift and those about to start went to the WTC and headed into the North building which had already been struck by a plane, and was burning, and less than an hour from collapsing. He got his team to the 40th floor from where they called from an office land line, and called to their fire house "ladder 3, reporting in, on the 40th floor, and we are still going up".They didn't make it out alive.
There are reminders all around, and each and every firehouse, has stark reminders of how many of their crews lost firefighters.
As is ever the way in big cities, you always find some people who are real characters. This guy was singing away, and basically handing out free education to anyone passing by. He was singing "History, its not a mystery, you gotta learn that history." He was then singing about the number of people and firefighters killed, and how many planes hit.
Downstairs in the exhibition, there is a really nice piece of art, where 1600 artists where asked to paint the color blue as they remember it that day. It makes you realise how different people have memories of the same thing, and they are hoping to ensure everyone remembers those lost that day.
Sometimes seeing these exhibitions or memories, it doesn't feel that real, but riding my bike around the city I went by a fire house, and saw these guys prepping their truck. Crazy to think that at any moment they might have to rush into a burning building or house.
They have done a great job of making something beautiful as a rememberance of the day with the two pools with everyones names included. 
As one last picture, I took one in color, of the new world trade centre. Its quite unreal what they have built in 14 years. I'm sure there are scenes with video from this angle, so quite eery to see it now.
The only thing I find very odd though, is that a 3rd building collapsed that day. Now building 7, collapsed because of fire, but you don't see any word, or anything of it at all. They also recycled all the materials very quickly. Thats the only strange element i felt. Otherwise, a very very moving tribute to an event which shaped the world in which we live these days.