Visiting Ground Zero

On our second day in NYC, we all decided to spend most of our time in the lower part of the island. We took the subway to Chinatown (accidentally) and wandered until we found Little Italy. We stopped at a cafe at 10:00am for coffee and canolis...it was great!

Our next stop was Ground Zero. We were almost to the site, when we happened to walk past a church. Something caught my attention, and once I realized what it was, I called everyone back to see. Tucked away on a small street on the side of an unassuming church is the steel cross that was found amid the wreckage of the Twin Towers. Apparently it will stay at this location until the WTC Memorial is completed, and then it will be moved there.

We walked around 3 sides of Ground Zero. They've done a lot to try to make sure that visitors can see the site without turning it into a circus.

On the south end, there is a Fire Station with a bronze plaque on the side of the building, honoring those who lost their lives on September 11th. Next to the fire station is a small WTC museum and gift shop. The shop sells things like WTC wristbands, children's books about the day, books, and tribute photos. All the proceeds of the shop and the museum goes to the September 11th families fund.

It's still a little sobering to see Ground Zero, but I'm glad to see that they're rebuilding. It also seems that the city is doing a lot to make sure that the victims and heroes of September 11th will always be remembered and honored.