Friday, July 1, we took the North Metro Train in Croton-on-Hudson to Grand Central Station in New York City. There were many helpful people along the way – thank goodness. We barely made the train at both stops – the door was just about to close. These two seniors – us! – were having a hard time navigating the train and subway system – but we did it!

We walked the city a bit, and stopped for pizza for lunch. $6.50! – hey, fuel prices are going up – gotta be frugal. And the pizza was really good. We then headed to the 9/11 Memorial.

It took some time to secure tickets – but it was so worth it. We highly recommend a visit to the 9/11 Memorial. Located at the World Trade Center in New York City, the 9/11 Memorial Museum tells the story of 9/11 through media, narratives, and a collection of monumental and authentic artifacts, presenting visitors with personal stories of loss, recovery, and hope.

The 9/11 Memorial is a tribute of remembrance, honoring the 2,977 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing on February 26, 1993.

The 9/11 Memorial occupies approximately half of the 16-acre site. The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest man-made waterfalls in North America.

Prior to its opening in 2011 on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum underwent a multi-year process to verify and arrange the names that would be inscribed into the Memorial’s bronze parapets. All inscribed names represent 9/11 attack homicide victims: people who died as a direct result of injury sustained in the attacks on September 11, 2001, including the impacts of the planes and the building collapses.

Here are photo highlights of our visit.

Memorial Entrance

Memorial Wall of those who perished

Survivors’ Staircase

FDNY Ladder Company 3

On September 11, 2001, led by highly decorated Patrick “Paddy” John Brown, the company asked a dispatcher to deploy its members to the World Trade Center disaster. After they parked the rear mount aerial ladder truck on West Street near Vesey Street, 11 members of the company, some who had just gone off duty after completing overnight shifts, entered the North Tower.

The Working Dogs of 9/11

Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Tribute

Flag Raised at Ground Zero on 9/11

Lady Liberty

Renaissance Peace Angel

Walking to Grand Central Station

St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Of course, Captain Patrick had to visit St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral. First we hit the gift shop across the street, then learned there was a Mass at 5:30. Perfect timing to visit the Cathedral beforehand.

We had forgotten just how monumental the Cathedral is. This cathedral is in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It is the seat of the Archbishop of New York as well as a parish church. The cathedral occupies a city block bounded by Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue, 50th Street and 51st Street, directly across from the Rockefeller Center. Designed by James Renwick, it is the largest Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral in North America. The statues and altars inside rival the churches we visited in Rome.

Here are our photos from St. Patrick’s Cathedral.