New York Day 2

This day was one of my favorite days of the trip, but of course, now that I think about it, that could be said about most days of the trip.  It was really just a great trip all around.  So as I mentioned in the previous post about the trip, I am a pretty big fan of the Today Show.  We woke up early and grabbed a quick hot chocolate and breakfast at the hotel and then made our way to Rockefeller Plaza.  I loved seeing the hustle and bustle of the city in the early morning.  It always felt like the city was alive no matter what time of day we were out and about. 

The picture below is of the Sunken Plaza of the Rockefeller Center where the ice skating rink is.  The golden statue is Prometheus, a Titan of Greek mythology. 

Behind the news desk as Matt and Ann were getting ready for their news segment.  It was really interesting to see them getting on and off the phone in between segments.  I would assume they were getting news briefs on certain breaking news stories.  Talk about fast paced.  It was really interesting to watch.  

You can't see my mom in the picture below, but she is shaking Al Roker's hand. 

I LOVED being there.  I commented to my dad that he could probably compare this to taking my brothers to their favorite major league baseball game and getting to see their favorite players up close.  I could have gone there every morning and I don't think I would have gotten sick of it.  My parents kept saying, "Are you ready to go now?"  I kept telling them, "Just a little bit longer."  It was also fun to tell my family to watch for me.  Joseph said that Isaac and Aaron were so excited, they kept waving back saying, "Hi Mom!  Hi Mom!"  I think they thought that I could see them back! :)  Now when we watch the Today Show in the morning, Isaac says, "Mom you were on that show when you were in You Nork!"   

Matt Lauer preparing to do a gardening segment with someone. 

Natalie Morales getting ready to do a fashion segment where they basically told us that colored jeans are IN!

The next segment was with Today's Professionals, Star Jones, Donny Deutsch and Dr. Nancy Snyderman.  They talked and debated about everything from McDonald's Happy Meals, to Romney, Gingrich, Santorum and Paul, to getting back together with an ex to other unmentionables. 

This is Wilmer Valderrama.  I have no idea who he is, I don't really watch primetime television, just morning t.v.  I'm told he was the star of That 70's Show, which again means nothing to me.  But there he is and I took a picture because everyone else was screaming so loudly with excitement.  The next weekday after we were there, the British band One Direction was there.  They promode them while we were there, but I was actually glad they came after we were there.  The Plaza was packed with people on the day they performed and had we been there, there's no way we would have made it on television. 

They were all so nice to come and say hello.  I love Natalie.  We were pregnant at the same time with two of our babies.  It was always so funny to see her in the same "state" that I was in.

Dr. Nancy Snyderman and Star Jones getting ready for their segment with Samantha Guthrie.   This was the segment where we received the most air time. 

After my parents were able to able to pull me away from the Today Show we headed for the Subway to travel down to the Financial District and Battery Park.  We took a ferry to see the Statue of Liberty and to walk through Ellis Island.  It was remarkable to see the Statue of Liberty.  I was not disappointed at all, but I must say that I had again envisioned it to be much larger than it was (like many other things in New York City). 

When we reached the island, I rented the audio tour to learn a little more about the Statue.  The statue, a gift to the United States from the people of France, is of a robed female figure representing Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, who bears a torch and a tabula ansata (a tablet evoking the law) upon which is inscribed the date of the American Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.  (Courtesy Wikipedia :) A broken chain lies at her feet, and her foot looks as if it is getting ready to move forward.  It was really sobering to see the Statue which has become such a great symbol of freedom in our country. 

After visiting the Statue of Liberty, we went to Ellis Island and toured the facility there.  Elli Islands an island in New York Harbor, just like the Statue of Liberty.  It was the gateway for millions of immigrants into the United States.  From 1892-1954, it was the busiest immigrant inspection station.

After Ellis Island we headed down to the Financial District where the new World Trade Center and 9/11 Monument are located.  This is where we met up with Dan and Nancy Fish and their daughter Lindsay and her 3 children (soon to be 4). 

This is one of the World Trade Center Memorial pools.  There are two pools placed right about where the twin towers were with the largest manmade waterfalls in the United States overflowing down the sides.  Each pool is an acre and they symbolize the loss of life and physical void left my teh terroist attacks.  I think they said they go down 30 feet below street level and it's interesting that standing from the outside, you can't see the bottom of the middle part.  The sound of the water is pretty loud. It's hard to see from the picture, but there is water flowing down from all of the sides, high and low.  The museum is in between the two waterfalls and will open near September 11 of this year. 

This tree was fascinating to me.  We asked the significance of it because it was the only tree that was blocked off.  It's called The Survivor Tree because it survived the attack of the twin towers and then was replanted in this spot at the memorial to symbolizes the city and country's resilience.  It was discovered in the rubble in October 2001 with snapped roots and a blackened trunk. The (pear) tree measured about eight feet high when it was taken to a Parks Department nursery in the Bronx to be nursed back to health. It now stands about 30 feet high. (From Wall Street Journal Article)

Everything about being there was amazing to me.  To imagine all the rubble and the mess was just really, well unimaginable.  Most of us have probably seen home that has burned to the ground and if not, we've probably witnessed the mess from the ashes that is left in a fire pit after the fire is gone.  It was absolutely amazing to look around the city and to think about all that had to be cleaned up...to think about where it all went... to look at buildings and wonder how they weren't still covered in soot and ashes....to think about small businesses (and big businesses) that surrounded the World Trade Centers.  At one point I walked into a little pizza shop to use the restroom.  I thought to myself, "How did 9/11 affect you?"  I would be curious to find out how long businesses had to be closed...if they were able to re-open at all...how many people decided to leave New York altogether?  At what point were they able to go on with their new normal?

9/11 Memorial Wall

Next we headed to Wall Street and then to see The Wall Street Bull.  The huge bull is the symbol of aggressive financial optimism and prosperity leaning back on its haunches and with its head lowered as if ready to charge.

After seeing the bull, we walked and then took the Subway to a fun Mexican Restaurant called Rosa Mexicano, a high-end mexican restaurant with THE best guacamole I've ever eaten.  We were all wishing we had ditched the menu and eaten guac all night.  It was so good.  After dinner we made our way back up to the garment district where we were staying and the Fish's and Kearl's headed back to New Jersey.  It was great to be with them.  I had to get to some ZZZZZ's because the next morning it was time for more Today Show as well as all of the other activities we had planned.