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5/9/2002...
Flight out
 |
| Claire
Mansell - mailing from the USA |
All my
bags are packed and I'm finally ready to go!
I am about to embark on the trip of a lifetime and see parts of America
that I never thought I would - including New York, Washington D.C,
Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco.
I'm feeling very excited and yet apprehensive. I haven't flown since
September 11th 2001, and I'm wondering what the airports/security/flights
will be like, especially as it is so close to the 1st Anniversary.
It's funny, because I have never worried about security at airports
before, but this year, I can't help wondering exactly what will happen.
Next time you hear from me, I'll be in America... until then, bye
for now!
6/9/2002...
NY Day 1
Hi
from the States... Flight here was good. Security measures at
Manchester were the same as normal really - unfortunately I was one
of those that were searched - I must have one of those faces!!
Security
at Washington was much tighter - I think we went passed three lots
of security before making our connecting flight.
 |
| The
Twin Towers are no more, but postcards and posters everywhere
still show them as they once were |
It's lovely to be here though. Feeling kind of apprehensive about
what lies ahead - what will the trip and New York be like?!?
Landed in New York on time - met by a lovely rep called Brenda. Brenda
takes us past Queens and into Manhattan - weird to be here after only
seeing the place on TV before!
She informed me that there are big plans for Sept 11th - ceremonies
in the street are planned and most places will be shut in the morning.
Finally arrive at our hotel - it's lovely and what strikes me at this
point is how warm it still is at 9.00pm. Take a quick walk around
Time Square - smaller than I expected but still amazing. All of the
buildings here are massive - as you'd expect.
7/9/2002...
NY
First
full day in New York.
 |
| Another
postcard, showing memories of the "the way it was..." |
Ground
Zero is amazing - to think that once 2 of the tallest buildings in
the world were there and now just a multitude of trucks.
Round Wall Street, they won't even let you drive anymore.
Not much is really mentioned about Sept 11th on billboards etc.
I've seen one that says 'Remember the Heroes', but that's pretty much
it. The general feeling I get off New Yorkers is that they still can't
believe it happened and certainly not that it was a year ago.
It has been said that the terrorists probably tried to shake America
- this has backfired and simply made New Yorkers stronger - they have
all pulled together. Loads of T-shirts with 'I love New York more
than ever' are on sale - a statement about this I believe.
A small fact that was pointed out is that of a 102 widows from 9/11
there have been 105 babies - all with just one parent now.
Weather was great - into the 80's - better than back home I expect.
I'm on to Niagara tomorrow. I'll try to get in touch as soon as poss...
8/9/2002...
Niagara Falls
The
coach got us all to Niagara Falls today in absolutely incredible hot
weather - 103 degrees.
The streets are just blank - nobody around at all, but the American
flag is flying everywhere. Ninety per cent of homes I guess are flying
it, in a show of patriotism, and public buildings too of course.
Niagara Falls the town is strange - it's like Blackpool!
But all over it, you can hear the sound of rumble of the falls they're
so loud, and under the waterfall, you can be completely dry! There's
always a rainbow in the river too.
I was told today that of the 2,750 people who died in the attacks,
there is no trace of over 1500. Just completely disappeared.
10/9/2002..
Pennsylvania
In
Pennsylvania, where the Amish (who live without electricity) hosted
us. We ate their food too.
The
tour director talked about Blair, and he told me how the Americans
really appreciate the British support, but that even he still couldn't
comprehend the events of a year ago.
It's still pretty quiet around, but tomorrow (the anniversary), they
tell me that everything will just COME TO A STOP at 8.45am (which
is when the attack happened)... even the traffic on the roads will
just halt.
11/9/2002..
Washington
The
day itself. I remember exactly where I was a year ago, so it's quite
strange.
From 6.30am (when I got up) it was 9/11 all the way, with blanket
coverage on the TV and everywhere, and lots of security presence.
Police car sirens seemed to be going off all the time, it was really
scary... and with all buildings having flags, you just knew what it
was about.
Another thing was the winner of the American pop idol programme just
singing, which stuck out in my mind.
It's very humbling to be in America around that time - the people
here are so resilient and it's passed now and no more has been said.
What's done is done and the New Yorkers' attitude is - 'Lets get
on with life and be stronger'. Apparently this is New York's style!!
We went to the Lincoln Memorial and the Korean War memorial on the
night - and to be honest the Korean memorial is very scary and so
life-like that you can almost think of what it must have been like
for them. The statues are in full uniform and just their faces (actual
faces of soliders in the war) are lit, which really makes you focus
on their expressions. It's very eerie at night. Lincoln is lovely
at night - its so amazing how white everything is.
Being America, a lot of stuff was just huge. In the town of Lancaster,
there was a huge, huge banner reading "saluting our heroes",
and on the Capitol in Washington, just a massive poster saying "Remember".
I walked up to see it, and there on the grass, was an even bigger
thing - 60ft by 120ft, and it has 7,000 panels on it, each one for
the words and memories of individuals from all over the world to act
as a lasting testimony of remembrance.
Washington
was eerie itself, lots of huge WIDE buildings (in NY, the buildings
are huge but TALL), all on their own in lots of open space, but SO
QUIET. Maybe it's because of 9/11.
Yes, it was sorrowful, and eerie too, but the Americans seem more
determined to talk about "rebuilding", so that there is
no way the terrorist could feel they won.
I'm on to LA next, which is a party town, so I shall see there if
they saw it differently.
12/9/2002..
Washington Day 2
Full city tour of D.C.
Weather started quite cool - they are expecting rain tomorrow, but
it heated up towards the middle of the day.
Went
to Arlington cemetery to see J.F.Kennedy's grave - which has an eternal
flame above it. He is buried with Jackie Onassis and two of his children.
All of the gravestones are so white even though they have been there
for years (some up to 100).
Altogether there are over 250,000 headstones - quite a sight when
you're there.
We visited the Korean and Lincoln memorial again - so very different
than from last night. I appreciated the effects of it more last night.
Also seen the Vietnam memorial, 3 soldiers statue and 8 nurses statue.
Seeing all those names, then followed by two highly realistic and
powerful statue makes you realise just what those people must have
gone through.
We also stopped at the White House - it's exactly as anyone would
imagine only about 3 times smaller.
It's really small compared to what you see on the big screen, all
though still very impressive.
My overall thoughts on Washington are that it's a nice city but very
much designed for tourism. After the museums and the monuments - there
really isn't much else to do.
Bearing in mind this is a capital, it's very quiet and not very commercial
at all - and the population is only 700,000...
Most of the signs of yesterday are now gone, although flags still
remain on buildings.
13/9/2002..
Los Angeles
I'm nervous about flying since its Friday the 13th. Flight goes Ok
and we land in LA.
First impressions - it's cloudy and not half as warm as I expected
- overall not immediately impressed. I find out later that LA is known
as the Smog city - hence all the cloud.
LA is very intimidating and very big - definitely not what you see
on the movies. Went to Santa Monica beach at night and it's not something
I would like to repeat.
It's full of tramps along the beach and they actually queue up on
the beach-front for food. Its really really cold here at night - more
so than home, which comes as a surprise. This place is not what I
was expecting at all and is really intimidating - you DO NOT WALK
AROUND HERE AT NIGHT!!!.
14/9/2002..
Los Angeles Day 2
Day started off cooler than I expected again but was very warm in
the end.
Went
past Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills and Hollywood - all very upmarket
from last night, but still not as grand as I would have thought.
Have seen Manns Chinese theatre - home to foot and handprints of the
stars like Marilyn Monroe, Tom Hanks and Mel Gibson.
Go to Hollywood Bowl and see Hollywood sign - a lot smaller than you
think - and so very far away. Hugh Hefner actually stopped the sign
from being pulled down.
On to Universal Studios this afternoon - it was nice to have a day
of fun and leisure.
- on to Las Vegas tomorrow.
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