From our last posting, I mentioned that we were traipsing around New York City with a few of my Microsoft friends and enjoying the sites as well as each other's company as we each painfully try to "feel" each other to eat in a "cheap" restaurant since we are cheap but don't want the others to know. Shopping was top of our list for the second half of our tour but the main questions on our minds were "What the heck was traipsing? Laying traps? And how do you spell it???"
We spent some time at Ground Zero. It is the site of the old World Trade Center and the 9/11 tragedy. The debris and devastation were long cleared. All that's left was the fenced up concrete foundation of the building. There was nothing to remind us of the horrible tragedy that took the lives of a reported 3,000 people or more. How do we count the losses or judge such a senseless use of violence?
There were some people looking in like it is some kind of zoo exhibit. But there were notes left by those who lost their loved ones that day or just people who came by. Notes that ranged from sadness, loss of direction, bewilderment at the loss, anger and just pure anguish. It was really heart wrenching to read the notes and imagine the situation of that day. No matter how hard I tried, I was unable to even come close to imagining the horror as well the pain of those who lived through the tragedy and watching others die around them. How did those who gave their lives for others would have felt and how did they rise above themselves to show true courage and humanity in times when New York and the world needed it.
As I reflected on the situation, I couldn't help but weep not only for those who died and for those who had to live out the loss but for the world in general where we let, yes we let, the situation to degenerate to such levels.
I watched others put flowers, notes and say prayers since there is little else they could do. I stood a little away from my friends to have a little private time at the site. At that time there was a debate going on as to what they want to do at this site. Some suggested a shrine, others asked for the towers to be re-built again. I didn't know what they should do. Eventually I think, they will build an office building or some other profit making solution but at that moment, it was my private time and my own private moment and my own private grieving for people I didn't know and for my world that has become so senseless and has de-valued human lives. I watched a little more, said a prayer and hopefully that it will be taken to comfort someone who needs it.
Then I slowly walked away.
Despite the poshness and the coolness of Manhattan where you have 3rd world country men driving cabs and a kebab stand at every street corner, we thought it was time to visit upstate New York. The cab drivers had names with characters that are not found in the alphabets but more likely symbols found in the periodic table. How the heck are you supposed to say his name? The kebab at the stands are AT LEAST 5 days old. That's the NYC standard and the oil has been re-used since World War 2.
But as a sports fan, I just wanna say that you have GOT TO visit Madison Square Garden. I am a huge basketball fan (though not of the New York Knicks) and The Garden is one of THE places to play. Sometimes they even have boxing here. Why I mentioned that, I wouldn't know.
So there we went traipsing (there's that word again) upstate to a place called Woodsbury Common. It was an out of the way place where nature is beautiful and you can get back in touch with your inner instinct. It's a 5 whole blocks of factory outlets!!! We went ABSOLUTELY crazy here. We were here from the time they opened at 10am to 6pm. While our heels and soles SCREAMED with PAIN and EXCRUCIATING ANGUISH, we enjoyed ourselves secure in the fact that I would have to sell some blood to pay off my credit card bills.
A friend bought 7 pairs of shoes. That's right boys and girls....SEVEN!!! Still in their boxes as she attempted to squeeze into our already cramped MPV. It was so bad, we had to pile it up to cover the back screen and I couldn't even see what the heck is heading towards us.
We stayed in this quaint bed and breakfast place that we booked online. I was sceptical of this white, clean, huge, colonial houses that is run by these seemingly retired and homely elderly couple and they have a porch with a swing where you can watch the world go by as well as a pond by the side and the woods behind the house with furry woodland creatures scurrying around a red tractor in the yard.
Sure that sounds heavenly. How do we know this couple is not related to Anthony Perkins from Psycho and that they are so starved of company that they will kidnap us, put us in chains and feed us till we bloat (pretty much like me now) and then skin us and dumping our bodies in the woods for the woodland creatures or drowning us in the pond for the Swamp Monster!!
Of course my fears were unfounded but just in case I always open my eyes in the bathroom even though shampoo is stinging me. Still they were very nice and made GREAT bacon and sausages.
NYC and its upstate has proven to be a really cool place with class and taste. There were unfriendly people of course but there were also really nice folks. You should avoid Bronx, Harlem and Central Park at night but we did walk all over Broadway and Times Square and met a lot of helpful people. Some offering to tell me when the world would end if I gave him a dollar. If that is not reasonable, I don't know what is.
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