Holly turned to Paul and said, "Did I tell you how divinely and utterly happy I am?"
Okay, so this weekend actually had very little to do with Breakfast at Tiffany's. However, I did get to go into Tiffany's for the first time. Every girl has to go in at least once, right?
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| On the roof of the Metropolitan |
Amidst the bustle of the city, on a perfect Saturday afternoon, we slipped into St. Patrick's cathedral. I wish I had taken pictures of it. Shockingly, the church was open to visitors despite the fact that there was a priest up front performing a marriage ceremony. Can you imagine getting married with tourists stopping by, talking loudly and snapping pictures?
We slipped into an empty pew and were able to watch a bit of it. The architecture is truly awe inspiring there. I was so grateful that we were lucky enough to enjoy it with the music from the mass in the background. Magnificent is the only word to truly do the stained glass justice. What a shame that the church in America no longer builds with the same emphasis on art, beauty and elegance as they once did.
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| The Freedom Tower |
The 9/11 memorial just opened its doors to the public. The environment there really impressed me. Built in the shadow of the Freedom Tower, you feel a strong sense of the commitment to honoring the victims and their families. I was struck by the resilience it illustrated. Yes, the towers fell, but we've rebuilt. Yes, we lost many, but we will celebrate their life, mourn their death, and continue.
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| In front of the 9/11 Memorial |
As I traced the names of victims on the stone, I realized that the noises of the city had faded away to a dull roar. The rushing water from the memorial itself drowns the city out, giving visitors time to really accept the enormity of the attacks and their devastating consequences.
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| Massive American Flag hanging from the Freedom Tower |
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A flower, really brought this to life for me.
These names belong to people who were loved. |
I hope one day, they lessen the security here and make it a place where people can wander in and truly enjoy it.
On our exit, we encountered the Occupy Wall Street protest. Although I disagree with their premises, the protest made me want to re-involve myself with politics. I guess it's one of those bugs you get and never lose. These people definitely had a solid crowd assembled. They had set up inflatable mattresses and set up shop. On my taxi ride to the bus stop today, I saw on the news that things had escalated since yesterday and some people were arrested. If you had been around for the 60's, would you have taken to the streets in protest or avoided that scene? If we want change, why aren't we fighting harder for it?
All in all, it was a really lovely weekend. Despite forecasts of rain, and the bus debacle I encountered trying to get up to Manhattan, the skies stayed clear for my whole visit. I even got to see my cousin this afternoon before I left! Love those weekends where everything just falls into place easily. Now to get motivated to work on my homework...
