Beautiful Subway Maeve...

And the 9-11 Memorial and Museum, Lady Liberty

    The faint-hearted may be deterred from visiting the 9-11 Memorial and Museum but it’s fascinatingly designed to allow all visitors to have the experience they ‘want’, or that which is appropriate to them, their ages and sensitivities.

It would be entirely normal for a family of four to finish a two-hour excursion with one parent slightly traumatised, another intrigued and two children sharing experiences of excitement and bewilderment. The caption plaques in the more distressing areas, for example, are dimly lit and easy to walk past. Despite 20,000 items of human remains recovered, over 40% of the victims literally disappeared.  

    A New York Fire Department truck and an ambulance, which were crushed and burned by falling debris, are displayed with no more than a dusting off and small sections of twisted aircraft wreckage might be as exciting for an eight-year-old boy as they are disturbing for his parents in the Museum.

Certain parts of the original construction have been kept in place, which is powerful. Steel beams, strong enough to sustain 100-story buildings, twisted into horse-shoe shapes like putty, leave a lasting impression. However strong you think something is…  

    The energy from the Memorial sites on the foundations of the Twin Towers is undeniable and moving, more in a celebratory way than a melancholic one. Some say it’s not sufficiently reverential, but they are a moving tribute to the 3000+ people who lost their lives on September 11, 2001, and they are beautiful and peaceful.

The most surprising discovery of the trip was the temporary establishment of the T20 World Cup Fan Park at the World Trade Centre. Loud music and locals attempting to hit bowling machine deliveries employing baseball back-lifts would have been even more amusing had the location not taken me so much by surprise.

Another of my tasks was to have a New York cream cheese bagel. Shortly before the end of the 5km walk from Grand Central Station, and with suitable hunger, ‘Bob’s Bagel Store’ presented itself. But the breakfast did not materialise because there were a bewildering 14 different cream cheese flavours to choose from and the outgoing bagels were large enough to feed me for three days. Instead, I had a slice of crispy pepperoni pizza two blocks further on, and it may well be the best pizza I have ever tasted.

There isn’t much free in New York but, oddly, the ferry to Staten Island is. And it goes right past the Statue of Liberty, every half hour. An hour of fresh air and relaxation was too good to refuse after another gruelling day in a city which really is made for walking.

Having said that, the infamously confusing Subway was finally tackled after yielding 30+ kilometres on foot over two days, thanks to Maeve. Four nervous ventures underground had yielded no results – unstaffed ticket kiosks and no obvious sign of assistance or advice. Thousands of people scurrying between trains knowing exactly what they’re doing isn’t encouraging for the first-timer.

    On attempt number five, Mama Maeve appeared, large, lovely, kind and caring. In her her high-viz waistcoat. I explained, flustered, that I only had 30 minutes to get to Grand Central to catch my 6:43pm train to Long Island. She said: “My dear boy, you spend a couple of minutes listening to me now and you might survive the Subway in future otherwise you gonna be in a world of pain every time you come down here.” I missed the train, caught the next one and fell in love with Maeve, the most New Yorker of all the very New Yorkers I’ve met so far. sadly, she was too shy for photo.

    The Proteas trained today and had a function with local dignitaries in the evening which wasn’t what they really wanted to do. They might never get to see and experience any of the things I’m cramming in, they’ve got a ‘World Cup’ to win. I will share, vicariously.

Finally, it would appear that the great majority of New Yorkers are not fans of Donald Trump. It’s a generalisation I’m happy to make. You hear it conversations all the time. And it’s usually extremely amusing…