NYC Getaway - 9/11 Memorial

It was really important to us to spend time at the 9/11 Memorial.  We didn't know how long we would spend there, so we reserved an entire day on our schedule to be in Lower Manhattan/911 Memorial Site.

Seeing empty footprint that once was the Twin Towers is incredibly eery.  There are huge sky scrapers in every direction, then just a big open space where they once were.  The Memorial was beautiful and I found myself becoming very emotional as the event became so much more real than I remember watching on TV 13 years ago.

We spent over 2 hours in the Museum, which was also well worth the time spent.  The original footings of the structure embedded in the bedrock are on the first floor of the memorial as well as several artifacts (like the fire engines from the first responders than we heavily damaged during the collapse of the towers).

It's really hard to put into words what the experience was like visiting Ground Zero, seeing the Memorial and spending time at the museum.  I was so overwhelmed with the experience, I didn't take many pictures (and honestly, it didn't really feel appropriate snapping a bunch of pictures in the somber atmosphere).

One World Trade Center in the back.

Portion of the footings in the museum.  I think this pictures was the footings from the North Tower.

Fire truck that was heavily damaged during the fall of the towers.  (most of the damage is in the front of the truck that you can't see from my picture)