“Start spreading the word, we’re leaving today . . .”

. . . We’re off to be a part of it — New York, New York!

These days, Frank and I get as exhilarated for a mini-getaway as we once did for our six-month adventures. It’s extra special when these trips involve time with the kids. Other than the delightful May road trip to see Nick and Kim in Chattanooga, pandemic concerns have kept us grounded for over a year and a half. Vaxxed and masked, we now feel comfortable enough to fly — to New York City to visit Andy and Crystal!

Traveling during COVID

Masks are required in the airport and on airplanes.

Once the Covid epicenter of the United States, New York officials and businesses are doing all they can to move the city forward despite the evolving, contagious virus variants.

Proof of vaccination with an ID is a requirement for indoor dining, as well as for admittance to museums and theaters. Masks are required for everyone — regardless of vax status — on public transportation (subway, cabs, Ubers) and inside most businesses. In addition, free vaccination and pop-up Covid testing sites are conveniently located all over the city.

Many restaurants feature outdoor dining options but vaccinations are still required.

9/11 Anniversary

Our trip coincided with the 20th anniversary of September 11th. The mood over the weekend was somber and reflective. A morning service at the 9/11 Memorial was cordoned off and reserved for families and political VIPs. Everyone else lined the streets on the periphery. We couldn’t see anything but heads bowed and tears flowed as bells rang out, commemorating the moments when the planes hit the individual towers. The plaza re-opened to the public mid-afternoon and was busy throughout the week. There were various tributes throughout the city, as well.

Tribute in Light is a commemorative public art installation, first presented six months after 9/11 and then every year thereafter — from dusk to dawn — on the night of September 11. It has become an iconic symbol that both honors those killed and celebrates the unbreakable spirit of New York.

Assembled on the roof of the Battery Parking Garage south of the 9/11 Memorial, the twin beams reach up four miles into the sky. They are comprised of eighty-eight 7,000-watt xenon lightbulbs positioned into two 48-foot squares, echoing the shape and orientation of the Twin Towers. The installation can also be viewed from a 60-mile radius around lower Manhattan. (911memorial.org)

One World Trade Center

One World Trade Center (also known as One World Trade, One WTC, and formerly Freedom Tower) is the main building of the rebuilt World Trade Center complex.
FACTS:
— It is the tallest building in the United States, as well as in the Western Hemisphere. It is also the sixth-tallest in the world.
— With its spire, the building reaches a total height of 1,776 feet (a nod to the year the Declaration of Independence was signed).
— There are 103 floors and the top floor is numbered 104 (no floor 13).
— The new World Trade Center complex will eventually include five high-rise office buildings.

And the most interesting fact?

Andy’s business, B Media, is on the 85th floor of One World Trade — what a view!

“I want to wake up in a city that never sleeps . . .”

Andy and Crystal are just getting settled in to their new home in Chelsea but they made us feel welcome and comfortable.

“These vagabond shoes, they’re longing to stray, right through the very heart of it, New York, New York.”

While they worked, Frank and I had fun exploring their neighborhood and beyond.

I have been to NY three times and it’s always for just 2-3 days it’s always been cold. The week’s weather was perfect and Frank and I really got around. This trip gave me a chance to get my bearings and familiarize myself with the various areas of Manhattan.