Made my way to the 9/11 Memorial in the
mid-morning. I have mixed feelings
toward the Memorial and the soon-to-be Museum at the site dedicated to the
remembrance of 9/11, so I wanted to visit the place. I had hoped to bring myself some resolution, but only find
that I am still conflicted. It is
not that I feel as though the day and people should not be remember, but it is
the way we, as a culture, choose to remember that I find difficult to
accept. I do not think further
elaboration is necessary. In
short, I am ashamed to be a part of it.
On the way, passed by St. Paul’s Chapel and
doubled back after leaving the memorial.
Beautiful, though barely legible headstones populate this graveyard,
dating back to late 1700s.
Stopped for sushi lunch at Bento Nouveau on way
to Battery Park. Walked down to
the tip of the island and saw Lady Liberty from afar. From there, and despite the mist, took a couple hour walk up
and along the pier, stopping at the Manhattan Heliport to watch a bird land, up
to the seaport and Pier 17 complex.
Amazing views of the Brooklyn Bridge from Pier 17. The fog made it even more enjoyable.
Sun!
And blue sky! Shot up the
subway to walk passed the Empire State Building on the way to the Morgan
Library. Incredible building with
old books and ceiling paintings. I
felt transported. My kind of
place. There was also an
exhibition of drawings from the Louvre, including studies of Ingres, Delacroix,
and David, among others.
Clear weather was short-lived as I walked the
many blocks to the Japan Society in the rain, stopping under the overpass to
Grand Central Station to wait it out; despite my umbrella, I was still getting
soaked. Exhibitions at the Japan
Society included a works derived from fabrics showcase and a small gallery of
postcard-size pieces dedicated to the rebuilding after the March earthquakes,
each from an individual artist.
Walked down First passed the United Nations
building and back to the Morgan Library for a screening of the 1946 Great
Expectations. I had never seen it
before, plus the theater was quite lovely. At first, it was one other individual and myself; he said if
no one else showed, we would have a date.
Others came; I did not see where he sat in the theater.
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| Image grabbed from Japan Society website |
