We chose to spend Christmas afternoon at an unusual location: the site of the World Trade Center, whose twin towers were destroyed in the September 11 terrorist attack. At 4:30 pm, it was already dark. The sodium streetlights were on, bathing everything in a monochromatic light. We stood about 200 meters from the recovery site, and we could see floodlights illuminating the massive cranes that even that day were working on their grim task.
The most shocking sight was something unseen—the absence of the mammoth towers that used to dominate the skyline of lower Manhattan. It was like a David Copperfield magic act, but in this case, the skyscrapers are truly gone. Nothing can bring back what was lost.
Friends and relatives of the ones killed in the attack left tokens of their loss: letters, clothing, caps, stuffed toys. A man (presumably Scottish) started playing the bagpipes, and a group of carolers started singing “Silent Night.” It was almost more emotion than we could take, and we moved on after a few minutes. We ended our evening on a happier note by watching the inimitable Patrick Stewart perform his one-man rendering of the classic “A Christmas Carol.”
The city is recovering, and its sheer energy is undiminished. New York is still the most amazing city in the world, where you can visit an ancient Egyptian temple, the outer reaches of the galaxy, and indulge in a musical–all by just walking a few blocks. For visitors like us, having a car wasn’t really necessary, but a lot of otherworldly vehicles roamed the streets.
Times Square was as lively as ever, with dozens of plays, musicals, shops and restaurants. A huge Toys R Us was at one corner, containing a three-story indoor ferris wheel. We did purchase a few toys, but it was on the streets that we spotted plenty of playthings that are just begging to be brought to be the Philippines—Ford Focus SVT, Honda Civic Si, Nissan Altima. Perhaps the only shortcoming of the trip was that we weren’t able to do any actual driving. Still, it was a Christmas holiday well worth the trip.
By Jason Ang | Photos By Jason Ang
Originally Published in January 2002 Issue
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