I bet you all remember what you were doing and where you have been on this horrible day when the twin towers in New York werer hit by two planes....
I can remember exacly where I have been - in the middle of New York - it was my honeymoon. Can you imagine that? Normally you won't forget your honeymoon but this honeymoon was such a "special" one.... But let me tell from the beginning (if you are interested):
Hub and I got married in a civil ceremony on August 9th 2001 in Schluechtern (the town where I was born and grown up as my grandparents and some close family members were not able to come over to Munich where we had our church marriage on Sept 7th 2001). It was a nice day with sunshine and the ceremony was a nice one as it was held in an old little "castle". We had a nice day and after the ceremony we had lunch with the family and close friends and in the evening we had a party which is called "Polterabend"" (eve of wedding day) with lots of friends around.
So 4 weeks later we had our church wedding in a small valley close to Munich and again it was a great day with sunshine and full of joy and fun and all my beloved people around. It lasted til four in the morning and we all went to bed with a big grin on our faces as it was a thoroughly successful party. On saturday we had breakfast together with all guest who stayed in the hotel we did our party and later on we and my family drove back to Munich.
On Sunday 9th my parents brought us to Munich Airport as we started our honeymoon which should bring us to New York for 3 days - San Francisco for 2 days and to Hawaii for 12 days. When we walked through the check in I had the feeling that the controls were a little stronger than normally (but after all that happened maybe its just a thought) and we took a seat on our plane and arrived safe and sound on sunday evening in New York. We had a very small hotel which is called "The Inn at Irving Place " . So we left our suitcases there and even I was tired like hell Achim took me to the Empire State Building and we had an awesome view over the city of New York - meantime it was around 09 o clock in the evening and after that fantastic view we went back to our hotel and to bed.
Next morning (Monday Sept 10th) we had full programm - went to the Wall Street, Central Station - lots of places to see and to be and in the afternoon we went to the World Trade Center - bought a ticket which allowed us to go up during the day and for a entry the other night. When we arrived at the platform I really was breathless - never did imagine what a fantastic view I would have from above - never thought this city is sooooo soooo big and sooo sooo beautiful. We spent nearly 2 hours on the platform and took photos and just enjoyed this beautiful view and this feeling you are "on the top of the world". Went downstaris around 5 in the afternoon and had a nice dinner close to our hotel.
Tuesday September 11th in the morning I just sat on my bed after coming out of the bathroom and I said to Achim: Do you hear that - it sounds like a plane crossed the hotel"- Achim said that a plane can never be soo close to Manhattan and I thought maybe its the sound of a big big dustcard (as everything in the US is much bigger than in Germany :) ) So we went downstairs at about 09:00 and right as we passed by the reception we were asked from the guy if we did hear what happened - we had no clue - and he told us about a plane that hit one of the towers. We thought its a special kind of humor and when we said no he pulled us through a door where we could watch tv. We couldn't trust our eyes what we had to watch there - first thought of mine was this is a movie - then I recognized that all the stuff of the hotel watched this and had tears in their eyes.
I looked at Achim -shook my head and asked: What happened? Whats that? OMG what happened? They told us what they knew at that time - that a plane hit one of the towers and that might be a terrible accident....
A few second later we could see the other plane crashed into the second tower and we knew immedately - that is NOOOO accident - that is an attack.... I felt my knees began to shake like hell and I had to sit down.
We all were bewildered and unable to speak - to do anything.....We just watched - talked - opened the front door of the hotel to see if this is not a terrible dream or movie - couldnt see anything that time and came back to see what went on.....
I jumped up and thought I have to make a few telephoe calls to let my family know we are okay - tried to get my parents on the phone but alway a busy line - couldn't leave a message and began to cry hysterical..... I tried it more than 20 mins - Achim tried to get his parents on the phone - no chance. We decided to ask the receptionist if we can send a fax home - right when I began to write down a few lines we heard the stuff screaming in the room the tv stood - we jumped in and saw the first tower collapsed! UNBELIEVABLE.
We opened the front door of the hotel again and immediately you could see a huge cloud covered the sky...
I have to mention the hotel we stayed is located very close to the twin towers - maybe 4 km away.... So we took our bag and told the stuff that we wanted to go out - to see and maybe to help. They told us to be very very careful but could understand our thoughts but nevertheless told us if we see people running away we should follow them maybe something has happened again.... So we took our bags and went down the streets - we saw people coverd with dust - people crying - people had their radio and listened to it - we found a blind woman whose dog was so confused that he didn't find his way home - because of all the fire dept. pump cars, ambulances and police cars with their sirens.... All streets were blocked in minutes and you could "dance" on the 5th avenue in New york - no cars except fire brigade, ambulances and police cars.We helped the blind woman while telling her which street and which crossing we were and then she knew her way home...
We walked and walked and walked and were speechless - sometimes we talked - sometimes we hugged each other and cried - tried to get our parents on the phone - nothing..... line dead!
I have to mention that our first choice was the Marriot Hotel - directly located by the twin towers - a colleague of Achim told him that he knows a nice and very romantic little hotel which is way better for honeymooners than the Marriot Hotel - imagine we had chosen the Marriot Hotel - you would not be able to read my blog - I would not be able to write my blog because it collapsed as well.....
We walked up and down and came to a barriere - there were lots of policeman and ambulances and we were able to speak with them - asked how to help (they said blood would be needed badly so we decided to donate blood) and then he got a call - talked to his colleagues and then said in a hurry: " You better move quickly - this building will come down soon" (we could only see the back side of the building which was the WTC 7 - you couldn't see any damage but the front side must have been damaged terribly....) So we moved and made our way to one of the blood donation stations - later we walked around (we couldn't go home to our hotel and sit there - we were sooooo unsettled and nervous). When we came home late in the afternoon we were told that the WTC 7 - we stood in front of its back side hours before - did come down also!
The whole day we couldn't reach our parents - that made me crazy because I wanted to tell them we are okay - later we were told that my dad was the one who recognized that it was nine o clock in the morning when the attack happened (in germany it was 3 o clock in the afternoon) and he tried to reasurre the whole family by sayng that honeymooners won't be on their feet at 9 o clock in the morning - besides he knows his son in law and knows that he isn't that early bird..... So he told everyone he is sure we are okay.....
We spent the evening at the hotel - normally they don't serve a dinner but for their guests the stuff were able to organize something - but no need to mention we all were unable to eat anything. At about 10 o clock we went to our room and watched tv til late in the night - couldn't sleep.....
I had my parents on the phone in the night (about midnight in NY - 6 o clock in the morning in Germany) and the line was very bad but we told them we are okay.... then the line collapsed. I was soo happy I could talk to them - even it was just for a minute.... Our plan was to leave NY on Thursday morning .... but that is another story .... more tomorrow.....
BAH - while writing down this story everything comes back soooo close and I sit in front of my screen and have goosebump all over......We've been at hell with one feet!!!! And I never was a very religious person but I was sure "HE" thought: this newly married couple has to be protected.....
more to come tomorrow::::::
I looked at Achim -shook my head and asked: What happened? Whats that? OMG what happened? They told us what they knew at that time - that a plane hit one of the towers and that might be a terrible accident....
A few second later we could see the other plane crashed into the second tower and we knew immedately - that is NOOOO accident - that is an attack.... I felt my knees began to shake like hell and I had to sit down.
We all were bewildered and unable to speak - to do anything.....We just watched - talked - opened the front door of the hotel to see if this is not a terrible dream or movie - couldnt see anything that time and came back to see what went on.....
I jumped up and thought I have to make a few telephoe calls to let my family know we are okay - tried to get my parents on the phone but alway a busy line - couldn't leave a message and began to cry hysterical..... I tried it more than 20 mins - Achim tried to get his parents on the phone - no chance. We decided to ask the receptionist if we can send a fax home - right when I began to write down a few lines we heard the stuff screaming in the room the tv stood - we jumped in and saw the first tower collapsed! UNBELIEVABLE.
We opened the front door of the hotel again and immediately you could see a huge cloud covered the sky...
I have to mention the hotel we stayed is located very close to the twin towers - maybe 4 km away.... So we took our bag and told the stuff that we wanted to go out - to see and maybe to help. They told us to be very very careful but could understand our thoughts but nevertheless told us if we see people running away we should follow them maybe something has happened again.... So we took our bags and went down the streets - we saw people coverd with dust - people crying - people had their radio and listened to it - we found a blind woman whose dog was so confused that he didn't find his way home - because of all the fire dept. pump cars, ambulances and police cars with their sirens.... All streets were blocked in minutes and you could "dance" on the 5th avenue in New york - no cars except fire brigade, ambulances and police cars.We helped the blind woman while telling her which street and which crossing we were and then she knew her way home...
We walked and walked and walked and were speechless - sometimes we talked - sometimes we hugged each other and cried - tried to get our parents on the phone - nothing..... line dead!
I have to mention that our first choice was the Marriot Hotel - directly located by the twin towers - a colleague of Achim told him that he knows a nice and very romantic little hotel which is way better for honeymooners than the Marriot Hotel - imagine we had chosen the Marriot Hotel - you would not be able to read my blog - I would not be able to write my blog because it collapsed as well.....
We walked up and down and came to a barriere - there were lots of policeman and ambulances and we were able to speak with them - asked how to help (they said blood would be needed badly so we decided to donate blood) and then he got a call - talked to his colleagues and then said in a hurry: " You better move quickly - this building will come down soon" (we could only see the back side of the building which was the WTC 7 - you couldn't see any damage but the front side must have been damaged terribly....) So we moved and made our way to one of the blood donation stations - later we walked around (we couldn't go home to our hotel and sit there - we were sooooo unsettled and nervous). When we came home late in the afternoon we were told that the WTC 7 - we stood in front of its back side hours before - did come down also!
The whole day we couldn't reach our parents - that made me crazy because I wanted to tell them we are okay - later we were told that my dad was the one who recognized that it was nine o clock in the morning when the attack happened (in germany it was 3 o clock in the afternoon) and he tried to reasurre the whole family by sayng that honeymooners won't be on their feet at 9 o clock in the morning - besides he knows his son in law and knows that he isn't that early bird..... So he told everyone he is sure we are okay.....
We spent the evening at the hotel - normally they don't serve a dinner but for their guests the stuff were able to organize something - but no need to mention we all were unable to eat anything. At about 10 o clock we went to our room and watched tv til late in the night - couldn't sleep.....
I had my parents on the phone in the night (about midnight in NY - 6 o clock in the morning in Germany) and the line was very bad but we told them we are okay.... then the line collapsed. I was soo happy I could talk to them - even it was just for a minute.... Our plan was to leave NY on Thursday morning .... but that is another story .... more tomorrow.....
BAH - while writing down this story everything comes back soooo close and I sit in front of my screen and have goosebump all over......We've been at hell with one feet!!!! And I never was a very religious person but I was sure "HE" thought: this newly married couple has to be protected.....
more to come tomorrow::::::
