The Freedom Tower

I'm afraid of heights.  

But I wanted to see a pretty view of New York City while we were there.  So my husband decided that we would view it from the newly-constructed Freedom Tower, located adjacent to where the World Trade Center Towers stood.  I said, "Sure. Sounds fun."

But when we arrived at the site, I discovered that this wasn't just any tall building;  it is the TALLEST BUILDING IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE!!!  Not just the tallest building in New York City, or in our country, or even on our continent.  It's the tallest building in our half of the world!!!

I must admit I got a little queasy at the thought of going up in this monster.  (And FYI:  pictures don't do the height justice).  If the World Trade Center buildings were still standing, we would have been looking down on them.  But I am working on the life skill of being less afraid in life, so I went for it.

 First, you buy a ticket and go through security.  It's the exact same security you go through to get on an airplane.  Then you get in line for an elevator (the elevators are very large) which are some of the fastest elevators in the world.  Amazingly, you cannot feel yourself going up much at all.  The sides of the elevators are like a movie screen, and they show videos of what New York City looked like as it was being built.  And then in 45 seconds, you're at the top!  Just like that!  No ear popping or anything.

 And at the top, you simply walk around and have a 360 degree view of New York City.  It was spectacular!!!

Below is the New York Harbor.  That little, itty bitty thing on that island is the Statue of Liberty...

 One interesting perspective, though, is that although I was surprisingly unafraid of the heights up there, I was nervous about airplanes.  We were actually looking down on airplanes that were flying.  Every minute or so an airplane would fly out of the airport (LaGuirdia, I believe?), and I instinctively found myself watching to make sure that airplane would turn one way or another instead of heading for us.  It was incredibly chilling while we were standing up there to be where the people in the World Trade Center buildings were, so that if what happened on 9/11 happened while we were up in that building we would not be able to get out.   I realized that 9/11 still has its effect on us.  Terrorism certainly terrorizes, even 15 years after it has happened.  Even so, come quickly, Jesus...

-Kara