Barb & John's Hols: Wedding Day Part One: Pre-wedding

The big day has arrived

The weather today is perfect! After a rainy couple of days previously, the remnants of hurricane Arthur that hit areas of the east coast just south of here, there were blue skies for our big day. Yay!

In the morning before the 4.30 pm wedding everyone was going about their pre-wedding preparations in their own way. Margaret (the mother of the bride) and her sister, and Pam and Jan went off to the hairdressers and for various beauty treatments and make-up. Zach and Garreth headed off to the gym for a good workout. Tio was working on his homily and feeling quite stressed about it all. Although he's officiated at many weddings in the past; this time it was Zach. His godson. This was very special.
I decided to keep myself busy and out of the way and went off for a walk around the Financial District and Battery Park which is near where we are staying at the Wall Street Inn.

These helium filled balloons of a dinosaur and shark led the guests to the reception

Jan at breakfast at the hotel

I walked firstly down to Battery Park. This is where you can catch the free Staten Island ferry across to Staten Island or a private ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
There is a very overt police presence in New York for the 4th of July long weekend; both on the ground and with police choppers cirlcling in the sky. I'm not sure if this should make me feel safe that they're there or frightened that they're required.

There are lots of tourists about, and I followed a stream of them into the Financial District and saw the Stock Exchange,and all the big banks there. By chance I ended up at the Holy Trinity church, which I'd been to on a previous visit and seen the tribute to all the people who'd lost their lives and/or assisted in the 9/11 World Trade Centre tragedy. I walked a little further to Ground Zero.

Holy Trinity church

Last time I was in New York (about five years ago) this was still very much a demolition area. Now there stands a low building housing a memorial centre and a large open parkland area with two massive holes in the ground which are downward fountains where the World Trade Centre buildings once stood. Around the outside are engraved all the names of the people who lost their lives in September 11. It really does bring it home to you that there were so many lives lost that day. The atmosphere was solemn and respectful.

I didn't go inside to see the displays. Today is a happy day and I didn't want to be depressed by it. I walked back in the general direction of our hotel. I reached a crossroads and was wondering which direction I should take. I stood there feeling lost. Then up ahead I saw the backs of Jan and Pam who'd just emerged from a store and although they didn't hear me call them, I simply followed them back.