This week, by the random selection of Priceline, I ended up staying at the "Millenium Hilton" Dwontown NYC. When the confirmation came through, the name seemed vaguely familiar. When the taxi brought me to the hotel late Thursday, I knew why: It is directly across the street from the gaping wound that used to be Twin Towers and now is a site of major contstuction effort to raise the "Freedom Tower". To me it still looks like a wound. Gaping, oozing emotions, reminding us of the barbaric world we live in.
It so happened that I was in NYC in early October 2001 and stayed not far in TriBecca Grand. There, every night I would bump into tired workers covered by (what we now now to be) biohazardous dirt coming in to sleep after 18 hour shift. At that time I couldn't bring myself to come see the site. Couple of years later I did a "drive by" in a taxi. This time, the desk clerk asked if I "minded" high floors. I thopught the question odd and told her I did not. When i got to my room on teh 41st floor, the entire scene of the WTC lay in front of me. I understood why she asked. I "minded". But I did not change the rooms and stayed here for 3 nights. I got to see the site in the dark, in the rain, and in the sunshine of a brilliant spring day (see my "where am I" photo blog link on the left.
Walking over to Les Halles french bistro get brunch staurday I passed several street vendos selling "hallah" (kosher for muslims) food. I thought it strange and insulting. Can't explain why. I just did.
I think in the end it will boil down to the barbarians vs us. And unless we are prepared to be harsh and unyielding we will keep taking these blows. From 1920 to 1990 Russians also faced such crazies. However, by the time Stalin got through with them by late 1920's they never again raised their heads until Soviet Uniton fell apart. A hsitory lesson for us.
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