Statue of Liberty
The 9-11 memorials I’ve visited seem to be very appropriate tributes to that terrible day. I have visited the NYC memorial twice. Below are links to my previous posts regarding 9-11. The YouTube video was created in 2001, posted in 2006 and has almost 50,000 views.
My BLOG post of my 9-11 Memorial visit.
My BLOG post of Flight 93 Memorial near Shanksville, PA
John Lennon “Imagine” Tribute
Taking a ride through Central Park in NYC, the John Lennon tribute, known as Strawberry Fields, was pointed out. It is across the street from the prestigious Dakota Apartments where he and Yoko lived and where John was shot by a crazed fan, Mark Chapman. Continue reading
9-11 Memorial Rose
All Americans felt the pain of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The official death toll is 2,996; 176 from Aon Corporation, the company where I worked.
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Memorial Museum for Communism Victims
The luck of the draw. Many, if not most, reading this blog were simply fortunate to have been born in the USA, had access to good education, good medical treatment and above all, a democracy. Not so for those living in Romania during much of my lifetime.
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9-11 School Children’s Poster
It is a sad situation, but it seems that in the US we do memorials very well. From the Oklahoma bombing to the Vietnam Memorial our memorials seem to be very fitting tributes to the heroes who lost their lives. The 9-11 Memorial in New York is no exception.
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My first visit to the Pearl Harbor Memorial on Oahu was about 25 years ago. What is so striking to me about each visit is the large number of Japanese tourists in attendance. Many arrive by organized Japanese tour companies. I would really like to have the ability or nerve to speak to them and learn their impressions and thoughts during their visit to the site of their country’s surprise attack which killed more than 2,500 Americans. It is certainly an odd twist that anyone who visits Hawaii today quickly realizes the economic vitality of Hawaii clearly depends on the Japanese tourist.
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Reflection Pool at the Oklahoma City National Memorial
We come here to remember those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever. May all who leave here know the impact of violence. May this memorial offer comfort, strength, peace, hope and serenity.
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“In Graceland, in Graceland
I’m going to Graceland
For reasons I cannot explain
There’s some part of me wants to see
Graceland…..
But I’ve reason to believe
We all will be received
In Graceland…” Paul Simon (1986)
Click Continue to see a slide show.
Monument “Les Braves” at Omaha Beach
Upon arriving at Omaha Beach, on the coast of Normandy, France, it was surprising to see it being used much as any beach would be on a warm summer day with people swimming, playing and having family picnics. What a difference 70 years make…. I am not saying the beach should be off limits, just that no TV documentaries I’ve seen depicted it being used as a normal beach, so I was surprised. There are two war monuments on the beach, memorializing the 2,500 Americans who died during the initial assault. The metal one, shown above, seems very appropriate for the marking of the site. To me the artwork depicts bombs dropping into the sand and the resulting explosions.
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