19/12/2019 - Helicopter tour of New York & 9/11 Museum

Today, we had another exciting experience - a helicopter tour of New York. We left Ben at home today because he had already been on this adventure before, and such a flight is not cheap. So we drove to the airport, where we had to read and fill out some paperwork, we received a safety briefing, and a small life jacket for our waist. Then we went out to the airfield and were placed in the helicopter. The seats were already assigned because we had to indicate our weight. Birgit had the best seat. In the front, right next to the pilot. Lukas and Dino each had a window seat opposite each other. There were also two women who had a nice window seat opposite each other. So there was only the middle seat left for me. Really stupid, because you can only see half of it. We flew over all of Manhattan, Central Park, and Liberty Island in the best weather. I was really sad and disappointed that I couldn't see everything. You only fly with a helicopter over New York City once in your life, and they give you such a seat. Nobody deserves that. I expressed my disappointment again when we landed, and probably because I was so pitiful, they said I can fly again. Today, it just didn't work out because we had other plans. But I won't forget that, and let's see when the opportunity arises again, as we still have a few more days in the city. We took the shuttle to Manhattan and met Ben. After such an emotional start to the day, let's continue that way. We walked to Ground Zero and visited the 9/11 Museum. Here, the tragic story of that fateful day and the nearly 3,000 deceased are portrayed in a very special way. From a chronicle of the attacks on September 11, 2001, to debris and destroyed fire trucks, there are phone recordings of the dying, recordings of survivors and relatives, pictures, and film footage. The atmosphere in the museum is somber, hardly anyone speaks, and it was by far the most moving exhibition we have ever visited.