In our parents’ generation people asked, “What were you doing when Kennedy was shot?” In ours, they ask, “What were you doing on 9/11?” I was recently asked that and collected some thoughts. While this would be ideal for a blog entry next 9/11, it’s ripe and ready, and I find it poignant…so I’ll share it now.
I was in Italy’s Cinque Terre on 9/11. I was filming. I figure the first plane hit the North Tower just when we were filming the romantic Via dell’Amore, the “Pathway of Love,” which is a lovers’ meeting point between the two towns of Riomaggiore and Manarola. So for me, the Via dell’Amore is no longer the “Pathway of Love”…it’s the “Pathway of 9/11.”
Hiking with our TV gear into the next village, we found a tiny bar packed with people as if it were a makeshift theater. Everyone was staring jaw-dropped at the TV. I saw the smoldering tower and thought it was some kind of a disaster movie. Then people told me the news. My crew and I gathered outside and decided the only thing we could do was to keep on working. We went into a restaurant across the street and filmed my favorite pasta dish ‘ with seafood, cooked in foil, so when you opened the foil, a lovely genie of fragrant steam enveloped you. I remember opening the foil, camera rolling, inhaling the ultimate pasta experience of Italy’s Riviera, and considering the tragedy unfolding in the US, the human loss, and inability for anyone to know the extent of that loss ‘ or the long-term consequences. The steam fogged up my glasses. I inhaled the wet, delicious, tempting steam, smiling hungrily and contentedly, knowing the camera was filming ‘ but thinking about the turmoil coming from this tragedy. Now, a decade later, every time I watch that segment of that episode, I remember the newscast on Italian TV in that bar, and the confusion and sadness that accompanied the opening of that foil.
We had a Rick Steves tour group in Vernazza that day. That night, all the Americans were huddling together, wondering what would happen next. There was a line at the town’s one public phone booth. There were two distinct camps of travelers: those who thought, “It’s tragic but there’s nothing we can do, so party on”; and those who couldn’t continue with their vacation ‘ but also couldn’t get back home. My enduring memory was of solidarity ‘ Americans caring for each other and locals caring for Americans. All the people of the Cinque Terre were Americans with us; they cared for us and did what they could to help us out during that disturbing time, when no one knew what was coming next.
We were in that group in Vernazza. Once we realized it wasn`t an elaborate hoax (it couldn`t be real, could it?) we all continued with the tour, on to Switzerland, then Paris. Everyone we met was so supportive. A clerk in the Virgin Megastore in Paris asked us how we would get home and we told him `We don`t know.` Flying back home we saw the smoke still coming off the ruins five days later. Our home airport, Las Vegas, was eerily deserted. We`d never seen it so empty and quiet.
My wife and I were back home in the USA on 9/11/01, but 2 months earlier, we`d visited the 5 Terre and stayed in Riomaggiore, just a few yards from the church tower and bells that went off frequently. The atmosphere pre-9/11 was certainly festive. I remember having fresh-caught anchovies with lemon, and Zuppa d` Cozze in foil at Rick`s suggested restaurant. The Via del Amore was closed for restoration in late June and early July 2001, so it`s just a barricaded path for us at this point. I also recall hordes of 18-to-20-year-old American kids roaming the street in the evening, each carrying a giant bottle of Heineken beer.
We were in Wales, driving through Snowdonia National Park. We found out about the attacks later in the day while doing our laundry in Holyhead. A Welsh couple heard us talking and realized we were Americans. They told us they were sorry about the attacks on America. This is the first we heard about it. We went out to their car and listened to the radio in shock. The people in Wales and Ireland treated us very kindly. We will never forget that experience.
I was home in America, but my son was in Europe scheduled to fly home the next day. That, of course, did not happen. He was concerned and tried to get all the information he could. Everyone in The Netherlands (where he was vacationing) were very helpful and supportive to him as the story unfolded on TV. We will NEVER forget and were grateful for the kindness he received from everyone until arrangements could be made to come home. PS. Our home airport is Newark, NJ very close to what was the WTC.
I was on Mull in Scotland. More specifically, I was on a tour to Staffa and Iona. Just like in NYC it was stunningly beautiful day. I`ll always remember Fingal`s Cave and the boat trip over to Iona. We watched a tall ship sailing between the islands. Then Iona`s Abbey where a bird was singing in the nave. I remember the peace of this religious community. It wasn`t until I crossed back over to Mull and got into my car and turned on the radio that I found out about 9/11. I faced a long drive from Fionnphort back to Tobermory listening all the while to descriptions of the attacks and the possibility of 20,000 dead. Once back in Tobermory I finally saw what happened. I went down to the Mish in hopes of finding some fellow Americans. I never did find any, but I found a lot of Scots and English who were amazingly supportive of an American traveling alone. I did get a call home from the lone phone box to my parents who were happy to hear from me, but not worried. I also remember where I was when Kennedy died. I was in elementary school and the lobby TV had Walter Cronkite talking about Dallas. I also though remember sitting at home in November in 1989 watching the wall come down with tears running down my cheeks. Pam
I was waiting for a limo pick up for a flight to Dublin. My son called from the east coast and told me to watch. At the same time all flights were cancelled. I made the trip one month later. I remember seeing crowds of peoople cheering the attack in the streets of muslim cities like Baghdad. Since then these films have stopped.
I live in Halifax Nova Scotia. I also work for a local TV station. That morning started the beginning of a 50+ hour day before I saw my bed again. Among the stories we covered, were the preparations made at our small airport to accomodate over 50 aircraft diverted from over the North Atlantic enroute to the US, and the thousands of stranded passengers. I`m never much for the touchy feely, jingoistic, type of patriotism. But, watching our community come together to help thousands of total strangers.. … I`ve never been more proud to be Canadian
Interesting post, but I`m wondering what sparked this topic.
Sara, read paragraph one of Rick`s post.
I was in a primarily Moslem country, Kosovo (although probably one of the least devout). There was no dancing for joy in the streets of Gnjilane that night. Rather, there was candle light vigil held outside our base. Albanian and US flags flew side by side. When I went on a mission the next day, everyone was giving us flowers, bread, meats and cheese out of genuine sympathy. When I hear pundits rant about how the Islamic world is out to get us, I remember my time in Kosovo.
My earlier comment probably wasn`t clear. I know that someone recently asked Rick this question. I was wondering what prompted that question in the first place.
I was in college in Providence. I stood with my friend as he spoke to his mother who was in the north tower and stood there in silence as his phone cut out only to look up and see the tower collapse. I have had some bad things happen to me in my life but i know nothing could ever compare to what my friend went through. 9/11 has changed this world so much, and many will say it is for the worse but i tried to take the best out of it as much as possible and for me it was to learn to live my life to the fullest and never refuse again to try something new even if i scared to try it…even eating vegetables
I am totally confused as to why you are bringing this up now when on the 9/11 memorial day you told us we were self deluded self depravating people for not seeing that other people suffer more than us with death/ So what is up with this post/
I was in Milan. My friend and I had just come back from touring the cathedral, a building I had wanted to see for many years. It exceeded my expectations. I was on such a high as we returned to our hotel and turned on CNN because it was the only English language station. The first plane hit about five minutes later. I went from having such a wonderful feeling to being physically sick. We spent hours trying to get a phone call through to the US. The next week we were consumed with how and when we would get home. Americans in Milan and Paris (where we went next) banded together. We congregated in internet cafes and shared advice on how to get back to North America. We talked to each other and helped each other. For one week, we were not Texans or Californians, young or old, black or white. We were just Americans.
Our local PBS station aired the Via dell`Amore episode this weekend. I`d seen it before, but watched it again to see if there were any signs that something was wrong. Rick is a true professional because there weren`t any signs that something bad happened, something was on his mind, etc. It was a real testament to how comfortable he is in front of a camera and how much he believes in what he does. (Although I sometimes miss the goofiness of his Travels in Europe series, where he was definitely not as polished/professional as he is now!)
How touching! Thanks for sharing. ds
We were in Florence on 9/11. A couple days later there was a huge gathering in the piazza by the statue of David. The crowd consisted of people from everywhere. A Catholic priest, Jewish rabbi, and Islamic imam together led a prayer service. Europeans, young not just old, are very aware and grateful for the Americans `interfering` in world affairs and sending troops to liberate them from Hitler. They recognize that 9/11 was not a military strike against an American military presence, it was cold-blooded murder of civilians of all nationalities and races by a group of radical idealogues who are determined to kill anyone who does not follow their beliefs. It was so clear on that day in Florence that no matter how much some Europeans may disdain American foreign policy, they do not believe 9/11 was deserved, and they understand that these radical butchers do not differentiate between Americans, Italians, French, Spanish etc. If one is anything but Muslim extremist, Al Quaida wants them dead.
I was on a plane waiting to take off on the runway at Sea-Tac. My son called me and said, `Get off that plane now`. I told my partner what my son had said, and he replied that there was no reason to do that and no way to do it after all we were on our way to a meeting. I know my son and his advise is usually golden, so I started to grab my computer bag from under the seat, just as we were told by the crew that the plane would not be taking off.