September 11, 2006

September 11, 2001

Instead of a video blog today, I ask the question...where were you?

I was in Cologne, Germany.

I was traveling with a friend around Germany. We heard something about an airplane hitting one of the World Trade Towers on the train to Cologne. The British businessman who reported the news after hearing about it from a friend on his cell semi-joked about it. He had no idea what was really happening. Neither did we.

We got off the train and went into the station. Large crowds were gathered around the large TVs scattered about. The first tower had just fallen. I placed a call home to check in.

Outside of the station, the police were gathering...an anti-capitalist demonstration was just about to take place. It had apparently been planned for weeks, but something just isn't quite right about seeing signs that read Capitalism "ist Kaput!" right after seeing the first of the World Trade Towers fall.

However, there was only one reason we had trekked to Cologne that day. To see the cathedral. We went inside...we prayed.

Afterwards, we went back to Friedburg where we had been staying with a friend in the military. We didn't see him much for the rest of the trip. The base had been put on full alert. Things had changed. Yes...things had changed.

People would recognize you were American...they were truly empathetic for what had happened. You could feel their compassion...it was being poured out all around you. They would ask questions about how we felt. I couldn't put it into words...but I never really felt scared or shocked. I only felt that we were entering a new chapter in history and things probably wouldn't be the same for quite a while. It was something that was dealt to us...to everyone...it couldn't be changed.

We would deal with it though.

Just like we always have.

Just like we always will.

But...we would never forget.

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P.S. New video blog tomorrow.

Comments:

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It was nearly surrealistic that day after the towers went down. I can't imagine being out of the country...Great post, Blake.

Posted by: john h at September 11, 2006 08:19 AM

I was at work, attempting to get things done between searching for news.

Talking to people over the cubicle walls about what we heard.

When I got to class that weekend, one of the girls I knew was from NYC. She said as soon as she heard what happened, she jumped in her car and drove pretty much straight through from Nashville to get home and be with her family.

Posted by: Pink Kitty at September 11, 2006 09:42 AM

I was at work. Saw the second plane hit, watched the towers fall. Began working on a Patriotic project and the next day News Channel 5 came and interviewed several of my co-workers and myself. That was picked up by CNN. I will never forget watching the coverage with my co-workers and for the next few weeks watching the coverage.

I will never forget.

Posted by: Creative Liberty at September 11, 2006 04:33 PM

I was teaching that morning. I learned something had happened when a student asked if class was cancelled. That's what students always want to know - is class cancelled becuase of this?

Posted by: Theron at September 11, 2006 07:21 PM

Interesting post Blake. I can't imagine being on the other side of the Earth on that day.

As far as my memory of 9/11... check my blog.

Posted by: ryan Vaughan at September 11, 2006 09:30 PM