Another slow start. Amaia met some friends, so Bea, Anita, and I walked the path to Le District. The path on the water’s edge has a wonderful view of New Jersey. We stopped to appreciate the well-appointed planning of this walkway and some of the statues and monuments placed so we will never forget our ancestors and what they went through.
We had lunch at a wine bar in Le District, picking up food from different counters within the store. I love having a bite at a bar with a glass of wine. Nothing spells out comfort and relaxation more, does it?
We walked through the shopping area underground through the Oculus. Both Bea and Anita were far more familiar with some of the stores than I was, so that was an education all on its own. For example, we passed a watch store I had passed many times but never realized their specialty is pilots’ watches.
“Breitling” originated in Switzerland in 1884. By 1892, eight years later, they experienced increasing success and transformed Breitling’s workshop into a watch factory and set the benchmark for the industry. His watches have been loved by sports enthusiasts and aviation pioneers, but the secret to his success was that he understood the power of marketing while expanding. When automobiles became the mode of transportation in 1905, Breitling patented an instrument that measured speeds between 15 and 150 km/hr. This became the precursor to the speedometer.
On the way home, we walked through the 9/11 Memorial pools and admired the newly completed Greek Orthodox Church. It consists of translucent marble on the outside. It is truly lovely at night as the interior lights shine through.
We got back in time for Anita to pack her bags and leave for the airport; Bea and Amaia had one more night.
While Bea and Amaia had plans for dinner, they stuck to tradition and completed their day by coming over afterward for our regular nightcap and recap. They would be leaving the hotel quite early in the morning, so I reciprocated our late-night visits in my apartment with a “goodbye” in pajamas and slippers in our lobby.