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Most folks were good natured, but hot. The breeze over the water seemed to disappear with the electricity. Merchants were selling water at gallons a minute, and at normal prices, too. More than a few people looked like heat stroke candidates: puffy red faces, clothing entirely sweat-soaked, a staggering, erratic walk. I bought two bottles of water, but I looked like I'd been fished out of the East River: covered in sweat, wet clothes, and the marks of pollution from where I'd climbed over barricades and up on bridge partitions to beat the crowds and take pictures.
World New York:
The Great North American Blackout 2003.
Comments
New York Times: With Plumbers' Candles and Guest Traffic Cops, Region Perseveres
Posted by: sudama | August 15, 2003 1:29 PM
Gothamist: The New York City Blackout Edition has collected most of the best pictures I've seen so far. The dark Times Square sign is pretty affecting. There's also a good AP photo on the NYT website of folks sleeping on the steps of a building. You might be able to catch it here.
Posted by: sudama | August 15, 2003 3:07 PM
That picture:
Posted by: sudama | August 15, 2003 3:10 PM
Just got power back two mintues ago.
Only took 29 hours.
It was pretty amazing at times, though.
Walking through the dark streets last night was rather trippy. And thousands of people in a pitch black Union Square were laughing and dancing to music from clarinets, drums and guitars plugged into portable generators.
I could see the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building in profile last night.
It's all been rather incredible in a lot of ways.
For all the debate about what is Human Nature, yesterday I saw people sitting on stoops, giving each other water and comfort, having barbeques and generally enjoying in communing and helping. There was a bit of price gouging, but entirely was a minority rather than the majority.
Posted by: zagg | August 15, 2003 9:23 PM
post that to the front page please!
Posted by: sudama | August 17, 2003 2:13 AM
NPR's Anne Garrels did an excellent piece on what Iraqis thought of our outage.
Posted by: nedlog | August 18, 2003 10:50 AM
August 14th is a great experience,full of joys and sorrows.While passing internship this summer,i would never expect to get that kind of experience.Working at Metlife Building,on Park Avenue and 45th st.,i had to walk all the way to Manhattan bridge,Downtown,when the light turned off.I got hit by bus,trying to get on it with a tough crowd of other people.My leg did hurt a lot,but being shocked,i made all my way to Brooklyn,walking.Brooklyn,of course was no less surprising,as i saw millions of people coming from Manhattan through Brooklyn and Manhattah Bridges.DeKalb avenue seemed to be a crazy mix of people and vehicles.One big mass blocked all the area around DeKalb.There were absolutely no chances to catch the bus.The first bus i could take that day, was at Prospect Park.My crazy trip ended at midnight,when i finally got to Sheepshead Bay,Brooklyn.I spent the next night at the hospital,exemining my leg.But everything turned to be fine,at the end!God Bless all of us in days like that!
P.S.An awfull acts were did by some grocery sellers-water price was rised to get profit from the people who suffered of heat.Shame on you!I had $1,5 in cash,i can imagine thirsty people with no cash in their pockets..Rediculous.
Posted by: Tatyana | August 21, 2003 2:35 PM
I'm from Michigan and me my boyfriend and his family got to New York City at 1pm on August 14, 2003. i was so excited to finally be in New York because i always wanted to go there. We went to our hotel and the we when shopping and got something to eat. we went the the manhattan mall. after we went back to our room we decided to go to the Empire State Building. We were the next people in line to go up to the top when the lights went out. i wasn't really scared i was more excited then anything!! we had to leave the empire state building and everythign and then we just walked around trying to figure out what was going on. after about an hour and a half we went back to our hotel room. luck us we were on the 12th floor so we had to clime all the stair and it was dark becasue there were no windows by the stairs.it was so hot in our room that night! at about 3 in the morning me and my boyfriend not knowing what to expect decided to go outsidesince we couldn't sleep. it was so dark u couldn't see ur feet when u looked down. people were everywhere still. i was scared but everyone on the street was so friendly and nice i couldn't believe it. the next day after seeing the stautr of liberty (whom i love vert much) and ground zero we had to leave. even though we spend most of that long night in our rooms i still loved the feeling of being in New York and i'm definatly going to have to go back as soon as i can. it was the most amazing place i have ever been
Posted by: tamera | December 29, 2003 4:08 AM
woah... amazing grace! i live in canada eh! it was terrible in the black out... it tromatized me and my family forever.. my gramma had surgery in the dark. love the lord
peace
Posted by: Care | January 8, 2004 2:40 PM
i was just joking
Posted by: cst | January 8, 2004 2:48 PM