New York rises from the ashes

'Welcome to New York City: We've opened this platform for those of you who want to pay your respects and maybe take a few photographs for people at home who cannot make it. You will have a couple of minutes. Thank you for your co-operation.'

Such is the announcement when you visit the world's most infamous mass grave after picking up a priority number at Pier 17 on the opposite side of Battery Park and shuffling through a makeshift walkway and on to a temporary platform. The walkway's walls have been covered in scrawled messages from people queuing to see Ground Zero.

It's minus six degrees, thanks to the city's first winter storm, and snow covers the rows of tributes: teddies, pictures, flowers, notes. It's also 18 weeks since this generation's 'Where were you when Kennedy was shot?' moment, yet still the queue snakes around the corner and up Broadway as far as City Hall. Such is the demand to see the remnants of the North and South Towers that despite picking up a ticket from the pier at 1pm, our viewing slot is not until 5.30pm.

'Sure it's become a macabre tourist attraction,' says Lydia Ruth, PR director at the Empire State Building. 'But it was already that on September 12 and, with no organisation, people were just getting in the way of the recovery operation.'

The viewing platform may have attracted some criticism but the pragmatic approach to the problem afforded by sightseers and people wishing to pay their respects mirrors the city's attitude to those tragic events.

At first glance, it's easy to think New York is approaching recovery with a bullish attitude: the star spangled banner lines the streets, adverts advise you to shop American and free postcards send out the message: 'Bring back the bull - invest in US'.

Even that dreadful date burned on everyone's memories has received a New Yorkism ? la TwentyFourSeven. Speak to people and you'll hear it called NineEleven or the less-used alternative 9-1-1 - which pays tribute to the courage of the emergency services.

Meanwhile, on the streets, FDNY has replaced DKNY as the label to wear. The fire department acronym, along with NYPD, adorns everything from pins to shirts. But, you only have to brush the surface to realise that this is just the city's way of dealing with what happened.

The FDNY had to copyright the logo to stop unscrupulous traders hawking counterfeit goods (profits from official merchandise go to victims' funds) and the same company that produces the bull cards also makes ones for the city health department: 'Even heroes need to talk'.

On the streets, the traditionally gruff exterior of New Yorkers has been replaced with a touching vulnerability. While we were in the city, outgoing mayor Rudolph Giuliani made a farewell appearance on the David Letterman show: 'There were times I wavered,' he said. 'But it was the strength of the people of this city that kept me going. They are the real heroes.'

And they are. The emergency services, which have put in superhuman efforts despite their huge losses (341 men of the FDNY died - half the total number of deaths since it was set up in 1865), deserve all the praise heaped on them.

We passed Ground Zero shortly after getting our queue tickets at 1pm and an NYPD officer was greeting passers-by cheerily. That he was doing the same with even more zeal at 6pm just yards from where his colleagues died is testament to the stamina of these people.

Probably the greatest advice, both for ourselves and New Yorkers, came from a fireman who, on our visit to Rescue One, stopped his engine to chat before saying: 'Now go on out and enjoy yourselves. The city needs that more than anything else.'

Back at Ground Zero, the officer who welcomed us gives us our cue to let the next group in: 'Thank you. Now could you please move on.' At the moment, it seems it's a clarion call New Yorkers are beginning to heed.

? James flew with Virgin Atlantic and stayed at the Sheraton New York Hotel And Towers (7th Avenue/53rd Street, tel: 001 212 581 1000, www.sheraton.com) and the Essex House Hotel (Central Park South, tle: 001 212 247 0300, www.westin.com)

BARE ESSENTIALS

Priority viewing numbers for Ground Zero are available at South Street Sea Port's Pier 17 from 11am until they run out for the day. There is no charge to visit the site.

Rescue One is based at 530 West 43 Street between 12th and 11th Avenues.

The New York Times has a website (www.nytimes.com/ pages/national/ portraits) with pen pictures of victims.

For more information on NYC, visit www.nycvisit.com or telephone 020 7437 8300.

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