Orleana's one last New York swim before terror, tragedy, and disaster
Just before leaving for their trip to New York in September 2001 Keith Cattell and his wife Orleana learned they had been given an upgrade.
For their four nights in the city, they would now stay at the Marriott Hotel, sitting between the twin towers of the World Trade Centre.
"We were quite excited at the prospect," recalls Keith, a retired architect from Wolverhampton.
Shortly before the couple left New York to continue their holiday, Orleana enjoyed one last swim in the hotel's rooftop pool. Hours later the hotel was turned to rubble.
September 11 sees the 20th anniversary of the co-ordinated terrorist attacks in New York which brought down the twin towers and claimed thousands of lives.
"I thought I ought to jot down our experience of the event for our grandchildren," said Keith, who is now in his late 80s.
They were on a fortnight's tour combining a stay in America with a trip to Canada to visit Orleana's relatives.
"On our first full day in New York we decided that a trip to the top of the South Tower was a must with its viewing platforms and a cinema that would take us on a filmed helicopter trip around New York, enhanced by sitting on moving seats that replicated the movement of the helicopter. To add to the experience, they had also constructed an enormous model of the city on the top floor," says Keith.
"The rest of our stay was spent seeing the sights of New York and before leaving the hotel Orleana had her last swim in the hotel pool that was on the top floor of the 22-storey hotel, a feature designed so that the hotel could be flooded in the event of a fire.
