9/11

There is something about the dismal and depressing happenings of this world that oddly captures our attention. Look at some of the most popular TV shows and movies on Netflix over the last several years; from serial killers to stalkers, we find it interesting to observe these troubling matters. Frankly, I am not sure why these things are so alluring to us. Whatever the reason, we also find it interesting to visit unsettling places with shadowy pasts. This type of tourism is increasingly becoming known as “dark tourism.”

When someone says the name of a famous place, an image floats to the foreground of the mind—a hazy, incomplete portrait of what makes that place important. Washington, D.C., brings to mind various historical sites and patriotic fervor. Tokyo brings to mind bright fashions and neon lights. London brings to mind classic literature and hot tea. Each place has a unique mental flavor, and when travelers leave, they are left with an aftertaste on their metaphorical palette for weeks, or sometimes even months, afterward.