To New York

I have visited New York on two previous occassions.

The first was right after September 11, I flew to JFK on September 28 2001, and had a look around the city the following day. This included a trip to the top of the Empire State on the day it reopened after the attacks, and then a long solitary contemplative walk from the Empire State to the remains of the WTC, still smoldering, and practically untouched since the attacks. The roads were still closed off from Canal Street down. I had actually planned on flying to New York earlier in the month, just before the attacks, and could easily have been in New York that day – though not in the WTC – I would never get up that early.

There was a certain sense of bewilderment in the air, a very odd smell in lower Manhattan, one I will never forget. Walking around empty streets, with dust still on windows, where people had written patriotic messages – photographs of missing people on street corners. I don’t think I got a true reflection of the city, more of a people still in shock.

The second was a very brief visit last year on my way to Toronto, and I promised myself I would return to get a better look around.

So I am off to visit the US before my return to university, and it happens to be around the time of my first visit there 4 years ago.

It would be cool to meet up with some bloggers from the area, I know thinkingoutloud met up with some recently – but I really don’t know any of my readers that are from that part of the world!

Give me a link if you know some nice blogfolk in NY!