First day back in the City

It was very strange coming in from JFK. First off, I immediately hit the new taxi fare schedule, when I left almost 1 year ago to the day, a flat fare fee of JFK to the city was $35, it is now $45. (massive bummer) Still took about an hour, so friday evening traffic into the city is still as bad as ever. It was also very strange, to not go to my apartment, adding a very surrealistic feel to the beginning of this trip. As I approached the city in the taxi, scanning the skyline, I was very sad looking at the gap where the trade centers used to stand. I've travelled in and out of NY several times post september 11th, but I think this may be one of the sadder time I've had looking at the trade centers. I attribute this to the fact that I haven't been in the city in a year, so it the contrast is a little more bright, where when I lived here, I worked on Wall Street, so I could see the WTC site very often. I think I'll always be sad, when it comes to the world trade center.

Today is saturday, and I got up and went walking around. I like NYC. I like the character of the older buildings, I like the smell of the honey roasted peanuts on all the street corners in the "touristy" areas. I like the fact that you can cut through the garment district and go down 9th ave and see about a thousand times fewer people, I like that people don't wait for the lights to cross the street if they feel they can weave their way through traffic. I'd forgotten how late of a city NY is. I was walking around at 10 am, and in Rockerfeller Sq, 5th ave, it was not crowded at all. But by the time I was able to walk to Time Sq. it started to pick and the streets were crowded once again.

I was walking to B&H PhotoVideo store, which i used to frequent when I was a city resident, but I got there, from about 1/2 a block away, and the store was obviously closed. And it hit me in a second, they are not open on Saturday as it is the Sabbath, the store is run by Hasidic/Orthodox Jews, and they are not open on Saturday. I knew this, and in fact, I was very disappointed that I had forgotten. Sadly, there are many details about NYC I no longer recall.

Since my camera shopping spree was cut-off, I decided to walk back, so I turned down 33rd street, (from 9th ave) towards, Madison Sq. Garden. I got about a block, and guy on the street was trying to sell me x. It made me chuckle, definitely back in NYC that at 10:45 am on a saturday morning does a drug dealer try to sell x.

I was hoping to post a few pics with my new digital cam, but that will have to wait.

I'm curious to see how the remainder of trips unfolds.

Giving up on something Aussie

Last weekend I went for a moutain bike ride, I've been progressiong pretty good, and would consider myself an intermediate level rider. I'm starting to ride more aggressively and attempting to take technical terrain wiht more speed. Up until now, I've left my brakes in "Aussie" style, which means your left hand controls the back brake and your right hand the front. After 2 relatively high speed stacks (i.e. wrecks), which both include superman flying over the handle bar dismounts, i've decided that at high speeds, you resort to the instincts you've honed as a child. And for me, that includes my right hand brake should control the back wheel. I've given it a good 3-4 months to get comfortable with the right hand controlling the front brake...but alas, 3 months was unable to un-learn 20 years of habit; so i'm giving up on "Aussie style brakes" ...I've cut my grips off and flip my brake levers, back to my customary left hand is the front brake...we'll see how confused I get on my next ride (hopefully I'll be able to switch back )

I'll be in NYC from Nov 29 to Dec 10. It will be my first time back in the city since I've left 1 year and 12 days later. I'll be intrigued to see how I feel about the big apple after a year away. I'm looking forward to seeing my friends and colleauges (this is biz trip.) I'm also looking forward to a little proper cold weather and good christmas decorations. Australia, although beautiful, doesn't do christmas properly in my mind, I think it that too many people are chilled out at the beach to bother decorating.

With that note, I'll sign off for now.