Autumn in New York

When I was ten i created this list of top ten places that I had to visit. The US never figured in it. But as luck has it, it will probably be my most visited country. My last trip to the country was a whirlwind tour of cities. Vegas and LA dazzled me, but the feeling didn't linger. So when I decided to extend a business trip and visit a friend in NYC, I went with no exceptions. They say you have the best experiences when you have the least expectations. So true. Five days in NY and I wonder why I never put that on my list.

Wandering around a city on your own is the best way to experience it. The museums, quaint coffee shops serving the best cheesecake and the sunny parks made me fall in love with the city. I spent the days walking around the city and the evenings with my friend. Having lived in NY for years, she knew of beautiful scenic spots and fantastic food joints that didn't figure on touristy books. Thanks to her I experienced Greek and Ethiopian food.

I had to do the usual tourist stuff - Empire state building, statue of liberty etc. The empire state building was bit of a disappointment.Surprisingly I loved the statue of liberty. I had no clue about the depth of history connected to it. Of all the statues in NYC, the one of the immigrants at Ferris Island was my favorite. There was something haunting and touching about the statue of immigrants looking into the future. The visit to the statue of liberty was also special as I met my best friend after ages there.

The icing on the cake of course was Broadway. Since it was the weekend, I could not get tickets for any of the new shows. So Mary Poppins it was. I was totally blown away with theater experience. When Mary Poppins swoops into the audience in the final act, I nearly jumped out of my seat in awe.

At the end of five days, I had bid adieu to the macadamia nut cheesecakes and Jamaican street vendors. I was sad but looking forward to filter coffee back home. Its definitely one of the cities I want to go back and visit. I love New York!