New York City

My work has started taking me across continents. Across cities. I like to believe that I am a traveler and enjoy every bit of it, however when one travels for work, it is different. Its not the same thing. But, given that work takes you around, you might as well see around for a bit. Not exactly a traveler and not exactly a tourist. This would be somewhere in between. 

During the last year and the current year, my work has sort of 'gifted' me with almost 4 visits to the US of A to the same place :-/. Not that one has a choice but then work is work and you got to make best use of your time, professionally and personally. 

Have been landing up time and again at Stamford, CT which is close to an hour away from New York City. Stamford being a small place, has a small downtown and couple of 'go to' places like a museum or the river front. The major attraction of this place is its proximity to New York City (NYC). Well, and when you do go to NYC, for the first time, you do end of doing the touristy stuff. We arrived at Grand Central Station via train. Its a beautiful train station. The ceiling has designs of constellations embedded in it and it has a very active market, eateries and even an Apple Store. I think it has atleast 4 levels to it. 

Couple of things which we covered over the weekend, with adequate energy levels along with sensible clothing and walking shoes are the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, MET Museum, Central Park and Times Square towards late evening. For some cases, we decided to take the hip hop bus but once we were in the central business district we were mainly on foot.

Couple of pictures follows :-)

Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island

Rockefeller Center, popularly known as the "The Rock". The Christmas tree and its ice skating rink is seen in many a Hollywood movie

Remember? Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged??? Well, this is stationed at "The Rock"

View from the Top of the Rock!

Another view. Empire State Building from the Top of the Rock

The first ever Winnie the Pooh. Maintained at the New York Public Library. 

New York City, from the Central Park

Have visited most of these places with work colleagues. It was fun and good time spent. New York City has very similar vibes to that of Bombay a.k.a Mumbai. Gelled in instantly... as if I had know this place for quite sometime. The traffic, the commute and the sense of urgency... calmed down by the river / sea as the case may be. In the midst of all the hustle and the bustle, you do manage to find the quite and calmness. Would love to be back here :-).