NEW YORK

(page 1)

New York has had a lot of bad publicity in the past and I have never really wanted to go there.  I had heard all about how it was unfriendly, dirty and dangerous.  I was so very wrong.  New York proved to be one of the most fascinating, friendly, clean and safe cities I've ever visited.  I stayed there for six days and never once did I feel threatened.  I was impressed by the friendliness of the New Yorkers and the cleanliness of the city.

I stayed with a Anna, an Internet friend, who had an apartment on Park Avenue South.  Every morning I went out armed with a map, knapsack and comfortable walking shoes and explored the city on foot.  I travelled by alone on the subway to Brooklyn, and was lucky enough to be in New York for the Halloween Parade.

I can't thank Anna enough for her hospitality.  I had a wonderful time and when it came to choosing photographs for this page I had great difficulty because I had taken literally rolls of film.  This must be one of the most photogenic cities in the USA.  I was fascinated by the many architectural styles - skyscrapers alongside buildings several hundred years old, St. Paul's Chapel on Broadway at the top of Wall Street, where George Washington worshipped before becoming President.  Because I couldn't narrow down the New York photographs I have several pages of the city and the people who live there.

Postscript - The World Trade Centre is no more after the savage, barbaric and senseless attacks of 11 September 2001 but I couldn't bring myself to delete the photograph from this page.  I prefer to remember it as it was that beautiful October morning in 1998 when I visited it.