Leaving New York

"From the Battery to the Gallery, its the kind of thing you only see, in scented glossy magazines"

-John Mayer, City Love

"$40.00 round trip to New York." These words uttered just a little over three years ago, were thrilling to my impoverished ears. One of my favorite pastimes - travel had to be temporarily thrust to the side. But, saving forty odd dollars seemed very possible and not only would such a small price take me away, but it would take me away to my favorite city - New York. I would work out the other details later and stay with a friend.

In these three years later I've returned to New York many times, but I've never used any other mode of transportation. This occasion was no exception. No, not even before traveling abroad.

So, I love New York. But as I road on the subways, buses and ambled through the streets of Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan this past weekend, I stopped and pondered why. I came to the conclusion that it (A) it captured my imagination at a young, impressionable age and (B) it's (presently) the home of Bethel and (C) its international sampler. The Cliff Notes of the earth's cultures if you will.

When we first received word that we were selected as delegates for the international convention, I of course hoped that New York would be a 'gateway city' and I knew that if it was, we'd select it. Yes, we'd head north to go South. Remember, fifty dollars round trip.

These last three days saw us with the Arabic congregation in Brooklyn, at the famed Madison Squared Gardens venue that I first visited when it was quite empty with my sister as we waited to take a train to Montreal Canada, nearly two years ago.

It found us touring the nearly one and a half century old American Museum of Natural History with a tour guide who was both enlightening and passionate and .... something. That 'something' that you can't justifiably complain about or commend. From there we conversed with a friend who joined us in our New York meanderings, at a typical Manhattan deli called Lenny's. Then a stroll through Central Park in the cold.

Top of the Rock was thrilling and overwhelming and mind boggling. How does a primeval forest turn into a tribute to megalithic architecture? And what would New York City be without Rockefeller and his wife? And how could we hoist Kimberly atop the 30 Rock Antennas so she could truly reach the "Top of the Rock." The world may never know.

Another dear friend met us at the bottom of the rock, followed by more superb and encouraging conversation and the ride to our hotel.

So tomorrow we leave for Mexico. We already have the names of the brothers and sisters who will accompany us on our bus. Its funny how those are just names now, but very soon they will represent personalities, living, breathing people.