Day One

We got through security at the Portland airport with no problems and our flight departed on time. High above intermintent clouds we sped over the craigy Rocky Mountains, the straight lines of the midwest, the monotoned Great Lakes, and landed safely in the JFK airport. Thank God for non-stop flights! Then began the adventure of getting ourselves to Manhattan. The airport train connected us to the subway where one line after another took us to our destination. At last, looking very much like clueless tourists, I'm sure, we climbed the stairs at the 72nd street station and found ourselves in New York. Apartments and hotels were on one side, Central Park was on the other. We managed to seek out our hotel and then made finding dinner our first priority. The charming Italian restaraunt that we ended up at was probably my favorite dinner of the whole trip. We ate in their courtyard with colorful murals on every wall and growing vines haning overhead. The food was delicious (after only a small ham sandwich at 4:00 in the morning and airport pizza several hours later) and the waiters were endearing. It was an excellent beginning to our New York experience.

After dinner we wandered down Columbus Street until we arrived at the southeast entrance to Central Park. It was Sunday evening so the park was full of joggers, bikers, families playing catch, and cute couples sitting on the grass staring dreamily into each other's eyes. We climbed onto a huge rock jutting out of the ground and stared dreamily at everying around us.

As dusk deepened we continued our meander down 7th Avenue until we ended up amidst the glaring lights of Times Square. There we met up with my parents who had flown over a day before us so that they could meet up with some old friends who happned to be in New York at the same time. As people streamed around us on either side, all gawking at the advertisements, big stores, and each other, I couldn't help but feel that the whole situation was rather comical. We were there to see the hustle and bustle, but so was everyone else! So we all walked around marveling at each other and getting in each other's way. Vanity of vanities...