First forays

Confucius says, even the longest journey begins with the first step. In my case, it was a boat trip on the free Staten Island Ferry and a 6-mile walk from the southern tip of Manhattan along Broadway to Rockefeller Center.

Along the way, my path also led me to Ground Zero. On the footprint of the Twin Towers, two concrete pits with waterfalls now serve as a reminder of the void in American self-confidence. A symbolic mass grave for 3,000 souls, including 340 firefighters.

Nevertheless, the beautiful weather and unique architecture constantly drew my gaze towards the sky. One skyscraper taller than the next. Glass facades reflected the light diffusely from impossible directions, and the skyscrapers seemed to defy gravity.

An incredible achievement of human creativity, although sometimes implemented with a certain uniformity, not always particularly creative.