new york - city & state

If New York City is as horrifying as expected, I would have made a big detour if I hadn't received an invitation from someone. In Massapequa, Long Island, I visited the Middletons, who stayed in the B&B last July. We had a great time together on Vancouver Island and stayed in touch constantly. With Simon, I did sports activities, Kristin spoiled me as if I were in a 5-star hotel, and we had fun together, enjoying excellent dinners and watching movies. One morning, I commuted to Manhattan with Simon, and here is my personal feedback: it's a convenient city to explore on foot (if you don't mind the distance) and even better if you're lucky with the weather. Times Square is impressive with all the colorful lights, but it didn't amaze me as much as I expected. The High Line, an elevated pedestrian passage, offers a good view of the streets and is beautiful in the early spring with the various trees and plants. Around the new World Trade Center, the 9/11 tragedy is omnipresent, and in general, one can deeply feel how this event has shaped America. Considering that the military was unpopular for a long time (especially during the Vietnam War) and now, since 2001, it is revered by the majority. Through an acquaintance, I got to see the view from the WTC One, currently the tallest building in the USA at 1,776 feet (Independence Day) or 541 meters, and as always, everything looks even more spectacular from above - it doesn't show as well in the photos. The Charging Bull on Wall Street is hardly visible because of the large number of tourists. A good view of the Statue of Liberty is obtained from the free ferry ride from Brooklyn, and the skyline is magnificent when walking over the bridge. There are definitely still some museums left to see, but unfortunately, I didn't have time on that day. So it's certainly a cool city, but if you're not into art, shopping, and restaurants/bars, I would recommend not spending more than 2-3 days here. That's why the next day, instead of taking a train, I chose to go on a bike tour. Long Island is huge, and I easily covered 70km in sensational weather, enjoying the beautiful scenery. The 3 days that weren't so great for outdoor activities, I used to train, do laundry, and be happy to stay indoors. Before truly enjoying their company on Easter Sunday, I sprinted an 8km run, ranked 3rd (finally, I participated in an official race in the USA). We had two days of relaxation beforehand and a bit more than a week of anticipation, which felt like forever. I'm extremely grateful for their hospitality and kindness, and it's hard for me to say goodbye, even though they protest - I should still stay a little longer.

I would have loved to go to Maine, but the weather doesn't look good, so I'm heading further northwest. Just before the Canadian border, I'll spend 4 days in Brockport, Rochester, where we have friends from Mexico giving us a glimpse of student life. The weather was nice to us during a day trip to the Niagara Falls. It's impressive to see the amount of water that flows there. Unfortunately, the best viewpoint was closed for the winter season, but on the other side, at least a few people gathered there. Around Rochester, we showed them some of our favorite places and had fun together. On the morning of my departure, it started snowing...

And so, I'm now starting my journey back west. I still have 3.5 weeks left on my US visa. I don't know exactly where I'll go yet, as it depends on the weather. I'll share more about it in the next blog post. Look forward to it, as the moody April is coming to an end, and May is right around the corner :)