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New York City, with the Empire State Building in the distance. Alex was most disappointed she didn't see a big angry monkey on it.  Photographed with Nikon D300, 35mm lens.

We landed in New York City mid-afternoon today, and really haven't stopped moving.  We met up with a good friend, had good, authentic New York-style pizza, and walked around the neighbourhood where our little rental apartment is located.  Tomorrow, we begin sightseeing in earnest.

This is actually only the second time I've been to New York City for vacation; most of the times I've been here have been for work.  In the past, I've stayed in lovely hotels, but generally located in the busiest parts of town -- this time, we're staying in an authentic little neighbourhood down a relatively quiet street.  For me, the difference is palpable.  While I've always loved visiting New York, I've always maintained that I couldn't live here, because it would be too noisy, bustling and busy for my tastes.  This time, however, we found a quiet little apartment in a very neighbourhoody-type area, and now?  It totally reminds me of London.  I asked Marcus what he thought (since this is his first time here), and he agreed -- it feels very much like London to him, even given the ginormous skyscrapers here that London has very few of. 

We're very excited about our visit.  Tomorrow, we're hoping to catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty -- a first for the three of us.

Song:  New York state of mind by Billy Joel