New York

It was with a profound sense of trepidation that I leafed through my New York photo album shortly after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Knowing that they city's skyline has been forever altered, it was eerie to see the twin towers of the World Trade Center again and, indeed, to see photos of myself and the incredible views from the Observation Deck of the South Tower where I stood 8 years earlier -- a building and vantage point that no longer exists.

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My first impression of the city was the amazing amount of concrete poured into such a small space. It was exciting yet daunting to stroll through one of the most densely populated urban areas on earth.

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In front of the New York Stock Exchange.

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Through a real estate broker, we arranged to stay in an apartment for a week just down the street from the
United Nations. Couldn't have asked for a better centered location.

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The famed New York City skyline as it once was.

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Looking straight down from the World Trade Center observation deck on the 107th floor of the South Tower.

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New York City viewed from the top of the World Trade Center.

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On the left, me, dwarfed by a World War II memorial in Battery Park.
On the right, the Statue of Liberty in all her glory.

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Tickets to Late Night with David Letterman, ostensibly our excuse for visiting the city in the first place!

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On the opposite end of the state from Manhattan, mighty Niagara Falls straddles the US/Canada border.