Such a vista

For those of you who have never been on a low altitude approach over the city of New York in the evening on a perfectly clear night have missed out on one of the most breathtaking sights to be witnessed from a plane. Coming over the south tip of Manhattan, otherwise known as lower Manhattan you are overcome by the sight of row after row of unbelievably high skyscrapers all with their lids lit up with the whitest of white lights. Almost like rockets ready to take off to planets soon to be discovered. These buildings were seemingly impossibly close together begging the question if there were even roads separating these colossal structures. There was the usual banter emanating around the plane until someone in front of me in a window seat barely whispered, there it is. Nearly 5 years later flying directly over the site of the world trade centers still brought the entire plane to absolute tomb like silence as all eyes were diverted out of the window and a humbling thought pervaded the minds of all. Even five years later the large gaping hole in the cluttering of buildings still feels wrong like the gap in your mouth when a tooth falls out. You can’t stop rubbing your tongue against it for it just feels awkward and wrong. I don’t think until a new tower is built to replace that we will ever get used to that gap.

Continuing north over this metropolis you pass over the area of Times Square. With unbelievably bright neon lights reflecting off every glass surface it looks like a theme park celebrating mardi gras. Even from our altitude you can sense a vibe an energy from this area, the constant movement that must be going on this very second. Overlooking the entire city there is a glitter of millions of lights in every possible direction and height. It is like the largest refracting diamond ever discovered. In this area designers took more liberties with the lighting designs of their buildings adding reds and blues to the pinnacle of the towers reminding us more of a happier time in December more than the stark truth of white light. And just as quickly we pass into an area utterly devoid of light, it takes just a moment before you realize it is central park. A cornucopia of nature devoid of technology to blemish its image. And it too passes back into the standard chaos of lights, buildings and roads that make up this unbelievable city. What a sight to see, let it never take our breath away.

Stepping out of the airport and into a waiting cab I realize how remarkable one of our traits is in comparison to logic and reason. I think virtually everyone who lives in the United States these days automatically puts on their seat belt upon entering a private vehicle either as a passenger or driver. It is not a matter of thought, more a robotic subconscious action engrained to us over time. And yet somehow when we enter a taxi I have yet to ever seen someone do the same action. Arguably some of the best drivers but more than not some of the most aggressive drivers on the road what can we possibly be thinking to not perform such a basic task. I am as guilty as the next one as I was flung from one side of the cab to the other as this Nascar amateur devoured the road from the airport to mid town. I think next time a simple click will be acceptable, even in the great coolness factor.

More later on this adventure of a trip, but for now it is customer presentation time.