FROM NEW YORK

(click on images to enlarge)

Chicago, New York

NEW YORK, July 9, 2007 - And so, here we go again, on another trip around the world, this time clockwise, starting in Chicago and New York.

The weather in Chicago was perfectly clear with temperatures of 93F (34C).  Normally, this would have been intolerably humid.  But this Sunday seemed like a perfect day in the Windy City.  Still, for the weary passengers, they now have beds at the O'Hare airport (second photo from left - it's an ad, of course).

As we took off for New York, the clear day provided excellent views of Lake Michigan (second from right) and of the city of Cleveland on Lake Erie (rightmost photo).

Views on our approach to New York's La Guardia airport were no less interesting, though much more hazy.  The two middle pictures illustrate the density of the New York suburbs, these ones on Long Island.  The right most photo is that of the most expensive real estate in this country - Greenwich, Connecticut, home to some the richest Wall Street and other business tycoons.

You can get a pretty good picture of how hazy it was from the above shots taking during our landing at La Guardia.  Half an hour later, the thermometer on my rental car read 102F (39C).  Yikes!  I'll take the dry 114F (46C) in Phoenix any time over this kind of humid heat.

But the drive along the scenic Hutchinson River Parkway was pretty cool, both figuratively and literally.  The parkways around New York City were built in the 1930s and still have that "old world" look and feel (leftmost photo).  

When I got to my exit near White Plains, there was a major multi-vehicle accident, with tons of cop cars and fire trucks around it (second from left).  I was glad I was driving in the opposite direction.

As I headed west on I-287 toward White Plains, I was able to enjoy a pretty sunset (second from right), before turning into a country road that leads to my hotel, which passes right by the U.S. Tennis Association building.  Given that today was the Wimbledon final, I thought that was an auspicious omen.  :-)

As I said, my hotel is set deep in Westchester County woods, so it was not really totally surprising to see a couple of deer grazing on its lawns at sunset.  As I had to shoot fast, you'll really have to look hard to see them in the above photos, or just trust me that they were there.  :-)

As always, the Westchester Marriott Renaissance had beautiful landscaping and flowers at its front entrance (above photos).  The last time I was here, they had yellow tulips.  Now, there are hundreds of impatiens. The original 100-year old cottage that is still preserved at the hotel site dates back to about 1907.  A cart from the same period is also still there.

And that's all for now from New York.

CONTINUED... in Paris...

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