By Jim Selman | Bio

My partner and I arrived in New York after a two-week ‘working vacation’ to Kiev and Barcelona. Our hotel is in mid-town and a great location for walking around in this great city. I am no stranger to the Big Apple and come often, but this was my partner’s first trip in over 25 years. By the time we got to the hotel, it was 2 a.m. European time. My normal plan would be to head straight for bed and sleep around the clock. Instead, we decided to take a stroll through Times Square.

The ‘buzz’ in this ‘crossroads of the world’ is amazing. Within minutes, I was transformed from a calloused business traveler into a neck-stretching tourist again and filled with wonder and delight. I’ll leave describing the spectacle to the travel writers, but Times Square is a caldron of mostly youthful energy combined with a sense of wonder and optimism.

I compare this to our recent experiences in Europe. We walked through Revolutionary Square during a concert and, while intense, the feeling was more one of a fraternity party. There was no evident sense of purpose or direction and we seemed to be the only ones that were impressed. In Barcelona, we walked for hours through the beautiful city and came upon many large plazas filled with thousands, including many tourists, but did not sense the excitement and energy of New York.

Each city has it wonders, but not every city evokes a sense of wonder. 

© Jim Selman. All rights reserved.