We just arrived in New York City. You run into quite some characters in this magnificent, amazing city. We stumbled into a toy store on 5th Ave that was hosting Cookie Monster's birthday party. My sons were not so pleased.

It really has been enjoyable to be in the US these last couple of weeks, especially in New York City. One of the things that struck me more than anything is the way total strangers treat each other. You get a feeling that people are really watching out for you as you go about your day. Whether it's opening doors at the store, passing the milk down the counter at Starbucks or small talk in the elevator, you get this feeling that people really care. Maybe I'm more sensitive about it since living in Europe, where people could care less or maybe its all about what the US has been through over the last few years. Dunno. It has really been a refreshing feeling seeing people expressing simple acts of kindness. Cool.