A Traveler in New York - Postcard from America

What a contrast! From Ballarat of eighty thousand inhabitants to an island which on workdays has a population equal to the whole of Australia, with workers commuting from as far as Connecticut.

Got caught up in the city's energy. High tempo, discordant sounds from construction sites, wailing sirens and car horns all tuned to F. Bodies rushing to the beat, intent and urgent, embracing super-sized coffees and bagels 'to go', New York Times under an arm, trenchcoats horizontally following behind.

Checked the icons. Ferried out to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island . This is where Europe 's dispossessed sought acceptance into The States. Cycled through Central Park and scaled the Empire State Building .

View from the 86 th floor amazing; detailed stainless-steel roof of the Chrysler Building , shape of the Flat Iron Building from above, and surprisingly, hundreds of old rusty country-style water tanks on the rooftops. From this height the concrete canyons appear like breaks in a city of Lego . Looking down I try to imagine Sydney and Melbourne crammed into the space of Dunnstown.

No time now to tell you about how safe the streets feel, Coney Island Fair, Brooklyn Bridge at sunset, Yoko Ono's neighbour, the Soup Nazi, searching for Central Perk Café and Gotham City Home Appliances. But must tell you about an organic gem. On a grey and desolate street, amongst the tar and cement of the kerb, I stumbled upon a flourishing garden of Petunias ; 1 foot square, enclosed by a low fence and accompanied by a sign reading 'Please respect our garden. No dogs allowed.' Yet another dimension to a city full of surprises.