Then I found a small window of time, just enough for me to reverse Australia's position on the Human Rights Committee's findings before we lunched in the Staff Dining Room.
After lunch I joined supporters of Sochi in their struggle against the Tsarist dictator Putin.
And checked out the pro-democracy rally for Burma this Saturday in Boston. All in all maintaining world peace has taken up more time than I allowed.
Visiting 9/11 was strange, still only a hole in the ground, but now with lines of tourist coaches queueing for a viewing. Across the way the tiny 19th century grave yard seems poignantly situated, with its little bell and the Church behind it like a shrine.
Strangely, the FBI, once with offices on the top floors of one of the two towers, is now rebuilding right next to the empty site. After I'd shopped for a few knock-offs at Century 21 over the road (it's been so hot, I needed lighter clothes) I set off for the Straten Island ferry, surging aboard with thousands of other people for what seemed like a ticket-less ride. Well it was for me. I went over and back without paying a dime. The day was sunny and clear. Little sailing boats whipped about in the wind and I photographed Liberty from all angles.
Then a fog settled across the water and soon it was impossible to see anything, but the burst of fearful cell-phone activity which followed was ever audible in the shrouding mists. The ferry docked without incident.
New York was a lot of fun. But being a tourist is always like that, one drifts from one serendipitous moment to the next, imagining that the next day, or the one after, there will definitely be a plan. However my attempts at making plans all came to nothing. Rowena and I having planned from Brisbane to meet yesterday failed in all our efforts to co-ordinate. My T-mobile pre-paid, having voice-mailed my calls rather than let them ring, refused me listening rights - not enough cash in the account. It was the middle of the night when I checked, I couldn't top up the phone account on thieved WiFi .... what can you do! So instead of that plan coming to fruition, a plan I had been looking forward to, a different and also rather pleasing day took place. I spent a lot of time at the UN Library with Rosemary who runs the legal department there. She also co-ordinates GLIN and showed me heaps of useful things we can do with it. We also had a long look at the UN website, not a set of databases I've ever liked using much. But now I feel bolder.
It was immensely interesting, not only roaming about the chambers of the General Assembly and the Security Council (see above) and peering out at the Chrysler Building and Empire State buildings in the night-scape, but just looking at the vast collections of the Library itself.
Of course being in any library is a home away from home for me. At one point I found myself re-plugging a non-functioning printer and checking the printer settings. Old habits die hard.
So it's goodbye to New York, for the moment at least, and hello to Boston.
2 comments:
I loved New York when I was there in 1987. Your trip has been very interesting to see and I unfortunately never got to Boston but would have loved to.
Keep us posted on your trip. I am glad things are working out (except for your hotel).
Well I'm now somewhere ferociously upmarket, and with as good an address as a Cabot or a Lowell. They're probably my neighbours here. Boston is charming and delightful, but at the moment I'm completely rivetted by US TV, especially the constant ferocious attacks on the present Administration. But the best part.. so many re-runs of Seinfeld. I'd forgotten how perfect it always is, thanks for your comments Suzanne, see ya, Barbara
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