Across the Pond| A proposal on ESB?

Flew from Heathrow to JFK by Delta airline I was sitting beside this Polish passenger and interestingly my last trip was to Poland. Good chat to kill the time. And she was a world traveller too, been to New Zealand to India and that was her first visit to NYC not in USA as she was in Boston a month before.

After 7 hours and another 3 hours of getting to the hostel, I finally laid my head on comfy pillow at 12am. I stayed at Wanderers Inn on 116 street in Harlem neighbourhood where Hollywood images and Songs portrayed to be rough and dodgy. I didn’t face any unfortunate incident may be the hostel was just at the border to other borough.The subway was a bit confusing at the beginning. I took the wrong train 2 times during the first couple of days. But later I mastered it.

DAY 1

They were Finnish backpackers in my dorm but they checked out the next morning and they gave an insight what to do in NYC. As suggested I went to Battery Park then to South Ferry terminal catching free ferry ride to Staten Island. It was one panoramic sight to see Manhattan skyline, Statue of Liberty and the rest of Hudson River. The journey back and forth took me nearly 1 and half hour . Arrived back at the South Ferry Terminal during lunch hour and I was wandering where was the best place to eat near the Battery park so I ended up at this Italian restaurant on the riverfront. It’s no smoking area even on outdoor seating place the waiter I asked before I lighted up cigarette. I think European smokes more than American.

Strolling down the Battery Park looking for Skyscrapper Museum but it was closed that day. The receptionist on the gift shop suggested to come the next day as it was free admission. I went to Jewish Museum across the street. On my last trip in Poland I visited Nazi’s Concentrations camp in Auswitch where innocent people brutally murdered during WW2. The same story was exhibited including the life of Jewish people and culture from Bar Mitzvah to Rosh Hashanah. I find that the museum layout and exhibits satisfying as it leads you from entrance to finish that goes in hand with the story to tell.

Later that day the weather turned out great and sunny with blue sky when I spent another half of the day in Times Square. It’s amazed me with the amount of neon lights and spectacularly animated digital advertisement. This is the Crossroad and truly an iconic landmark. With yellow cabs bumping each other and people crossing on red light, it’s a sight to see. On the triangle shape plaza between roads, there were chairs randomly orientated for passerby.

I knew that the sunny blue sky won’t last until the next day so I rushed to Empire State Building in hope to capture sunset and evening NYC from above. It was worth a queue for nearly an hour to the 86th floor. The view was incredibly stunning.Four different conner were astounding vistas. While I was with the crowd snapping photos, I was interrupted by one African American couple who happened to be on a date on top of Empire State Building. He asked me if I could take their photo using his camera. I said sure and in return he has snap me too. After he handed his camera he blurted” Actually I want to do this”. He pulled out a red small box from his pocket and opened it and says” Darling, you make me happy, blah blah blah….Will you marry me?” He proposed to her girlfriend on top of Empire State Building! I felt awkward for instance I mean what do I do? I got involved on someone else special day. The crowd gathered around and stopped moving and was a bit of moment of silent witnessing the happy couple special day. I snapped as many photos while he proposed and luckily she says “ Yes “. The crowd were cheering and clapping and I was the photographer!

What would happen if she says NO?



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