New Year's Day in New York City

AOG, New York

Last day in New York. In a couple of hours I leave for London. I have just dropped Juan off at Penn Station and I'm alone for a few hours. The first alone hours of 2007. Alone, I walked around the streets of New York pretending to live here for a while afterwards. I amazed myself at doing so.

I was asking myself what it was that I would do if I lived here. What my life would be like. Then, I unsurprised myself. I walked a couple of blocks before being drawn to Borders to buy a book I'll never read. Or won't read for months to come. Or years. When I fly to Madrid this new book will sit on a shelf for months before I get to it. As do most of the books I own. Exactly as I would have done in London or Madrid. This proves that wherever you go, your life goes with you. And you go with you too.

I am a slow reader of books, though I am an avid buyer of them. When people ask me if I have read all the books I own (and there are hundreds) I always reply "not yet". I never find the time. I brought a book by Bioy Casares from Madrid to read on the plane. As of yet unopened since I bought it in Buenos Aires last year. I hope to get to it on the way back.

When I left Borders I walked around trying to inhale my last few hours in New York. I wanted to take an impression with me back to Europe. I think I have succeeded.

The heights of the buildings, the low flying clouds today, the lights, the fact that everything is open eventhough it is the first of January. I am no longer in doubt as to why this city is known as the capital of the world. It truly is. I think I was very lucky to be able to be here today. And lucky to have a place to go back to.