Poster in Times Square, the only picture I got of the Dalai Lama in my visit to New York.  c.  C.Berg 2009 

Friday, May 1st.   The plane was doing a little rock and roll coming into our  Detroit layover of twenty minutes (oops!).  Our decent into Laguardia is not the smooth jello slides and rocking of the Detroit landing.  We bump on every puffy grey raincloud we pass, leaving our stomaches behind, and making me thankful that I and my two friends who are traveling with me like carnival rides. 

I take pictures of the city as we land, pictures of the rain on the windows, pictures through the windows of the City Bus to Grand Central Station where we transfer to the hotel transport van.  

 Paige, Robin's daughter and I just arrived at Grand Central Station.  Robin took the picture.  She's an excellent horsewoman, but so-so photographer.  We're the two looking at the camera. c. C.Berg

The Indian man who sat next to me on the plane says, "Your first time in New York?"

"Sort of...I visited when I was 18 during the garbage strike.  I mostly remember huge piles of garbage lining the street, and broken down cars beside the road being stripped."

"Oh, garbage strikes are not good."

I am awestruck by the city.  I am not scared, but feel like I have a healthy respect for the mass of people who populate the towers that seem like they'd push Manhattan Island into the North Atlantic sea floor.  

I look at the signs as we arrive at Times Square and the midtown Park Central Hotel where we will be staying.  I love the signs, the movement, the brightness the activity as evening approaches.  And WE WALK to Times Square.  

As we walk past the bright lights of Broadway, I am thrilled with the excitement, and at the same time allow myself to wonder what would happen when the lights go out.  What would happen if New York had no electricity?  How much energy does it take to run the lights on Broadway? 

I am amazed at the beautiful signs for Bank of America, Goldman-Sacks, Leman Brothers.  

I turn to my friend and say, "Didn't some of these companies go under?"

"Yeah, I think so," as she turns toward Elements, one of her favorite shops.   

Goldman-Sacks looks like it still has advertising, and buildings.  How many people still populate the offices  of these failing captians of capitalism.  I look up and think...every room, every cubilcle, every floor in the city is populated by humans making a living doing something that does not grow food.  They all work for the abstract concept we call "money."  Money that is mostly numbers on a computer screen, or a credit card bill.  Money that can all be gone with just one of our military's smart bombs that erase all digital data in an area.  Or is that bomb just in my imagination?  

 Numbers and rain.  Our economy.  c. C.Berg May 2009

I marvel at this city, but can't help but wonder but its ability to sustain itself.   Everywhere I go, everything I do, I do with Ecological Awareness.  Not that I am a good person, or know anything that others don't, but because I saw so much of what we unconsciously do to hurt the Earth and ourselves at my "Big Green Summer" sustainability internship last summer.   The imersion in a permaculture system of real off-grid growing-what-we-eat, or buying within 100 miles,  sustainablility internship was eye opening, and I don't think I will ever close them again.

I have been searching for something that will bring all of the people of the Earth together.  That is why I am going to see the Dalai Lama.  Because he is living the peace, he sees the vision of all being as one.  And he radiates joy.

I can't wait to see him tomorrow morning!

...to be continued...