Unexpected Departure

We planned a nice breakfast with my cousin Daniel and his fantastic girlfriend, Helene, this morning. However Samantha woke up quite sick and we had to rearrange our plans. We were scheduled on a noon train but Samantha could not bear the thought of doing the train.

So we called in the help of a Superhero and, faster than a speeding bullet, before we could even finish our breakfast...

 

He came to our rescue in a New York minute. Best husband ever. Best Mother's Day Gift ever.

Also unexpected about this departure, was that I felt sad to leave the city. I never had any particular warm and fuzzies for New York City. Paris was always the place I loved, the place to which I always wanted to return. 

Our last visit there was a wake-up call for me: all the things I thought to be true about NYC were found in Paris. It was dirty, people were rude, jaw-droppingly rude, and no one seemed particularly happy. 

This visit to New York City was a total shock. The city, while not pristine, was not at all like Paris. People were overwhelmingly polite, helpful, friendly, and upbeat. Like Paris, it was teeming with culture, but sans attitude. The population is incredibly diverse and, for the most part, everyone seems to get along. 

I feel like we have found a perfect Paris substitute. Plus, it's 3 hours away and everyone speaks English. 

And to top it all off, I had a fantastic time with my girls. I am not sure what it is about this city, but it truly brought out the best in us. We cannot wait to return.