my Chronicles from the Sprawl (20/n) - First We Take Manhattan

I hadn't been to New York for almost 20 years (They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom?). Not even to the airport, in transit - nowadays most flies to the West Cost, from Europe, are direct, over Canada.

And there are so many things to do, so many places to visit.

But last August I land again in the JFK airport and my son took this picture of N.Y. (in the far, far, background) while we were crossing the Bronx Whitestone Bridge, going to Massachusetts (I would eventually return to New York, but only a few weeks later)

Where the picture was taken:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=40.81000,-73.83500&ie=UTF8&z=12&om=1&iwloc=addr

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_We_Take_Manhattan

Coda:

Leonard Cohen - First We Take Manhattan - 1988 album "I'm Your Man"

They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom
For trying to change the system from within
I'm coming now, I'm coming to reward them
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

I'm guided by a signal in the heavens
I'm guided by this birthmark on my skin
I'm guided by the beauty of our weapons
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

(Chorus:)
I'd really like to live beside you, baby
I love your body and your spirit and your clothes
But you see that line there moving through the station?
I told you, I told you, told you, I was one of those

Ah you loved me as a loser, but now you're worried that I just might win
You know the way to stop me, but you don't have the discipline
How many nights I prayed for this, to let my work begin
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

I don't like your fashion business mister
And I don't like these drugs that keep you thin
I don't like what happened to my sister
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin

(Chorus:)
I'd really like to live beside you, baby ...

And I thank you for those items that you sent me
The monkey and the plywood violin
I practiced every night, now I'm ready
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin


(Chorus:)
I am guided

Ah remember me, I used to live for music
Remember me, I brought your groceries in
Well it's Father's Day and everybody's wounded
First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin