In the middle of July I decided to take a very uncharacteristic vacation – instead of traveling somewhere cold with skis and backpack, or paddling off in a canoe or kayak, I decided to spend a few days in New York City. A change of environment and routine and exposure to new arts, music, food and language is always invigourating. I had a fabulous time walking around, discovering neighbourhoods of various ethnicities, hearing many languages in the streets. I also visited various art and photography museums. Below are a few pictures of urban scenes which caught me eye.