After almost three years living abroad we are back to New York/New Jersey area.

It is so strange to return as a guest.  We settled at our son’s apartment in North Jersey with the easy commute to NYC.

Parallel Parking NY Style

NYC Uptown

NYC Uptown

The first impression:

• Everything is so clean!
• Everything is so expensive (why do I need to pay $6 for the card/trolley at the airport while everywhere they are free?)

at JFK

• Fruits and vegetables are tasteless, even organic from the Whole Foods
• Food/produce is stuffed with chemicals
• Cell (mobile) phones – we are paying $45 per phone/per month vs. ~$12 per phone/per month abroad for the same service. AT&T socks – get T-Mobile
• Car/insurance/parking/tolls…yaks!
• Pharmacy – I can buy generic antibiotics abroad for 50 cents. Here I was told to visit doctor, get prescription, and come back…. no comments
• Famous American service is not so great as we remember. Asia is winning…
• Oh my…I am doing laundry and cleaning myself, the first time in the three years

After recovering from the jet lag and adjusting to the temperature change, the fun part has begun.

We visit old friends, enjoying the parks along the Hudson River (from NJ and NYC sides),

Battery Park NYC

Lime Tree

petting our cat for hours,

cooking,

walk in NYC’s Downtown,

World Trade Center Downtown

World Trade Center

Batthery Park NYC

visiting Princeton,

Princeton University

Princeton University

Princeton University

Princeton University

and shop-shop-shop…

Palmer Sq.

Not bad for the first three weeks!