Instead, I'd like to pay a brief tribute to that city so adored by travelers in search of art, culture, night-life, high-life, not to mention high-commerce, high-energy, style, fashion, flare, and intellectual foment:  like millions of people, I don't live in New York City, but love it and avidly travel there.

I've loved every one of my visits: starting with a maiden voyage as a student in Montreal, venturing with a girlfriend to the megapolis, so spooked by rumors of big-city crime that I expected to be mugged at Baggage Claims in the airport-- instead finding myself on a carousel of urban pleasures that didn't end until the wee hours of warm summer nights in the city that never sleeps.  I love the galleries, the neverending intellectual feast, the way people walk fast, the classy buildings, the centre-of-the-universe-ness.  I love to glimpse New York in movies, even in animated kiddie-films, and say to my kids:  "That's New York. You'll go there someday."

To those who live in New York, or have family or friends there: I can only hope that any of your loved ones who were at the epicenter on Sept. 11 were among the 35,000 (35,000!) who reportedly did get out of the buildings in time. 

The link below takes you to an extraordinary set of pictures of people expressing their sympathy around the world.  (The page is so full of pictures, you may have to press your Reload button-- but I think you'll find the wait worthwhile, to see these moving scenes from around the globe, collected by someone who cares.)

 The page is called:  Thank You