A Visit to the Big Apple & Motor City...

WHO: Myself, Manami (Vancouver, Canada) & assorted wonderful humans

WHAT: American Oddessy 

WHERE: New York, New York and Detroit, Michigan

WHEN: July 2014 (two weeks)

WHY: International Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses

SCENES FROM NEW YORK CITY AND BEYOND...

'Nearness', Times Square art installment

 Times Square evangelist... 

I wonder if this street performer ('The Naked Cowboy') took the above man's advice to heart? Note: Tattoo. Though not exactly what Jesus had in mind when he urged one to repent and follow...

 Time and Life, NYC.

 World famous: Radio City Music Hall (and NY taxis).

 The GE Building, 30 Rockefeller Plaza. 
An Art Deco skyscraper (height: 260m) that forms the centrepiece of Rockefeller Centre in Midtown Manhattan.

 Babylon meets social media.

 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, NYC. 

Considered among the most expensive & best shopping streets in the world. Not compatible with a pioneer budget.

 First of many encounters during week in NYC with fire hydrants. 

Completely urban. Completely Sesame Street. Completely stoked. 

 New York variety.

 Dear Magnolia Bakery. You are so cute. We fell in love with your everything..x

 MetLife Building, Midtown Manhattan, NYC. Built 1960-63 as the Pan Am Building. Height: 246m.

 The restaurateur chose the surnames Smith & Wollensky at random from the New York City telephone directory.

Unique New York.

 Plaza Hotel. One of the most anticipated & exciting aspects of my visit to New York. 
Finally childhood memories of watching Home Alone 2 materialize. 

 "I'd like a hotel room, please, with an extra large bed, a TV, and one of those little refrigerators you have to open with a key."

Plaza Hotel interior. New York City.

 Fruit Vendor NYC

 Something about floating traffic lights & exterior staircases that screams New York.

 Skate. SoHo, NYC.

 SoHo fire hydrant.

Manami's new shoes. SoHo NYC.

 Washington Square Park (& Washington Square Arch), Greenwich Village, Manhattan, NYC.

 Bumble Bee on echinacea flower, Washington Square Park, Greenwich Village, NYC.

 Street Performers, Washington Square Park, Greenwich Village, NYC.

 Kanine marionette, Washington Square Park, Greewich Village, NYC.

 New York Siesta. Washington Square Park, Greenwich Village, NY.

WALLKILL BETHEL

 Off-cuts of paper are collected and are recycled. Environmentally friendly whilst earning a return.

 Giant ink cartridges.

 Audio delight during visit to framing department: vintage Kingdom Melody sounds.

 Our host at Wallkill.
*Previously met in Margaret River, Western Australia a couple of years ago.

Outside at Wallkill...

 Watchtower concrete truck. Mack. Father's daughter.

Tour at Wallkill finished off with barbecued pizzas, wine and first- ever fire flies encounter.

MEANWHILE, BACK IN NEW YORK CITY...

Surely one of the most beautiful sights in any city are those of our brothers and sisters standing by our invaluable literature stands wit their Kingdom smiles intact...

Gray's Papaya. Hot Dog restaurant, Manhattan NYC.

 

 Metropolitan Museum of Art. Home of Oasis Tours. 'The Woman and the Seed.' Incredible- second favourite experience in New York. Highly recommended.

 Fire Hydrant Love. Manhattan.

View of Brooklyn Bethel from southern tip of Manhattan Island.

 Wall Street Bull, Statue of Liberty and assorted New York paraphernalia, Manhattan, NYC. 

 Wall Street wandering...

 Ground Zero, Manhattan, NYC.

PATTERSON BETHEL 

Glorious vintage chandelier that hangs at Patterson.

 Watchtower waterfall. Unfortunately not switched-on on the day we visited- yet a clever design- and no doubt a wonderful sight to see when the water is flowing.

 Laundry department, Patterson Bethel. One of my favourite photographs. Something therapeutic about the monotony of the task.

Street art. 

View from the High Line in the Meat Packing District, NYC.

BROOKLYN BETHEL

Number one highlight of AMERICAN Oddessy. 

View from Columbia Heights Rooftop...

Keep Seeking First God's Kingdom

International Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses

Detroit, Michigan USA July 25- 27th 2014

Life changing.

This sign was one of many around Detroit at various hotels (including signs at the airport) welcoming international delegates. From the moment you stepped off the plane you could feel the electricity. Local brothers and sisters awaited at the airport to point us in the right direction and more were on-hand at the hotel on arrival.

DELEGATE SERVICE DAY

Local brothers and sisters from the Farmington Hills Congregations organized a special day of activity with witnessing during the morning, followed by lunch and an entertainment program in the afternoon. The entertainment included musical performances, video presentations and interviews with missionaries.

Meeting brothers and sisters ahead of field service.

Sisters from Farmington Hills Congregations welcoming delegates.

Upon arrival at and departure from our field service day, the local brothers and sisters sang Kingdom Songs for the delegates.

 Some of the desserts served. 

New World Translation cake & aspects of the fruitage of the Holy Spirit cupcakes.

 Hard working sisters serving lunch...

The International Convention Hospitality Committee arranged various tours of Detroit for delegates. Elated to visit my number one preference. 

Motown tour, Detroit, Michigan.

Hitsville U.S.A. The "Motown Sound" was created on this site from 1959- 1972. 

Neglected Fire Hydrant. Detroit, Michigan.

 During our tour of down-town Detroit, we stumbled upon some local brothers and sisters who had just come from cleaning Ford Field- the site for the international convention. 

 General Motors Renaissance Centre (GM World Head Quarters)

Downtown Detroit, Michigan.

 View of Detroit River from the top of the GM Renaissance Centre (73 storeys). 
Left: Windsor, Ontario, CANADA. Right: Detroit, Michigan, USA.

This group of delegates & I travelled to & from the convention each day together- thanks to the guidance (& patience) from local brothers & sisters designated to watch over us. Most delegates in this group are from Canada with some from Slovakia, the USA (& Sweden).

 Uber wonderful local brother and sister responsible for getting us to the convention each day.

Meeting for individuals interested in attending the School for Kingdom Evangelizers.

 With delegates from the USA.

American Oddessy highlight: meeting delightful young sister (Emily, far left) at hotel on first day in Detroit. Both travelling solo. A beautiful coincidence that our itineraries matched perfectly. 

Was tempted to put her in my pocket & bring her back to Sweden.

 Delegates from Norway, Scandinavia.

 Delegate from Ghana.

Emily (USA) & Hillevi (Norway)

After the closing prayer, day three. Myriads of banners, naturally. 

It's incredible how after just two weeks you find yourself tearing up at the though of saying goodbye. Was a privilege to meet so many amazing individuals. Some wonderful moments of friendship shared and an incredible convention program that left hearts full of inspiration and determination. Should circumstances in the future allow for it, I will certainly return to the States.

A special thankyou to the brothers and sisters who showered us with love & hospitality- too numerous to mention by name.

Best. Life. Ever.