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Chapter 1: Travel Preparations
Traveling to a city for the first time can usually fulfill a vision such as
clarifying an image seen long ago on a postage stamp, or as imagined
from reading a novel, or as remembered from a scene in a movie.
Seeing a city for the first time allows us to understand more about that
city than thousands of words could ever portray.
Some of the finest restaurants are located in cities. Who can say
enough about riding eighty floors up in an elevator to a building-top
observatory to take in the view or sitting through nine innings of
Major League baseball all while watching the city lights twinkle in the
background? In a city, we can hear four movements of Handel, enjoy
three floors of a museum, or rest while watching ducks float on a
pond. In terms of people, cities exude the best and the worst of
humanity. There we can see who we have been, who we are today, and
who we have to be tomorrow.
Of course, the trick is knowing when and where to go in any city to
enjoy its benefits. That may mean researching months in advance
things like discount coupons, event tickets sales, days and hours of
popular attractions, or reservations at a certain restaurant. In short,
great city experiences require preparation. So then how do you
prepare? First, study road maps and get familiar with that city. Learn
how buildings are laid out block to block. Get a feel for where the
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