We arrive in New York City at lunch time, heavy packs weighing on our shoulders, like a bad conscious we carry them around for the afternoon, trying to see the city but weighed down with our stuff.

More walking today as we venture through the city of Washington DC. Finding historic locations and ending up at a ball game.

I stand in front of the Lincoln Memorial. His face crafted in stone and etched in eternity as a president who survived the Civil War but not an assassins gun shot. Each part of the statue looks as if it was crafted with a fine eye for detail, from his boot that hangs over the edge, to the hair on his head. I wonder if the artists took shortcuts when working on the hair we cannot see.

Jazz floated through the air. Sonorous music weaved in syncopated patterns as we enjoyed locally brewed beer and hearty meals. The setting was perfect, dark wood floors, high ceiling with wood panelled walls. It felt so homely that it encouraged discussion, and relaxation, which we did.

The grounds for the wedding are beautiful. Thin trees, bare from a cold winter, surround the grounds of a castle. The ground is covered in leaves that had fallen months ago and had been covered with snow. The nice weather during the last week brought the green leaves, and small flower buds out from their winter slumber.

We have been in Greensboro for a few days, tackling jet lag and talking to family, extended family and American friends. It has been fun. Today different groups went in different directions and I am by myself, walking to the mall.