Part II: 1971 - 1979
The Decade of the Détente
New York, July 28, 1971
Arrival in New York City
Even after an absence of one year or two, one is surprised to find this city has changed faster and more dramatically than any other metropolis on earth. With the two new towers of the World Trade Center, the skyline of New York has changed completely. Also, the results of urban renewal with its new high-rises along Broadway between 42nd and 56th streets are stunning. On the other hand, the declining passenger steamship traffic has left the piers on the Hudson River deserted. New York is losing its significance as the main harbor of entry to North America. It is, however, holding its position as the business and financial center of the United States if not the world. The sheer abundance of material goods and the display of wealth are overwhelming. The cultural and ethnic diversity of the city is extremely fascinating. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world. New York will always remain unfinished; here the process of the American melting pot is continuously in the making.