I *heart* NY tourists

My current commute has me walking through Rockefeller Center every day, and one of the things I've really enjoyed about that is the tourists. I'm not talking about all tourists; those of you who've spent time with me in Manhattan know that Times Square makes my skin crawl. I'm not crazy about the throngs of people hoping to be caught on camera during The Today Show, or the tour buses here to see the Rockettes, either.

The folks I love to see are the ones who, yeah, wait in line to go to Top of the Rock, but also stop to admire the art deco detail on the outside of the building. Who watch the ice skaters at the Rink, and delight in the tulips and sculptures on Park Avenue. Who walk inside St. Patrick's Cathedral, light a candle for a loved one, and then sit on the steps outside and people-watch. They remind me why I love to travel - to walk around a city while its residents go about their days, appreciating the cobblestones and bridges they pass by every day. I love that tourists in my city make me look up and around, that they help me to see the wonders of New York every single day.