Hi everybody! So many events in the summer--street fairs, rock n roll bands, and everything else. Americans eat cotton candy (spun sugar), funnel cake (fried batter dusted with sugar), big soft pretzels with lots of salt and mustard, ice cream, and hot dogs. The best hot dogs are made with beef, not pork, and are branded Shickhaus, Thumanns, Hebrew National (kosher franks--slaughtered according to the Jewish laws of kashrut), and Sabrett's.

One of the greatest places to be in America on a day like today is New York City. Immigrants from rural areas are often almost overwhelmed when they come to New York--it is a huge bustling city where almost anything goes.

Important cultural tip for business travelers: It is not unusual or unacceptable for a woman to travel alone in the US, but she needs to be careful. Stay near groups of people, try not to be in isolated areas alone, if you are staying alone in a hotel make sure that you use the deadbolt and the draw lock to lock the door. Don't open the door to anyone without checking the peephole.

That said, many men will go out of their way to be solicitous and well mannered to a woman alone on business, particularly a foreigner. You have to be careful and use your judgement. Most American men are conscientious and not dangerous.

If you are meeting someone you don't know for a business dinner, pay attention to the conversation he makes, the questions he asks, the amount he drinks, and so on. Trust your gut; if something seems wrong or if a man seems dangerous, he very well could be. Let the hotel security guards and front desk people know. If worse comes to worst, the national telephone number for emergencies to summon the police in the US is 911.

Don't give anyone else a key to your hotel room under any circumstances, even if they ask for it directly.