Beyond cool

Times Square in the rain

Interpid sea, air and space museum 

Me with Enterprise Space Shuttle

Empire State building lost in the fog

The lake Ricki and I went birding at

First thing for me today is to turn on the TV and find the channel for the Today Show. Ok they are babbling about horse racing, tick. Its raining, quite a lot, should I change my plans and go back to the Met for another day? Oh come on, I have a raincoat and a sense of adventure – lets go.

Cloaked in my red rain jacket, umbrella and waterproof shoes I am walking down 5^th avenue playing taxi poker along the way. The preferred mode of dress for ladies is slim line gumboots and a trench coat. If you have the optional accessory of a small dog this must be carried under your arm and umbrella so the dog does not get wet. Perfectly sensible.

First stop is the Today show set, it’s raining but still stacks of people staring in at the studio set with live presenters. Tick. Now onto the next event, time to head west through Hell’s Kitchen. It’s torrential rain now, have I made a mistake? I turn the corner and see a big black plane and definitely I have made the right decision.

I am walking to the Intrepid sea, air andspace museum. This was not on my list however when I was on the cruise on Day 1 the announcer said under that pavilion on the back of the boat is a Space Shuttle. So I just had to find time to get here. The Intrepid is an aircraft carrier, docked on the side of the Hudson River and turned into a museum.

Up over the pedestrian bridge and I am in, first stop is the hanger deck, planes galore and lots of things you can climb into like a MASH helicopter and Gemini moon capsule. What’s this a G Force simulator. Hmm, they wont let me go in it has to be for two people. I move on, then they guy comes running after me as there is someone else that wants to have a go but needs a partner. So with my Spanish wingman, we take a spin, pull G’s, crash and manage not to vomit all at the same time. Just as well he was flying most of the time.

Now up onto the flight deck and I can climb up onto the bridge. That’s a lot of stairs but I can’t miss out. I make it to the bridge on a boat that served in the pacific in WW2 and here is where the captain ran many battles. It’s a poignant place to be.

Onto the Space Shuttle, gee this thing is big. Then the Concord, gee this is small. Everything is different in real life. Finally I find the big black plane I saw when I turned the corner, it is a black bird – a super sonic reconnaissance aircraft.

Time for a bit more walking now, down all the way to 34^th street and emergency stop in at B & H for more gear. Now on to Macy’s to check what this is all about. Nice, but it seems like a Myer’s on steroids I think I have something much more fun I can do. A quick call to Ricki and a plan is hatched.

Time to hop on the subway and head back uptown, dump my stuff and head over to meet Ricki. I find her building on Madison Ave and this is the flashest building I have seen so far. Walk in and the ultra modern foyer has artwork by Kaws, originally a street artist. Ricki arrives, chats to the security guard and whisks me upstairs to check out the reading room. This is actually the reception area to Mr Lauren’s office. It’s all wood paneling and modern art sculptures juxtaposed into something that is out of this world. Yes, I think I need to pinch myself. This is Ralph Lauren’s corporate head office. This is off the scale cool.

Now we head off back to Central Park, Ricki is taking me around a lake in the south east corner of the park and she has brought binoculars for both of us. First find is a Black Crowned Night Heron, then a great egret and some mallards. What’s that under the water, a red eared sliderturtle. Up around the top and some morning doves are feeding the grass. Done the hill what’s that orangy / yellow flash. It’s a Baltimore Oriole. Well, I’ll be I thought they where a baseball team! Next Ricki hears a Red Winged blackbird and then she finds it, eventually I do to. Amazing number of birds in such a small space. Now we cross over into Central Park Zoo and Ricki shows me the seals, an owl and the moving clock that even has kangaroo.

Thanks Ricki for turning my New York experience into something extra special. I hope we can return the favour in Sydney one day.