Rambling with Ricki

Ricki at model boat lake with
birding list and binos

Blue Jay at the start of the walk

Northern Cardinal

Hummingbird is in here somewhere

Red bellied wood pecker

This morning I have an early rendezvous planned with Ricki, a New York birder. I met yesterday at the model boat lake in Central Park when she showed me Pale Male a famous Red-Tailed Hawk who has lived on 5^th avenue for many years. Our goal is to see the number one bird on my list that is not in Australia, a hummingbird. Ricki knows where there is a nest so it’s worth a try, probably a 50/50 chance of seeing it.

Leaving bright and early I start the walk up to our meeting place at 71^st street. Dogs are everywhere but I can’t get distracted I don’t want to miss Ricki. Arriving at the allocated spot, I see it is called Hunter’s Gate that’s appropriate. Ricki arrives a moment later and we start on the small winding path, trees and bushes surround separating us from the street and the main grassy areas of the park. Within a few metres there is a beautiful blue bird hoping on the path in front of us, it’s a blue jay. How cool is that. Then there is an American Robin (much larger than our robins) and a common grackle, dark and boring. How is it that a minute into the walk and I have three new American birds! Much using of binoculars and camera ensues the birds, are very well behaved and stay around for the fun.

Now what’s that calling in the trees it’s a Grey Catbird, Ricki is excellent and identifying the birds by their calls. Ricki, what’s this beautiful red bird with the peak, it’s a NorthernCardinal, and there’s another. Who cares about the hummingbird this is amazing birding.

But its time to move on, we walk down a little glade and onto a bridge at the very end of the lake. Ricki takes back (her) binoculars and see’s if she can find the hummingbird on the nest. She can! It’s well hidden in amongst a lot of branches with big green glossy leaves. I have my turn and I think I see the nest, but there is no bird so not sure if I am looking at right spot. The nest is small, only just over an inch wide. She flys back and it on the nest, I see it, I see it, it’s a Ruby throated hummingbird! Can this holiday get any better? Ricki and I are both as excited as each other, she is the best.

After calming down its time to move on, we may as well try for a woodpecker, it’s late in migration so not very likely. We arrive at the spot and he is there. A red bellied woodpecker, on a tree 3 metres in front of us. Wow. What’s that calling? A Northern Flicker (another type of woodpecker) high up in the trees, with the binoculars I see it in all its glory with the shafts of gold along the front of the wings. American birds have amazing colours and patterns. This one looks like it would not be out of place in Times Square.

We keep moving along the path and the word must have got out I was here as a black throated warbler visits now. Ricki has to keep moving so she can get to work on time we chat about how Central Park is managed as we walk over to the model boat lake. A final look through the binoculars at Pale Male and we say good bye. 

 

A big thanks to Ricki, for sharing her experience and love of birds with me. That is a day I will never forget.

Something for everyone

Looking south from Central Park

Belvedere Castle

Egyptian room at The Met

Guided tour at The Met out of 21 people
on the tour, 10 where Aussies

Temple of Dendur

View from the terrace at The Met

A mythical interpretation of  Washington crossing the Delaware
 painted 50 years after the event at 4m by 6m it was an impressive piece

Guggenheim

Day 3 is starting well a squirrel just ran in front of me. Its early morning and another beautiful sunny day I am walking through Central Park up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met). Let’s see what Central Park has to offer.

Dogs, dogs, dogs are everywhere, mainly chasing the squirrels and then each other. I keep heading north, through the giant American Elms in Literary Walk, down and onto Bethesda Terrace and around a lake and up to Belvedere Castle. A folly if I have ever seen one. What is that lady doing down by the Hans Christian Anderson statue? Let’s go find out. I now have a new friend, Ricky and will tell you about her tomorrow if all works out as planned.

Time to head just a bit more North. To the most important object in the park for me, it’s the obelisk, also known as Cleopatras Needle. I have seen the two other ones in London and Paris, so New York will complete the set. Under an archway and along a curving path and I am there. What’s this????? It’s covered in scaffolding, no one told me about this. Darn. I can make out some of the hieroglyphs, but definitely underwhelming.

Onto the main event for the day, The Met has a line down the stairs and along the path it does not look too bad and gives me time to read over my notes of the highlights I want to see. Will my planned highlights work or not? We will find out. Through security, audio guide ready and turn left into Egyptian collection. Beautiful cartouches, the Tomb of Perneb, sculptures and a mummy for starters. Someone get me some oxygen, I think I am hyperventilating this collection is amazing.

Really too much happens to do justice in a blog post to my constant level of excitement throughout this 5 hour sensory overload exploration of many time periods and different cultures. One minute you are in 12^th century China the next 18^th century Venice, then a scramble back 2,500 years to Syria.

For me the key to the brilliance of the Met is the selected works in each room cover a theme for example, still lifes in 17^th century France, this demonstrates the essence of this style, culture or period. A treat for the senses. Getting on a plane and coming to New York is worth it just to visit the Met.

The final excitement is the gift shop, it is so big it needs a map of its own. Alas I need Jane to help with spotting the inside outside postcards.

Now to put one foot in front of the other and walk the 600m up to the Guggenheim. Yep, its looks just like the pictures but somehow I don’t think Frank Lloyd Wright envisaged street vendors with yellow umbrellas plonked in front of it when he designed it. I enter the atrium soaring up 6 floors and its quite a sight, suddenly all my energy comes back and I can enjoy the current exhibition, Italian Futurism and the obligatory exit thru the gift shop, plus bonus outside street vendors.

Its time to head for home, I could catch public transport or google maps tells me it will be a 32 minute walk. I am not sure Mr Google knows how many times I can stop for photos in 32 minutes, he really should allow more time in his estimates. I am about half way there and a storm is approaching, the row boat people are calling everyone in and packing up in a panic, street vendors are making a run for it and most of the tourists are just sitting under the trees enjoying the cooler breeze. I head for home as quick as my swollen feet with take me and make it within 20 steps of the door before the first rain drops fall.

Tourist tip: At the Met can highly recommend the visitor highlight tour (1 hour), and the audio guide for the directors tours of Level 1 and 2 (90 minutes each), just make sure you pick up the map for the directors tour which is different to the standard museum map. Both provided much need context to allow a good appreciation of a selection of works.

Money, money, money

Another city's public transport conquered

Why did everyone keep taking photos of the bulls bum?

My new friend, Gary, his sister lives in Melbourne

A white rose is placed by a name on their birthday

Self portrait at Tiffany's

The Big Piano at FAO Schwarz toy store

Right Hop Stop says go East on 58^th, then left onto Lexington and then hop on the 5. Today is my first adventure on the New York subway. First lets buy a weekly ticket, easy. Now how to get into the gates, watch a few people, ok, do it. Next find the right platform, uptown, downtown, round and round got it. Let’s take some pictures and hope no New Yorkers yell at me. Done. Ok lets actually squish onto one these carriages. In amongst the packed standing room only carriage there is one seat left. Time to jump into it just like Jane taught me in London. Ok we are off heading downtown. Arrive at destination,  fluke the right exit and there is the back half of the Charging Bull. Its 9:01am mission accomplished!

All the tourists are patient as we wait in turn for the obligatory photo with the bull. Also there are two cops, lets go see if they are as friendly as the London bobbies. Yes, they are photo time.

Now off to check out the rest of the Wall St area.  The Stock Exchange is draped in flags and just looks the same as in the movies. This monolith to money started out in 1792 when merchants met daily under a buttonwood tree to haggle. Now to see if there is anywhere to dig under the Federal Reserve Bank and score $90 billion worth of gold, 50 feet below sea level. Alas security is everywhere. Lots of other buildings to explore and feel the buzz. No one offers to employ me to fix their intranet so onwards I will go.

Everyone at home has been raving about this shop called Century 21, its close by so I may as well check it out. Hmm that was much better than expected, I am now loaded down with shopping bags and need to sit down. But a tourist can’t waste a minute of the day so its time to move on to 9/11 memorial shopping bags in tow.

There are police, construction workers and tourists everywhere enjoying the sun, telling their own tales about what they where doing on the day or finding the name of someone they knew. It’s quite interesting to watch the mixed reactions to a major event in the world’s history. I wonder how the tourists will be reacting in 50 years time.

Right I am feeling confident about the subway, lets go to REI, a major camping store to do some more shopping. Right platform, right number train, opps, it zooms by my station. Now I have learnt there are express trains that do not stop at all stations and local trains. Catch a local train back two stops and all is well. REI shopping completed. Another train for a quick detour back to apartment is needed to dump all this stuff.

Now lets attack more of 5^th, Park and Madison Avenue. Mac shop, toy shop, Bloomingdales, Barneys, fancy hotels, I love all the design, colours and beauty but am a bit over awed by all this excess.

The funniest bunch of Irish retirees are in Tiffany’s. They kept loosing their friend Mary. Calling up and down between the floors, “Mary, Mary, where are you?”. Thankfully two Tiffany’s lift attendants with their fancy blue scarf’s find Mary and return her, now she goes missing again. After a good laugh I leave them to it.

Time to rebalance in Central Park.

First slice of the big apple

5th Avenue reflections

Empire State Building

Me at the top

Hello!

New World Trade Centre 1 building

Naked? He was wearing undies?

After a hearty breakfast of maple pecan crunch flakes I take the few steps to 5^th Avenue and go in search of Tiffany’s. Oh, oh there are police everywhere and barricades. What is going on? All is ok, they are just setting up for a parade. Maybe to welcome me?

I go up and down the block where is Tiffany’s? Eventually I ask this doorman with a million dollar smile. He shows me it is 2 metres to my left. Doh, tourist syndrome. Photo frenzy ensues. However I am not wearing a LBD, nor eating my breakfast.

Now to continue on my pleasant Sunday morning journey down 5^th Avenue. St Patrick’s is on the left and I nick inside but not much to see as cathedral is being refurbished and is covered in scaffolding inside and out.

It’s not long before I have photosnapped my way to 34^th street and the Empire State Building. Being a Sunday morning I have avoided all the long queues and am being whisked by the elevator to the 86^th floor in no time. Out into the throngs I go, views from east, north, west and south. This city is big on a map and even bigger in real life. The Chrysler Building is a standout and I like all the bridges ringing the city. Now lets take another lift and go to the 102^nd floor. Its much smaller, not as many people, an easier to see everything. Following the signs I now make it to my first of many ‘exits through the gift shop’ and do my bit to keep the American economy going.

Time to head along 34^th street and take in some shops I am starting to remember to walk on the other side of sidewalk and learning one thing I don’t like about New York is the people smoking cigars as they walk along. Stinky.

Next stop on the tourist trail is B & H Photo and Video, a store Stephen regularly shops at online. Armed with my shopping list I enter the fray. This place is heaving, people everywhere and every electronic gadget you can ever imagine. Its like candy land. But wait there is more, what’s all this whirring and tracks around the roof? Some guy explains it is a conveyor system to move the goods around. Huh? Off to the 2^nd floor I go. Which according to me is the 1^st floor another thing for me to learn about America.

I am on the right floor now the short queue I have to stand in to wait for one of the 40 photo specialist counters. The size of this place and the level of service is phenomenal. Within moments Mereash has my list added into an order, then within minutes the equipment arrives. It’s sent up from the warehouse in the basement via the conveyors. I think Santa’s elves must work downstairs. Truly amazing experience.

My feet are waining and my tummy is rumbling, across to the water I walk and hop on a boat to cruise around the river and check out the sites. We back out of the dock and the first thing I learn is we are right where the Hudson river plane landing was. Then its on for great views and commentary. We are getting closer and closer to the big lady in the river, finally time for some snaps. Oh oh, the camera battery is flat, time to switch to the phone. Hop it does not fall overboard. Can’t wait till I get to go over to visit the Statue of Liberty. Manhattan really looks impressive in the sunshine. One building the guide points out is apartments that have garages next to each apartment ie if you live on the 11^th floor you drive up to the 11^th floor to park. I later found out that Nicole Kidman owns one of them. They are only new so if you get in quick there is one left to buy at $13 million.

Now for a wander through Times Square (manic) and then up Broadway (interesting) to home. That’s more than enough for one day, there are many more to go.

Uptown Girl

Jeremy cruising through the traffic

Hanging banana's

Entry to shop

Bedroom (AKA photo)

Lounge (AKA photo)

AKA Central Park

Exiting the baggage hall and looking for my driver. There he is with a sign with my name on it. Jeremy whisks me away in his Lincoln town car. We travel through Queens a suburb where 49% of the people are immigrants and over 100 different languages are spoken. Alas none of them spoke to me. The car even had privacy shields so people could not see you. Jeremy was very surprised when I put the window down to take a photo of some street art.

We are in a traffic jam on a bridge, this feels like a true New York experience. Once we hit the Manhattan streets its all honking horns for blocks and blocks. But Jeremy knows what he is doing and glides in and out of traffic to deliver me to my accommodation in no time.

Ok, the big moment, will it be like the pictures or not? Elvis is in the building, yes that’s the name of the lovely guy who is checking me in and tells me all about the area. So far so good. Up in the elevators to the 9^th floor, slide the key in, open the door and WOW. This is nice.

Its 6:30pm and time to go out and get some supplies, my plan is to find Whole Foods Market, an organic grocery.  I am walking along the southside of Central Park checking out all the horses and buggies and stacks people are going the opposite direction with Whole Food Market bags. So I must be going in the right direction. Ta da, there it is. They do say everything is bigger and better in Amercia, there must be every type of food imaginable here.

Shopping done. Rest now. Big day planned tomorrow.

Brave new world

Seat belt fastened and ready to go Captain!

Secret island

Mojave Desert

Colorado River

Nearly there

It’s a grey and dismal Saturday morning, and with some anticipation I am waiting for QF107 to get up in the air and go. After months of planning its time to head to a new destination, America. Land of the free, land of the brave, land of the endless shopping mall – who knows all will be revealed over the next few weeks.

Up, up and away we go and soon we are waving goodbye to Sydney and flying over the endless blue of the Pacific Ocean. Time to pick a movie to watch. Ben Stiller as Walter Mitty, set in New York looks perfect.

Its 5 hours in, can someone please tell the Captain to turn around and go home, I have had enough of this endless blue sea. What am I doing here? Wait, there is a speck in the ocean, its an island, tiny from our height but its something. Maybe it’s undiscovered and has rare plants and exotic birds. Time for a nap.

Out of my slumber I glance down and get lucky, there is the coast of America a new land, now I am excited! A whole new place to explore.

We are getting close to LA, there are lots of houses, nestled along the coast and going up to the mountains, fire trails that run right along the tip of the mountains. There is a lot to see now, the suburbs are more laid out and symmetrical. A freeway with cars zooming along, a yellow school bus parked on the side of the road. More buildings and freeways. Whats that, OMG, it’s the Hollywood sign. I really am in LA.

Captain Holloway lands us down and it’s the 500 person shuffle through customs, then terminal. Every 300 metres or so there is a QANTAS person waving a sign onto the next flight, makes the transition really easy.

Soon we are on our way again ready to cross America there are so many mountains, lots of rocks and canyons, must be an adventurers paradise here. Lots to keep me occupied, I am using the flight path navigation system to check off the places as I see them, Mojave desert, Rocky Mountains with snow on top even the Colorado River, all look amazing from 10,000 metres.

Then after 1,000 kms the land settles out and gets flat, we are going through Kansas time for another movie, The Monuments Men, George Clooney entertains me and thankfully finishes in time for the Hudson River and our approach to JFK airport.

I am straining at the window trying to see big buildings we circle around and around. Then along the coast and finally we land.

Hello, New York.

In the navy

Another new friend

Harry!

In the last few days Sydney has been inundated with boats, small and large from all over the world. The special occasion is the 100^th birthday of Australia’s Navy, officially called the International Fleet Review.

With tall ships and navy boats galore a few trips where made to check out the sights. First adventure was to brave torrential rain to see the tall ships arriving. Along with a couple of hundred other soggy onlookers. The most exciting bit was when one of the boats set off a cannon and the kids in the crowd cheered as they thought it was Captain Jack Sparrow. Otherwise it was pretty dismal.

On Saturday the main event was the fleet review with lots of pomp and ceremony but most important of all Prince Harry flew in to be part of it. Boats where anchored all around the harbour. We found a spot on the north side of the harbour. Big navy ships came in a line from out to sea past all the vantage points. Helicopters and planes in formation entered from the heads and went down the harbour. All very exciting.

The formal part of the event was the Governor General, Quentin Bryce travelling around the harbour on HMAS Leeuwin, reviewing the fleet. With Prince Harry on board! Swoon……. As the boat past using my binoculars I provided fashion commentary on what the dignitaries where wearing and tried to figure out which one was Harry. In beautiful sunshine on a beautiful harbour it was a great day to be out and about.

On the way back to Circular Quay we went by India’s boat and it had men in black with big guns standing at guard on all points. This looked pretty strange in Sydney Harbour. The only disappointing bit to the day was the yanks sent only one boat, a piddly little guided missile cruiser, USS Chosin. I am sure it is a very lethal boat however last time we went to one these events the yanks sent an aircraft carrier. That day we saw aircraft taking off and landing on the carrier as we went by on the Manly Ferry a pretty awesome sight that we will never forget.

Final event was today, on way to meeting at North Sydney, quick check of the Tall Ships app showed them all tracking up the Harbour. The view from the train was a perfect line with blue water and sunny skies, framed by the harbour arches. After all the effort of trying to see the tall ships arrive in  dismal weather, this was the icing on the cake.

A special shout out to my cousins, Bill and Tony who served in the RAN.