Central Park Culture

So we walked just under 20 km through the streets of New York yesterday - I plotted it out on the map. Twenty kilometres. No wonder my feet are tired today! Mario mentioned that we push ourselves so hard on vacation, trying to see everything we possibly can in a day, that we need a rest from our vacation! But not today, since there is still so much to see and do. We do take a a little more time at breakfast, Mario watching the day's game between Belgium and Tunisia while I get some writing done, lingering over the half-decent hotel coffee and resting our aching feet.

The morning finds us exploring old haunts, riding the subway uptown, and walking through the east side of Central Park. We had no real goal for the day, except to enjoy sides of places we didn't get to explore last time. The East side of the city's green lung hides treasures like the tranquil Conservatory Water, where children sail model boats, and climb all over the statue of Alice in Wonderland. We sweep along forest trails, while groups of birders search for rare species in the canopy above. I try not to sneeze.

We exit stage left, into the city, to the Papaya King, and a date with a memory of a great chef. Anthony Bourdain once spoke very highly of the importance of a deliciously snappy hotdog here. We snagged a rare spot at the counter, share curly fries and the famous papaya drinks, and ate our hotdogs with a great traveler, gone much too soon. Thanks for the fantastic suggestion, Tony, the hotdogs were indeed deliciously snappy.

The afternoon finds us in museum appreciation mode. The sky seems to threaten rain all day, so the best option is to get indoors. First, we stop in the lobby of the Guggenheim museum, for a little architecture appreciation. Frank Lloyd Wright designed such a masterpiece, a circular wonder, stucco that looks like moulded plastic, a spiral staircase that surrounds us down below, and displays art in the most open and unusual way. We don't stay, though, preferring the selection on offer across the street, at the Metropolitain Musuem of Art. Plus, how can you pass up climbing those iconic stairs?!

Mario and I realize that we might be getting too pretentious. As a result of our many travels, we have seen much of the art of the world in situ - where it originally came from. Entering a great museum of the world, we look upon the art on display, and realize that we have been to these places, and seen this stuff before! But then we come upon the wing of American Art, or Polynesian Art, and realize that we really HAVEN'T been everywhere. We are in awe of the juxtaposition of Catholicism-inspired dresses selected by Anna Wintour, and the hall of medieval art, complete with giant wrought-iron choir screen as a backdrop. We marvel at the hand-painted inside of a tree-bark roof from a polynesian long hall, and the carved wooden gong with cartoon-like heads on top. We are puzzled when entering the Impressionism rooms, where all the paintings have been removed for a new exhibit, but still people sit on the benches and stare at the blank walls. Mario does the same.

Like the Louvre in Paris, you could spend a lifetime in this museum and never have enough time to fully appreciate the art, so we take heart that we have enjoyed enough for one day, and move along.

The evening finds us heading to Rumfeld Playfield, and the site of the Summerstage concert series, where tonight, the great Fado singer Mariza is performing FOR FREE! We head towards the venue, first stopping for some sandwiches at Au Pain Quotidien, and coffee in the grass while watching a flag-tossing group getting in a last rehearsal before the Pride March tomorrow. Rainbow flags fly everywhere, and it is all very beautiful. At Summerstage, after the obligatory security checks and 18+ wristband for alcohol consumption, we enter the cutest little venue, astroturf lawn surrounded by bleachers, and everything lined with quality concession stands. We enjoyed a Barefoot Pinot Grigio, Portuguese egg custard tartelettes and the first 2 acts very much. But the star of the show, powerhouse vocalist Mariza, did not disappoint. Her range is intense. Her power is immense. Her voice is rich and melodious, and she performed her new album, her greatest hits, and an extra set for her adoring Portuguese fans. She was magical and perfect, and we were front row centre. You can even see us in the videos that Summerstage posted online. What a wonderful end to a day of what I can only describe as intense moments.

Until tomorrow -