Happy New Year! We both slept in till just after 8. It felt great. The bed was much better and so we decided to keep the sleeping arrangements. We had traded sides in the bed the night before and that seemed to suit us both. 
We had a nice breakfast at the Manhattan Diner again and then were were off to Central Park. With a very nice cab driver who dropped us off right where we were supposed to be in front of the Marriot Essex on central park south. The weather was exceptionally nice with a temperature of 59 degrees F. I wore my sandals just because I could.
We found our carriage drivers easily and were assigned to Tino and Alvin. Tino being a driver of 27 years of Italian descent and Alvin being an 8 year old painted Percheron, Belgian cross. They were both lovely. Central Park is huge and beautiful even in the winter. 
There were quite a few people in the park, walking, jogging, cycling, skateboarding, walking dogs and riding in carriages. Tino kept up an interesting dialogue, telling us about the different buildings in and around the park and what famous people lived where. 
About the park itself he was very knowledgeable, but after driving a carriage there for 27 years I guess he should be. We had a few photo stops and fun pics with Alvin. Tino told us about his life back in Italy around Rome where he grew up and his life with horses. He still had horses back in Italy. He showed us a picture of a beautiful trotter.I tried to get photos of different things in the Park. The rock formations are cool and there were plenty of squirrels.our lovely ride through the park was over too soon and we thanked tiny and Alvin and chatted with the owner of the company, a very young man brought up to it by his father who had just retired. A family business. 
We crossed the street and went inside the Marriot looking for a washroom, we found a washroom around the block right across the street from the park and then I remembered Mom and Dad. I had not sprinkled them in the park so we went back across the street and down some steps to the pond.
On the way there was a buddhist monk who I bowed to and he sold me bracelet and peace token. He wanted twenty but I only had ten so he let me have it for that. I know that they are fundraising and trying to get enough to live on to which in New York is quite difficult as it is so expensive there. I continued on down to the pond and found a nice quiet spot right beside the trail at the end of the end with a bench nearby. I sprinkled and took photos and went back up stopping to take photos of a squirrel. I explained to Margie where I had put Mom and Dad in the shade of the trees with a nice view of the pond and the city but not too busy. She laughed and said she didn’t think it really mattered. Well, in case it did, they were in a good place.
We caught a cab to Best Buy as we had brought Margies computer and were going to get them fix it. It was crowded with shoppers by the time we got there but the service desk was not too busy so Margie got to see someone right away. I had to use the washroom again, a difficulty of getting old I think. I had to wait in a short line with some young ladies. We chatted about cameras and how they had changed and realized that some of them were still around . What we used to call land cameras, the old polaroids that took instant photos. By the time I got backstairs to Margie she said her computer was working fine now and the young man who was helping her said it happened all the Time. He was from London and New York with East Indian decent and had a lovey accent.
We took a cab back to the hotel to drop off the computer and decided to try the subway to times square. We had time as our appointment at Rockefeller centre was not until 4.so we entered the station on 95 st and looked at the machines. I asked a couple who were there what would be best way to go and they told us to go around to the other side and talk to a real person who could help us out and make sure that we let them know that we are seniors as you get the tickets for way cheaper when you are a senior.
OK we said and off we went to the other side of the station. The Lady at the window was very heft selling us the two for one ticket . Our return ticket for free and telling us exactly which train to catch and where to get off. Easy peazy … the train did not take long to get there and did not take long to get to times square.as we went out into the street I recorded the event. Then I noticed a lot of other tourists doing the same thing. We were all so Funny. 
Margie and I walked around time square street for awhile trying to get our bearings and figure out where Rockefeller center was. We asked some police men again who gave us directions. It was not raining but was so lovely and warm. There were though, so many people it was difficult to walk sometimes. l felt like a sardine in a can. 
We ducked into what appeared to be quieter streets and they were, comparatively speaking, for about a block and then busy again. I still have not figured out if it was the avenues that were busy or the streets. We did eventually work our way over to Rockefeller centre and went by the skating rink with the big tree. the rink was much smaller than I thought it would be. There were lots of people skating and twice as many watching from around the top viewing areas. We checked our directions again and were satisfied to find ourselves just around the corner from the entrance for our tour. There was a long line of people which we joined.
They were putting people into time slots every five minutes . Our time slot was 4 to 415 and we went into the 4:05 group. we entered and went through a security check and then followed the path up to the elevators. That took about 20 minutes but probably the time was longer as we took a quick bathroom break again. The ride up the elevator was interesting in that the ceiling of the elevator was a show showing the views from the top and the elevator going up the shaft.
We got out on the 67 floor. The first views were very exciting. But we realised that we could go outside and higher so we did. The wind had started to pick up and the temperature was dropping quickly. I was glad that I had changed into shoes at the hotel. We went up to the 68 floor and got some great views and decided to go up again. The 69th floor is the top of the building. The sun was just setting and it was lovely. The lights of new York were coming on. As I watched the lights of the empire state building came on. Wonderful! New York at night at Christmas is really lovely. We were freezing now as the wind was very cold and so we found the down escalator and headed back down to Rockefeller Center to eat.
The ride downed not take as long as there were not as many folks leaving as coming it seemed. We wandered around the rink and seeing that the restaurants there were all full or closed for private functions decided to go to the inside restaurant next to the rink. It was lovely and much quieter and warm too. We had a nice dinner there and New York Cheese cake for dessert. It was very tall and very fluffy and very tasty.
From there we had to go to Lincoln Center for the play "My Fair Lady" I thought we could figure out where to catch the subway but Margie thought maybe a cab. We came out and there was a bicycle guy the who really wanted to take us for a lot of money . We told him no, too much and his price came down. we figured a cab would cost us about 15 to 20 dollars and there was no way he could go that low. And he could not get us there in time for 6. He said he could for 40 so we did get a ride with Ali the bicycle driver. Now we have taken every form of transportation in New York. Ali was very brave driver going through what I thought were red lights turning into what I thought were very tight spaces and going around corners into traffic that seemed to melt out of the way. We got to Lincoln Center before 6 which I thought was amazing. Thank you Ali for getting us there alive and in one piece.
Lincoln Center is beautiful at night , all lights and reflecting pools. We found the right building and got in no problem. We bought some water and looked at the souvenirs. We had great seats very close to the front on the side and the show started. It was magnificent. Amazing sets, beautiful costumes and the singing was fabulous. I had not seen My Fair Lady in quite a few years but As I watched it all came back to me and they did such a great job of it. I never even started to nod off once during the whole performance. It was Loverly.
We took a nice cab home and happily fell asleep with professor Higgins and Eliza singing away in our memories.
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