Happy New Year

New Year's Day I woke up and sat on the couch for ten minutes in an effort to decide what to do. The late morning sky was overcast. My eye drifted across the apartment and caught my Iran guide book. I spent the next hour reading about the country and planning a trip for the fall.

Morning became afternoon. I took a shower, dressed and left the apartment, heading north. As I walked, I decided to walk to Bergdorf's to see the Christmas window display. Y had told me that Bergdorfs always came in second in the citywide window display competition, but only because every year they were similar. She said she liked them, though, because they were elegant, and she felt that Christmas should be elegant. I agreed.

As I walked, I passed the Flatiron building and then the Empire State building. A line wrapped a quarter of the way around the block. At the door, an attendant directed everyone to the end of the line. Tourists paused in front to take pictures of the lobby.

Continuing onwards, I walked past the New York Public Library where I was tempted by the exhibit on illuminated manuscripts, but pressed on. Soon, I passed Rockefeller Center, where the crowded sidewalks forced me onto the street. A line shuffled past the Saks displays.

Soon I was at Bergdorfs. People crowded the sidewalk selling designer knock off bags. I pushed past them to see the windows: maidens made of porcelain at a tea party, a librarian looking an ostrich in the eye. They were fanciful and beautifully done and wonderful.

By then I was at the southern edge of Central Park. I started walking up through the park, and paused by the zoo. Sea lions were playing in the central pond. I stood by the fence, hoping for a better look when I realized I had never before gone to the zoo. I checked the times; it was open for another 45 minutes. I bought a ticket and walked in. The attendant told me to keep half of my stub for the petting zoo, a little further north. I thanked her and wished her a happy new year.

I walked to the edge of the sea lion pond to watch them swim. A group of girls stood by, trying to capture a photo with with their cell phones. At one point, one sea lion reared up on the edge of the glass, and they snapped away. The sea lion looked this way and that, offering each profile, then sunk back into the water. One girl cried out, laughing: "I didn't get a photo!" Her friend told her that she'd send her one. I laughed with them and then went to look at the penguins.

The arctic room was dark. Penguins swam in circles in a pool. The water ranged from chest level to below my feet. I could see their bodies densely packed in the deeper portions of the pool. I stood and watched them swim back and forth, staring into the eyes of those who floated at the top of the water. Occasionally, one would take to land, to stand and preen, before launching itself back into the water.

I continued past the puffins and out the door, touring the polar bear area without seeing the polar bear before continuing up to the back of the museum where river otters played. Coming back towards the main area of the museum, I stopped to watch snow monkeys wrestling each other on rocks spaced out in a pond (in the background, I could see the sea lions being fed) before entering the rainforest, where I searched for birds in the trees and watched deer mice pick their way through the underbrush on their spindly legs. The tamarinds were particular favorites, as well as the poisonous blue tree dart frog.

By the time I left the rainforest exhibit, we were being ushered outside. Attendants announced that the zoo was closing. As I left, people were saying goodbye and happy new year to a woman standing by the gate. One person paused and said, "You don't work here do you?" She laughed and said she did. "I sold you your ticket!" she exclaimed.

Darkness was falling. As I walked past the Delacorte music clock, it rang the half hour. I walked west through the park, past the skating rink and carousel before emerging at Columbus Circle. I took the bus back south, through Times Square, which already was cleaned of the confetti that had fallen the night before. As the bus edged south, I looked up at the buildings and saw the faint outline of the New Years ball sitting atop a lighted sign that flashed the new year, 2006.
Posted by eku at January 3, 2006 10:00 AM