Monday 30 November 2009
Highlights: Central Park, Central Park Zoo, Museum of Modern Art, The Sex Museum, NHL ice hockey match

Today was very big, busy and important.  We started with a visit to the Brazilian Embassy hoping to get our visas immediately or by tomorrow so our later tour can go ahead.  In the end they could even promise Thursday but Friday should be okay.   This puts a potential problem for the South American tour but that is a concern for tomorrow.

We headed up to Central Park to have a look around this amazing place, Andrew at least found the hotdogs amazing and I think he liked to Horse drawn carriages as well.   We only walked around a small part of the Central Park (it is huge) but we came across a nice sized ice skating rink and immediately watched a guy fall over which looked very funny.

Next we visited the Central Park Zoo which I found very enjoyable.   While overly large there was much to appreciated, from the Polar Bears to the Snow Leopard the birds and the crazy penguins on speed (I swear I could barely keep up with this one penguin shooting though the water).

At this point it started raining and to make matters worse a museum I wanted to see was closed.   So a quick subway trip later we found ourselves near Times Square and instead visited the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) which we did hungry (it was too cold and wet to get lunch).   I was very impressed with the Tim Burton special display the guy is much more an artist then a director and he has done heaps of drawings and paintings.   For once I found myself connected to a ‘modern’ art museum although some of the works I really think I could have done when I was 5 years old.

We then walked down to the Sex Museum which I have to say was not that great.   The one I visited in Amsterdam was both funny and interesting.   This one seemed to mostly just have interviews with American porn stars.   I believe both Andrew and myself left disappointed.

Next and last stop was another visit to Madison Square Garden this time for the ice hockey match New York Rangers Vs Pittsburgh Penguins.   I had to pay quite a lot for the seats as the Rangers are popular but we got great seats.

The Ranger hit the lead after about 10 minutes but the Penguins took about 30 seconds to respond and shortly after lead.   Near the end of the game the Rangers took of their goalie in order to try and score but immediately the Penguins attacked and scored again.   There were some very rough hits but not fights.   I think Andrew got really into the night and I have to say I really enjoyed the match as well.   I think New York teams should pay me not to attend given I saw the Knicks also loss the night before 🙂   Anyway the Penguins won 5-2 in a very high standard match.