Heron-Cam Manhattan Report: Day One

Well, who would have thunk it: the airplane the folks were on actually took off on time this morning and landed 20 MINUTES EARLY. Apparently this rarely happens anymore because the pilot kept boasting about the early arrival time -- but it left me all out of breath trying to flap my own wings faster and faster to keep up. Whew, I'm still exhausted. And it's a bit chilly and breezy, so my feathers are all disheveled.

Last night my clients, Mr. Jake and Mr. Just Harry, shared some special moments with their Dad.



And now they're settled in at camp and, when last seen, were almost happy to be back there where people actually play with them instead of sitting all day at the computer working (not to make anyone feel guilty or anything...)

Anyway the folks and I arrive in New York and what's the first thing we see on leaving the airport?
A New York City yellow cab -- with a Miami advertisement on the roof. How confusing is that? "Where am I?" I asked myself. Things got even more confusing when we (or rather, they) got into the cab and it began talking. It's not that they're hicks or anything, but they haven't seen many taxis in South Florida that actually talk to you -- with ads, and maps, and weather reports, and a minute-by-minute update on your route -- like in some planes.Then things got a bit complicated. I am a bird. I fly pretty straight and sometimes pretty low. But if there's one thing I ain't gonna' do for anyone no way, no how -- it's travel through a tunnel with speeding cars, and trucks, and fumes... You've heard of how they use canaries in mines, haven't you?So I just decided to wing it (LOL, collies!!!) and meet the folks on the other side. And if I must say so myself, I did a pretty good job. I found myself right downtown where the folks were staying.

But then I left them until dinner time (a bird's gotta' do what a bird's gotta' do). They had found a little Thai restaurant just near their hotel -- and even visible from their hotel window.

They had a wonderful soup (with yummy shrimp in it!!!) and Satay -- chicken on skewers with a delicious peanut sauce (like a peanut butter treat for grownups) -- and Masaman curry and rice. And they topped it off with coconut ice cream.

After that meal, there was nothing more to say, so I left them to try my luck at night fishing.

HC-Bird