New York - creatures and features

Central Park Zoo...is not as big as I imagined. Perhaps I have watched too many movies but I always thought that there were more animals in the zoo (Madagascar has a lot of explaining to do!).

But it is still a nice little zoo. We took the subway downtown and walked along the horse and carriages waiting for customers. Eloise thought the horses were 'smelly' so not sure she will be harrassing us for a carriage ride anytime soon.

When we got to the zoo they had a '4D' Dora and Diego movie - which, (I am a little embarrassed to admit) was pretty great. By 4D it meant that when the movie (which was in 3D) showed a banana being peeled, the smell of bananas filled the theatre. Or when we were flying in a plane, the seat vibrated like being in a plane, and we got 'splashed' with water when we 'flew' through the rain....





















After the movie we went and saw the animals. First up was a penguin feeding...

 And then we watched the sea lions. I thought they were seals but I have learned...
"A sea lion has external earflaps, while seals have internal ears. Sea lions can pivot their hind flippers to walk on land, but seals cannot. Sea lions propel with their front flippers and steer with the back, but seals are opposite of this."

 We also saw polar bears, snow leopards and snow monkeys, along with a few other small creatures...including a few more squirrels (I am still winning the squirrel spotting competition but have lost count!)

There is a nice view of the city from the zoo

And speaking of nice views of the city....after the zoo we walked down 5th Avenue past all the designer shops including Tiffany's (which Shane was willing to go in and buy me something - but not sure the bank would approve!!) before we got to the Rockerfeller Centre.

We took the lift (which was amazingly fast) to the top and got a fabulous view of all of Manhattan.

This is 'downtown' with the Empire State Building in the background. The building at the back with the crane on top of it is one of the new towers at the World Trade Centre and you can 'just' see the Statue of Liberty at the top of my head (although very tiny - the statue, not my head!)

 

This is 'uptown' with Central Park dominating the scenery. We are staying in the "Upper West Side" which is about halfway along Central Park and on the left here. 

More playing in Central Park this afternoon before a thunderstorm but a dampener on things.

I feel like I have ticked off all of my 'must see' list - still with over 3 days to go - which should give me enough time for some shopping and more cupcakes!!!!!