Round Columbus Circle in a Pedicab!!!

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Day 97- Saturday

After Thursday evening at the opera I decided that I needed to smarten up my appearance considerably if I was to be worthy of the seats I had booked.

Unfortunately I am the victim of the various circumstances of my travel.... I posted my opera- going gear from Cambodia to Chicago ( in an attempt to lighten my load , since I would not need those garments in Asia!)- but it has not yet arrived and in addition my shoes were nicked from my hotel room in Bangkok. I had the perfect pair of multipurpose , comfortable yet elegant shoes suitable for walking distances, going to the opera and airline travel and security checks! I have been unable to find a replacement, but did buy some most inelegant but flip flops in Naxos, and some elegant heels in Chicago. In addition , there has been a sudden cold snap...12 degrees on Thursday afternoon! So that night I went to the opera looking like a Bulgarian peasant with poor taste in footwear! I had bought a rather nice new, peasant style skirt and was wrapped in a lovely pashmina from Iran over the warmest black top I had,. A motley assemblage. That and the fact that my hair has not seen a hairdresser for 14 weeks I was counting on the fact that no-one knows me.

On account of the fact that I have wanted to do this for many many years and it really is the ultimate expericence for an opera lover, I have booked good seats. I am afraid our parents spoiled us and always took us to the front stalls...(must have been Dad...Mum was always thrifty!)
So I thought I had better try harder with my appearance. Luckily I had bought a few things in Chicago and Minnesota.

So last night I sallied forth in an elegant black cocktail dress, stockings and the high heels. Mercifully I have the lovely Persian wrap to keep me warm even though it doesn't quite go with the silk dress. Not having worn anything other than hi-tech walking shoes for months my feet soon protested . I had had the foresight to slip the ugly flip flops in a plastic bag into my hand bag. But having spent so long arguing with myself about what to wear etc I realised at 7.25pm that I was cutting things a bit fine to walk anyway. I hovered near the corner of 8th Avenue , hoping for a taxi, but on a Friday night that is not very likely

A nice young man in a pedicab asked me if I wanted a ride...I asked the price to Lincoln centre..$12. No use being late..they won't let you in. So off we set. It was only then I realised..my God. A pedicab (a bicycle drawn conveyance!) ...in 8 lanes of traffic in the dark in a Friday pm! And between 8th Ave and the Lincoln ,...Columbus Circle...featured in On the Town amongst other movies...At least three concentric circles of traffic...I held on for dear life remembering Cambodia...this couldn't be as bad. The young man was charming...an English language student from Russia hoping to begin studies in accountancy next year. I felt like asking him if his mother would approve of his job. I certainly wouldn't want my son doing it! Howver we quickly arrived at my destination and in my relief I decided to tip him up to the $20.

During one of the thirty minute intervals I talked to the lady next to me. She and her husband ( or perhaps his company) are sponsors of the Met... they had also been to Salome already this week and La Gioconda. They Have flown in from Chicago for a few days of Opera, as they do several times a year. And they are going to the Lyric Opera there next Tuesday, the same evening as I am to Manon, starring the brilliant young soprano and actress Natalie Dessay! ...So when her husband returned to his seat they invited me to a dinner party at a club in a tower above the Lyric opera next Tuesday at 5pm with six of their friends! Luckily I have till Tuesday evening to figure out what to do about my appearance...apparently it's even colder in Chicago at this time. I have no coat, no jewellery and no makeup! Oh dear.

I really can't describe the operas in this space or time. ( ( Internet cafes you pay by the minute!) Suffice to say that the four I have heard at the Met have been beyond my wildest expectations...with increasing brilliance. Quite unbelievable. THe greatest opera house ( the interior of Sydney looks like a small town community hall in comparison!)...the finest artists.

Tonight , since there is nothing that takes my fancy at Carnigie and the Met has Don G again I am off to Chicago, the musical across the street from my hotel.

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