Ahh, New York. Such a fantastic city. It is endless, though, and to be in the middle of it is to feel dwarfed by the collective energy of the efforts of millions of humans going back hundreds of years.

It is amazing what they have accomplished in that time.

On Saturday afternoon we drove out of CT, south on an asphalt path that brought us down the western edge of Manhattan into a parking spot on the Upper West Side. Saturday afternoon by the park and the museum and we found a spot within ten minutes. Then it was out into the heat, into the throng of people teeming through Central Park, into a rowboat and then into a lake in the middle of Manhattan. There was traffic at the bridge, there, too. But this was rowboat and kayak traffic and it was under a bridge as we all tried to get out into the 'open' water on the other side.

We were in a rowboat on a lake in Manhattan because Lu's brother and his wife were having a boat race with some of their friends. We barely missed the boat race, but we got there just in time for the flotilla picnic where food and drink were passed around, and the glory of the race was recounted for all to enjoy. Then the clouds rolled in charged with lightning, heavy with rain, and I knew it was time to go. The boat was metal, after all.

It was nature at it finest, even though I could see the tops of elaborate buildings towering over the surrounding trees. Nature reigned supreme as the skies open and rain poured down. There was nothing we could do but walk through the downpour because having a pregnant woman run in the rain is just wrong. Wouldn't have made a difference anyway. Within seconds we were drenched and our car was still a good fifteen minutes walk away. Besides, the day was warm, it was only water and we had clothes to change into as soon as we got back to the car parked oh so close by.

On the way out the next day, we took the BQE and truly that is a stunning sight. As Lu always says, it looks like those building are bursting right from the water as we take that curve and then shoot up the Hutch towards the suburban trees and hills of CT.