We woke up very early again Sunday morning. I was up and about by 5:00 and spent a good part of the morning writing downstairs in the lobby and stepping outside to do some people watching.

After breakfast we left for our second round of Macy’s. This time we also made it to the top floor.

Wooden escalators at Macy's Department Store - please note the shopping bags (not ours...)

This time around we also noticed a camera crew interviewing a window display designer just outside Macy’s with N.Y.P.D. observing. The article Macy’s aims for biggest and best holiday windows came out the day after we had observed this while passing by.

N.Y.P.D. on guard in front of Macy's

After a quick lunch, we headed toward 5th Ave again. Margo wanted to go ice-skating at the Rockefeller Plaza and we got there just in time for the 4:30 session (they are always 90 minutes). She had not been on the ice for ages, but seemed to be progressing at a fairly good pace. In the meantime, my sister and I went for a cup of coffee at a nearby place which was packed. If it had not been, I would have gotten myself some New York cheese cake. As it was, there was no place to sit down though.

Tempting goodies in a New York bakery/deli

Rockefeller Plaza ice-skating rink

The construction behind the blue sign on the left is the famous Rockefeller Plaza Christmas Tree to be finished by Dec 3, 2008.

Margo had such a good time skating and it was fun to watch everyone else have a good time, too.

Margo on ice

After the ice-skating session, we dragged a very tired girl up to 55th street to do some shopping for a friend at Abercrombie & Fitch, but it had closed its doors at 6:00. We went across the street and could only take a peak at Tiffany’s through its security bars. We watched cleaning personal scrounging the floor… finders, keepers?

We walked down to Saks Fifth Avenue to buy  something for my husband, but had to “park” Margo on the first cosmetic counter stool available – she could not take another step.

When we left, I had a choice of either trying to carry her or to haul a cab. But then — there was a bike rickshaw at the corner and the three of us got a ride for $ 20 (almost 20 blocks to go back to 32nd Street). This was the ride of my life!!! This guy was whizzing in and out of traffic, changing lanes, pretending to tip us over, and he had us all screaming. I screamed for joy, but my sister later admitted she had been screaming for fear. It was so wonderful! Had I seen it beforehand though, I would not have gone on it. This guy did some dangerous tricks, but it was worth it.

Our rickshaw driver in New York City

We got off still laughing ourselves silly. That was the ride of my life!!!

After the ride...

We had laughed so much, we gave him a fairly good tip for this little thrill.

By then we were close to being broke and had to settle for a bottle of red wine as the main dish in place of an evening meal. Margo passed out as soon as we got to the hotel room. No, she did not have any wine. She passed out from New York City exhaustion.