It is absolutely beautiful in New York today. It is cold and crisp and apart from a slight haze in the far distance, it is clear and bright. I walked across Central Park from west to east at lunchtime and whilst there’s no leaves on the trees and much of the park is cordoned off with signs saying ‘closed for the season’ to let the grass rest and grow back for the Spring, it’s a real pleasure to be walking through it. Despite the size of Central Park, you always know you’re in a city because wherever you look you see the border of buildings running down the East and West side and when you look north and south you see the buildings cluttered and close together. As usual there are dogs everywhere, every shape and size. Women with buggies, older couples and one man basking in the sunshine. And for the first time in my life I see a man taking a bird for a walk in a cage. Is that normal here?