Jared Murray
Guest Reporter

It’s 12:19 p.m. on March 1st and the orchestra is having a fantastic time so far. This morning we had a nice buffet at the hotel, then drove to Radio City Hall for a guided tour, lead by Allen, and a quick chat with a real Rockette! Right now my group, is enjoying lunch at a Belgian restaurant, and it’s delicious! We walked eight blocks in the cold to get here, and along the way we witnessed the craziness of New York traffic first hand. Jaywalking is a common practice, and you can tell who is a real New Yorker by how unconcerned they are with almost being run over by angry cab drivers and businessmen trying to make left  turns. After lunch we’re heading to Central Park, where I’m hoping to befriend as many pigeons as possible before we head for the Empire State Building at 4:30. Dinner tonight is at The Hard Rock Cafe. After dinner is the event we’ve all been waiting for. . . shopping in Times Square!! Everyone seems excited to blow all their money at all their favorite stores, including myself. We’re tucking in early tonight so we can get a good nights rest before the competition tomorrow morning! I’m already nervous!

Make sure to keep checking the Bagpiper Online for more updates on our travels!