Ray opened his talk as he meant to go on - with a stunning view of the Manhattan skyline and an easy-going style of chat. He and his missus visited in the lead-up to Christmas - well wrapped up against the cold, but blessed with clear blue skies and sunshine, perfect conditions for a photographer. And we were able to share the magnificent end result without leaving our seats, or paying the air fare.
Not only did we get to see many of the sights, we also learned some history - in particular about the construction of the Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge. Did you know that bridge was the first to use steel suspension cables and was the longest main span in the world when completed in 1883? Design and supervision of its construction sounds a little like a soap opera - the brainchild of engineer John Roebling who sadly died at the start of construction, succeeded as chief engineer by his son Washington, who in turn suffered a serious attack of decompression sickness, only to keep tabs on things on site via his wife Emily! That’s dedication and determination!
Ray continued our guided tour, partly on foot, partly by the Staten Island ferry and partly on the Subway - with stunning photos all the way. So many iconic views make choices difficult, but here are some you may recognise. And this is a very clear case where images speak much louder than words.
Members were clearly exhausted by the journey Ray had taken us on, but, while lacking any photos of his own, Graham Smith gave a vote of thanks on behalf of the club which very much met his usual professional standards.
Dunstable PROBUS Club meets on the second Monday of the month and membership is open to retired or semi-retired professional and business women and men. The Club’s main purpose is the promotion of good fellowship and if you would like to come along, please contact us on 01582 608242. The next meeting will be held on Monday 12th May 2025 when lunch will be followed by guest speaker Ann Ledger, who will be giving a talk on ‘Performing Arts (theatre and cinema)’.
