Central Park

Spent most of Friday (Sat NZT) at Central Park cycling around it, and then walking much of it also. Was a sunny hot day, so spent most of it there, deciding to leave museums for a more cloudy or rainy day.

Cycling around the park is brilliant fun. Nice and peaceful most of the time, but a couple of hills to make you work a bit. The biggest danger was me crashing as I admired certain joggers 🙂

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The statue of Christoper Columbus at Colombus Circle, where most people enter Central Park. The statue was made in 1892, 400 years after Columbus landed in America.

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In winter this is an ice skating rink, and in summer an amusement park. I love the skyscrapers in the background, so you have the park.

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Auckland Girl with Big and Emo.

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The view from on top of the rocks near the rink.

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Some of the many tables at the Chess & Checkers House.

 

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There is a literary walk, with several statues of famous literary figures.

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This is the Bethesda Terrace and the Angel of the Waters Fountain. A beautiful spot.

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A of the fountain.

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This is the Conservatory .

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A statue of Hans Christian Anderson, author of The Ugly Ducking (and many more).

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Also by the water is this statue of Alice in Wonderland. It is roped off as it is being sprayed with some sort of preservative.

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A view of Uptown, across the waters of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir. It is 43 hectares in size, and holds almost 4 billion litres.

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This is also an ice staking rink in winter. In summer it is a free swimming pool, so very popular.

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The main road around the park is six miles long and you get walkers, runners, cyclists, horse and carriages and more They have separate lanes for runners, cyclists and vehicles.

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This is the Great Lawn. It's, well, huge.

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Belvedere Castle was built in 1869 and for almost 100 years has hosted the US Weather Bureau.

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A statue of King Jagiello of Poland. No idea why it is in Central Park, but it seems he beat the Germans up a lot in the 1400s.

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Turtle Pond – not for swimming in.

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This is the view from the top of Belvedere Castle. How many cities in the world would have a view like that?

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Walking through The Ramble.

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Enjoying a cycle around. So great to be able to cycle without a helmet (as you are in the park). You can hire cycles from half a dozen places nearby – but not in the park itself.

Central Park is a big part of what makes New York so beloved.

Of interest, it is not actually run or maintained by the City of New York – but by a private charitable .