If you missed part 1, please see the post below. I went to the Big City on Saturday to visit a blogging friend and to have lunch with my son, who lives Downtown. Daryl and I were in the Conservatory Garden, walking around, when we came to this pond with a beautiful little boathouse-type building.
This is actually the Harlem Meer, an 11-acre lake (meer is the Dutch word for lake) and the building is the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center. The center serves as a hub for information on the upper part of the Park. You can even borrow fishing rods here and fish in the lake (catch and release). But we’re heading the other way today.
Several Canada geese were hoping for a handout from us, I presume.
We saw a beautiful monarch butterfly. It’s times like this that I wish I had a Shootsac and my long lens. But that’s another story for another day. (Plus a Shootsac is way out of my budget).
Have I ever told you how much I love stairs? I especially love them when they’re made of stone and they have a lamppost posing near them and greenery all around. Stairs beckon us on, with the promise of something unknown and possibly wonderful that waits for us at the summit.
Know what I mean? The day that I can’t walk up a flight of stairs is the day that I will be very sad. My knees may be getting old and hurting some, but I love stairs.
We follow the path at the top of the stairs around to the west side of the Italian gardens and past the allee of crabapple trees where the beautiful fountain lies. The day has grown warm, especially with all the walking, but just looking at the fountain is making me feel cool as a cucumber.
More stairs! I love it. I’m loving the brick and stone and ironwork, but especially the promise of what’s ahead. This particular set of stairs leads us up under the Pergola at the western end of the Italian Garden that I mentioned yesterday.
Daryl snaps some photos as I ascend the stairs. It may look like there’s not many people in the park today, but there are. I just waited until they passed to take my pictures.
I did manage to capture these gentlemen taking in their morning exercise on one of the patios alongside the Pergola. All over the park there were small groups of people exercising like this. It looks very calming to me.
Tomorrow, inside the Pergola and we continue our walk.
Thanks for coming along with me! Until then, my friends . . .
30 comments:
Central Park is very lovely,not at all like they protray it on TV. I love the stairs too.What is a Shootsac? The pond with the boat house s charming.
PS I love George.
I love stairs too.. and bridges.. and walls.
I'm loving all your Central Park tours, Kate! You have really captured so much of the beauty of that great park. Love that first photo of the stairs -- beautiful!
Thank you. Thank you, for sharing your walk in The Big Park. It is so far away, but one day I will visit. Your wonderful photos have moved the trip up on my bucket list. The monarch was a great catch, but your love for the stairs shows.
What gorgeous shots Kate! I love those stair shots. Sheesh I don't even know what a Shootsac is :0)
beautiful shots - I love stairs too - especially when I can find stairs to no where.
Wonerful post. Loved your choice words about stairs.....I too wait for people-free shots, but am asking permission more, and getting more people shots - esp with their pets!
Your photos are brilliant!
Aloha
Cloudia's Comfort Spiral
Wow.. I had no idea really. All I know of Central Park is Sex and the City scenes (sorry!!). Gorgeous... one day, one day!
:-)
BB
Thanks for sharing! Central is a gem in NYC, an oasis with much to see and do.
I love Part II !! Thank you for showing us Central Park. I have never been to NYC and I have always wanted to go. Seeing what Central Park is actually like is nothing like I thought. It is GORGEOUS and I want to be there! What a place to be in the fall, huh? I can't imagine what the city is like at Christmas ... Oh My, it must be GORGEOUS!
Oh I miss New York and all of the seasons. I moved to San Francisco 9 years ago and STILL haven't gotten used to this weird weather (foggy and cold in the summer?)
Photos are great! Just stumbled onto you blog, fantastic.
I butterfly is really captured well!! I love that shot. And the stairs are amazing!
Lovely pictures:)
I was going to say my favorite was the lamppost with the stairs but then I could not decide for sure. All are lovely and you have show me a part of the country I will never see. Thank you.
Wow! A trip to the city!! Good for you! I especially liked the gate and sculpture in the first post. The stairs in this post are really impressive.
I hope to see more of the city on your blog. Seeing it in the summer is really nice. I really like seeing the open spaces as I normally do not associate such scenes with a huge city.
Take care.
Manhattan is a borough with a lot of surprises ... in addition to the soaring architectural towers of commerce there are parks, Central Park as Olmstead designed centerpiece of the city but he also designed Riverside Park another stretch of greenery with stone arches and wandering paths and community garden... then there's Bryant Park (behind the NY Public Library's main branch) and many many smaller parks.
NY is NOT a scary place, we are not axe murderers ... come see for yourselves
Your shot of the fountain is superb, a view/perspective I never considered!
I would spend days there perusing the amazing sites. I just love it. Your walk and talk was so enjoyable and I am loving every second...I am sorta getting hungry though. I do hope you took shots of lunch as well.
Looks like you had a nice day! One of these days I am going to head north...
beautiful photos....what a great trip !!
if you want to see a bit more monarch love, I just posted some today....
I want to exercise in Central Park! It looks so peaceful!
Love stairs too. I always feel a sense of wonder at what I will find at the top. They are also a great metaphor for life.
So lovely. And hardly any people!
Love the pics, especially the monarch. Glad you had such a good time and beautiful weather too looks like.
When I think of New York, I think of how it is portrayed most often on television ~ skyscrapers and concrete. I never realized it could be so beautiful. Thanks so much for showing this other side of a very lovely city.
You've given me a new perspective on 'stairs'. Before I looked at them as a physical challenge, but now I can look at them with keen interest on where they will take me! Thank you for Parts 1 and 2. Looking forward to Part 3 and beyond. Is it getting close to lunch time? Jeanne
The boat house has been featured in oh so many movies, but not one comes to mind at the moment. Hmmm..
I am so enjoying your posts on Central Park. Not ever having visited there, I had no idea it was so beautiful.
Jen
Kate, thanks for the tour of Central Park - it's great to see spots that don't normally show up in tv shows.
WOW..I HAVE to go there someday....Stunning and I like the stairs also...I'd look at them and think exercise but I like looking at them and seeing what you see also when you see stairs...nice..Nice new header also!!!
OK, I live less than 50 miles from Central Park and I've NEVER seen any of this! Beautiful, Kate! BTW? Next trip up, drive the extra 50 miles and come see me!
Nice-I am enjoying!
<><
Just what I needed today!..a walk through a beautiful park...Thanks Kate! love the stairs!
Post a Comment