I had just about walked my legs off by the time I reached the corner of Central Park near Fifth Avenue. I had found out that the park covers about 8.5 acres, with a perimeter of about 10 km (6 miles). There was no way I was going to be able to walk its length and breadth, especially as I had been up since 4 am, so I did something for the first time in my life - I hired a horse and buggy. Lots of them were lined up, but a charming man from Turkey stepped right out in front of me with a big grin, so what could I say? Mind you, the horse was very smelly and it cost a fortune for just 45 minutes, but at least I got to see some of this famous park. I even unexpectedly heard a little bit about movies made there, pop stars and other famous people who live or who have lived near there, not that I am interested in the rich and famous and expensive real estate, to be honest. (I think that what pop stars earn is obscene!)
Anyhow, it was certainly a vast park and I saw joggers, cyclists, pedi-cabs and other traffic winding their way around the roadways and the main lake in the park. In the distance were an ice-skating rink and a few places for people to meet. I gather there was a very small zoo as well. In one of these a large crowd was gathered around street performers.
I have been to a number of lectures by experts on the importance of green spaces in urban areas. I had noticed a dearth of little parks and street trees in the city area, so I thought this park would help act as the lungs of this choked, polluted city that smells so much of fuel vapours, even though it was mostly lawns with trees scattered around. Furthermore it would be essential to people’s emotional and physical well-being. People need calm colours and peace and quiet, as well as regular gentle exercise. However, only a very small proportion of the citizens were actually using the park when I was there, probably outnumbered by tourists.
Despite its value to the city, nevertheless I was rather disappointed in Central Park overall from an aesthetic post of view. It lacked the beauty and the stateliness, the manicured lawns and variety of plants and trees that I have seen in Vienna, London, Vancouver and Melbourne. A lot looked unkempt and full of weeds and some lawns needed mowing. There were some lovely parts though, and I did my best to capture some of those as I bounced along in the buggy, then after I alighted. I include a photo of my driver and buggy. I took my last photo outside an antique shop on the way back to my hotel - a fun piece of art used by the shop to attract customers.
Overall, although I have been told of many good features of New York, including its wonderful galleries and museums and theatres and top restaurants, I would never choose to live there myself. I would soon get very tired of the noise, all the concrete, the hustle and bustle, dodging all the vehicles and road and footpath barriers, the preponderance of take-away food, the petrol fumes and the lack of lovely, peaceful gardens and trees.
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