Central Park - NEW YORK

---

12th January



Today’s lockdown excercise was a stroll through Central Park in New York City (well virtually).



Central Park - Part 1



Our journey with Patrick & Aaron commenced at the 72nd Street entrance opposite The Dakota, home to many of New York's famous residents over the years, including John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Judy Garland, Rosemary Clooney, Lauren Bacall, Roberta Flack etc. It's place cemented in history as the location of the assassination of John Lennon.

Our first stop was Strawberry Fields and to the “Imagine” Mosaic memorial - designated a quiet zone in the park and our tour guides respected that.

Strawberry Fields has also been endorsed as a Garden of Peace by 121 countries, whose names appear on a bronze plaque close by.



Cherry Hill fountain, although turned off for the winter flows from eight small flowers into a circle of bowls. The Fountain was originally meant as a drinking fountain for horses, but in these times, birds drink from the six cups on the fountain’s main stem.



We continued our stroll to Bow Bridge, the first cast-iron bridge in the Park and the second-oldest anywhere in America.



Bethesda Terrace overlooking the lake is at the start of the long, Elm tree-lined walk known as the Mall. A new monument was erected in August of 2020 The first monument to be added to the Park since 1965, honouring pioneering women’s rights advocates Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.



At the end of this walk are statues of famous writers including Robert Burns & William Shakespeare.



Our tour ended overlooking Sheep Meadow, originally a bit of rock and swampland but now a green expanse in the middle of New York City.



Another tour in the Park booked.

---