Our 30th Anniversary - Chapter 3: Central Park

What can we say about Central Park. It is a beautiful, 800 acre oasis in the heart of Manhattan. Anyone who has watched their share of movies has seen something filmed in Central Park. It is beautiful, and when you are in the heart of Central Park you can almost forget you are in the middle of New York City. Some of the most expensive real estate are found in the condos that surround the park, where the likes of Jackie Kennedy and John Lennon have lived. Knowing that, it was surprising to learn that Central Park was built out of what used to be a landfill, and that, at one time, men, women, children, and different classes of people had to enter the park through different gates.

Here is a photo of Central Park from atop the Empire State Building.

Unfortunately it was a bit hazy that day, and the GE building looms large in the foreground, but take a look at what you can see of the park and how big it looks.

Scenes from inside the park.

The Central Park Mall, a beautiful walkway lined with many stately elms, and a statue of Shakespere.

Bethesda Terrace.

"Imagine", a memorial to John Lennon.

Street Dancers (click to play).

Street musicians on the "mall" (click to play).

We enjoyed a walk through the park in the daytime, and later a carriage ride at night. Both were very enjoyable. Unfortunately, destruction came to the park. On our anniversary, a huge storm blew through New York. Wind gusts of up to 80 mph ripped through the park and destroyed as many as 250 trees. Click HERE for more on that story.

Anyway, we enjoyed seeing Central Park for the first time, and realize it has earned its iconic status.