New York City - Central Park

When we planned this trip to New York City we didn't even think about there still being fall colors up there. So we were pleasantly surprised to arrive and see some great fall color still hanging onto the trees. And the best place to see the colors in the whole city just has to be Central Park.









We walked over to the Gapstow Bridge, which was much busier than when I was here earlier on our visit. Still no sign of the Pigeon Lady though.





There were a lot of people around the bridge, and I'd guess that most of them were tourists (it was a Saturday, after all). Now I know that you hear travel writers and influencers talk about avoiding touristy places like this. But you know what, sometimes it's just nice to be a tourist in a touristy spot. To be around fellow visitors, all excited about seeing something at the same time, to get pictures taken in front of it and to offer to take pictures for a stranger. It's charming in a goofy sort of way that reminds us that we are all people just out here experiencing life together. Things are so crazy and difficult in our world (and especially in this country) right now, and it is honestly refreshing that in these jaded and cynical times people can still get out and find joy in looking at reflections of skyscrapers and fall colors in a pond together.





This is the view from the bridge, looking towards the Plaza Hotel.



And the view, reflected in a small puddle of water on the bridge:



Construction on Central Park started in 1857, and was completed in 1876. It's crazy to think that while other parts of the country were being destroyed during the Civil War, people here were working on features in the park that are still in use today. Nowadays it is one of the most visited urban parks int he country with over 42 million visitors every year. 



This is The Dairy, which was built in 1871 as a restaurant. It's now used as a visitors center.



Central Park is one of the most filmed locations in the world, appearing in over 500 movies (like Elf, Home Alone 2, Die Hard With A Vengeance and When Harry Met Sally).





We stopped at the Turtle Pond, which had some great fall colors:





And then we walked over to Belvedere Castle, which was built in 1869. I'm assuming it was named after the old Mr. Belvedere TV show from the 1980s.



You can go inside (it's now used as a small visitor center and gift shop). This is the view looking out the windows:



And the views from the top:





After that we rambled through The Ramble, a series of winding paths through a forested area. As busy as the park was that day, it was quiet and peaceful there.









After that we headed back to our hotel to get changed, since we had tickets to see play later that evening (Oh, Mary!). But before we left I stuck the camera out the window of our room and got a shot of this view of the Empire State Building off in the distance.

New York City - Gapstow Bridge

Our hotel was a few blocks from Times Square - which was just close enough to be convenient to the subway stop but far away enough to put some distance from the craziness. We did have to walk through there a few times, and it was as crowded, hectic and overstimulating as always (and filled with an oddly large amount of people dressed as Minnie Mouse). The best way to appreciate it was from the 40th floor of our hotel, which had a nice little rooftop terrace. From there we had this view looking towards the cacophony of chaos of the Times Square area.



And also a nice view looking back towards Hudson Yards. From here you can just make out some people hanging out over at the Edge.



After that I rode the subway north for a few stops and ended up at Central Park. I made the short walk over to the Gapstow Bridge, which was built in 1896. Fans of great cinema may recognize it from its appearances in Home Alone 2, as it is the spot where Kevin both meets and says goodbye to the Pigeon Lady.



There were no Pigeon Ladies there that night (just an occasional rat), but the views from the bridge are pretty spectacular.





From here you can see the Plaza Hotel, which was built in 1906 and is where Kevin stayed in Home Alone 2 and racked up a $967 room service bill (the bill is estimated to translate to $2,233 in today's money).



Even with a wide angle lens, it was hard to get pictures of the supertall skyscrapers reflected in the Pond. But here you can see the Central Park Tower, which is 1,550 tall and the second tallest building in New York City. But it is technically the tallest building in the city in terms of roof height, and has the tallest roof height of any building in the world outside of Asia. And it also claims the title of the tallest residential building in the world. Also from here you can see 111 West 57th Street (aka the Steinway Tower), which is the third tallest building in New York City. It's billed as the world's second tallest residential skyscraper and the world's most slender skyscraper.