When Worlds Collide

There are things one never tires of and for me, Central Park is one of them. What is there to get tired of in this idyllic urban oasis? I place it at the pinnacle of any must see list for visitors.
Given the lack of outdoor space for city residents, parks take on a much greater significance - they effectively become our backyards and recreational playgrounds. So, the reason for my bias is obvious.
I can easily be accused of being a one-man campaign for Central Park and taking every visitor I have known there for an obligatory visit. This landmark was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux and completed in 1873. The landscaping and architectural elements are exquisite. As I wrote in my article on the conservatory water, on a perfect day I feel like I have been transported to Seurat's Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.
This 843 acre wonderland is remarkable for many reasons and its myriad of different environments and areas set aside for a variety of uses (see the list of articles and photos I have done in related listings below). There are extensive walking/running tracks, two ice-skating rinks, tennis courts, the Central Park Zoo, the Central Park Conservatory Garden, a wildlife sanctuary, the Ramble, a 106-acre/billion gallon reservoir (with an encircling running track), ponds, the Lake, a Conservatory for model boats, the Delacorte Theater (which hosts the "Shakespeare in the Park"), Belvedere Castle, the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre, and the historic Carousel. There are numerous major and minor grassy areas, some used for sports, some are set aside as quiet areas, and there are a number of enclosed playgrounds for children.
From many vantage points in the park, the city's skyline is visible - the juxtaposition of the urban landscape and the bucolic is a potent reminder of where you are and how fortunate we are to have both worlds ...

Related Postings: Conservatory Water, Kerbs Boathouse, Bethesda Fountain, The Beresford, Not So Kleine, Belvedere Castle, Red Panda, Feeding at the Zoo, Albino Burmese Python, The Boathouse Restaurant, Alice, Strawberry Fields, The Bow Bridge, The Dakota, Central Park Mall, Going Tribal, Vivid View.