Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

I thought for my final big outing of this trip before returning home I would stop by Central Park one last time and visit "Strawberry Fields" and the "Bethesda Terrace." Since it was still blistering hot outside, these locations and the subway ride would provide some relief from the direct sun. Photo-wise, I was in luck at both locations. At "Strawberry Fields," someone had left a rose on the inlaid tile medallion and the dappling sunlight made this image and moment even more special.  Add in a busker playing Lennon/McCartney music in the background.



I really like this space in Bethesda Terrace and enjoy visiting it. The light, the architecture, the people. Here, a lone busker plays classical music on his guitar. It has been rare to not find it full of people for an image like this. Truth be told, there are folks sitting on the far wall bench hidden behind the left-most column. Walking towards the light at right leads to......



...this broad stairway where a young woman in silhouette walks through the terrace.



Luck of timing allowed me to see this couple who were having wedding photos made here.



The only thing better than wedding photos would be to capture a dancer in a swirling skirt silhouetted against the bright steps - next time.  Maybe I'll set up a tripod and timer and bring along a swirly skirt.



And with that, I took my final subway ride back to my starting point at 34th Street/ Penn Station. Only a dollar left on my MTA card.



After dinner, the temperature had dropped to the low-80's F so I made one final walk on The High Line.



And that, as they say, is that. Another great trip to an always entertaining and grand world-class city.

The following morning, waiting for my train to depart from the new Penn Station Moynihan Train Hall to home. This view reminds me of a ice skating rink. It's a grand and beautiful space that should last long into the future - much longer than I will - it's a wonderful way to enter New York City - first impressions are powerful - I highly recommend it.

Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Central Park, the 850-acre "backyard" of all New Yorkers is, like so much of New York, built at a scale that almost overwhelms the smaller town sensibilities of someone like me. Scattered beauty of springtime was particularly nice in this mixed tulip bed.....

....and a nearby arbor covered with a fragrant stand of wisteria.

Mix in the music of buskers of great skill and artistry and you have the makings of a human experience hard to beat.



Children of any and every age play with abandon.

Rowboats are a popular choice, too, on this smaller lake.



And pandemic or not, people still get married and various locations are popular photo spots throughout the park. And at this time of year, I saw many folks in caps and gowns celebrating graduations, too, from the many local well-regarded institutions of higher learning.



Multiple subway lines run up and down both sides of the park with multiple stops for easy access.



Mostly, for my post-pandemic experience, the subway was not intensely crowded though I did not travel at peak rush hours.



And for such decades of time and such a heavily-used system, the stations I passed through were more well-kept than I expected. Though I am past that age of youthful hopefulness, it's impossible not to feel and notice the energy and electricity that has, does, and will continue to draw countless people from all over the world to pursue the New York dream.  And come fall, expect the pandemic-shuttered live theatres to reopen and the lights of Broadway to beckon one and all!