Yesterday on my second day of vacation, I chose to again venture out into Central Park after Will recommended that I check out the Ramble.

Today was much colder, so I was sure to dress appropriately. When describing the weather, the one word that comes to mind is: blustery. I wore my LL Bean Irish Fisherman’s Sweater. Smart move. This thing is WARM (and stylish).

Despite the cold, I was confronted with a barrage of tourists. So many people, so many accents. They don’t so much walk through the park and slowly meander. Since I had a specific destination in mind, my gait was more purpose driven. I found myself weaving through the herds of tourists choking the park trails.

I very specifically recalled the scene Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where Indy and Elsa are in Venice being chased by The Brotherhood. Not only did they need to escape this secret society, but to do so they had to avoid running into all those damn people (tourists). Random. So anyway, on to the Ramble.

According to the website:

One of the few spots in the city where visitors can get happily lost, the Ramble, at thirty-six acres, offers a variety of intimate scenic enclaves that include the Gill, a tiny stream the wanders through the area, and the Ramble Arch. Location: Mid-Park from 73rd to 79th Streets

I think I would have enjoyed it more if not for the blistering wind chill. Much like the Ravine, you begin to forget about the city surrounding the park. The urban landscape begins to fade away. I’ll have to revisit it post-winter.

Since I was already in the park, I decided to take a walk around the lake. Immense. I remember discussions about cutting the lake in half, creating two distinct lakes, from my days as an intern for the Capital Projects Division of the NYC Parks Department. NYC was still in the running for the 2012 Olympics at this time and this dual lakes concept was one of the developments proposed in order to better accommodate events requiring a lake (e.g. rowing).

Following the lake, I made my way over to Strawberry Fields and the iconic John Lennon Imagine memorial. Its smaller than one would expect after seeing pictures of it. Visitors pay the site a noticeable respect. Most are careful to keep a distance of at least a foot or more between them and the tiled monument. They seem fearful to step on it, much like one is careful not to walk over a grave site. Fitting, I suppose, based on its proximity to the scene of his tragic death.

Other General Observations:

Even though its winter, Parks Dept employees are all over the place. This reflects the monumental effort required to keep this great park functioning and looking pristine. I’m glad to see that, even in this economic climate, Parks and other green spaces still remain a priority in the city’s budget.

One of my favorite aspects of the Central Park is the lamp posts that dot the landscape. For whatever reason, they make me feel like I’m in a Dicken’s Novel (which differs from my usual delusion of being a character in a  Wes Anderson film)

Speaking of novels, I headed down to The Strand after leaving the park. I had never been there before. It was overwhelming to say the least, but I had a good time once I became acclimated. Miles of books. Truly, truly outrageous.

Below are some random pictures of my day, for your amusement.

Amazing. As sax player myself, I know how hard it is to play in the cold.

Standing at the western end of the park, looking across at east side skyline