Central Park New York Photowalk

In Vancouver, Stanley Park is a close to a “Happy Place” as I can find. Forest trails, hidden creeks that come alive after a rain shower, and sweeping views of the North Shore. It’s full of life but it’s peaceful at the same time. So, when I come to New York, I always go for a stroll in Central Park (which is actually just a tad smaller than Stanley Park).

View of Central Park from the Top of the Rock

We entered from the south, off West 59th, and went past the outdoor ice rink, which is apparently the largest of its kind on the East Coast. Grey squirrels dashed around among fallen leaves and toppled trees, which appeared to be victims of Superstorm Sandy’s winds just a few weeks ago. It’s a little-known fact that Stanley Park’s grey squirrels originated from New York. In 1909, eight pairs of grey squirrels were given to Vancouver from New York, for Stanley Park.

My mother and I are in New York all week and since she’s never been to the Big Apple, I knew we had to start out with a walk in the park. There’s so much to see, you get a sense of the city (with a healthy mix of locals and tourists) and it’s absolutely free.

View the rest of my photos (and the photos still to come this week) on my Flickr account and follow me on Instagram for mobile pics.