Wish You Were Here: Pictures from an Autumn Walk in Central Park

For many people it's simply known as the Park. And for many New Yorkers we know the wonders of the Park simply as the Great Lawn, the Lake, the Ramble, Turtle Pond (to distinguish it from The Pond), the Sheep Meadow, the Boathouse, the Conservatory, the Reservoir, the Mall and so forth. Each place has its own look and personal associations. We often use these names to explain to our friends where we are.

Trees between the Great Lawn and the Museum.

And where we are here, with these images, is Central Park in autumn, a glorious temporary world unto itself. It's a fleeting sight, these autumn umbers and reds that light up the trees, and it's an ephemeral sound, too, the whoosh of falling leaves settling around the paths and lawn and water and hills. We know we have to catch it in just the right weeks, from late October to early November, and in just the right amount of light, not too sunny and not too many clouds. 

Contemplating Turtle Pond

The following pictures capture some of the feeling of a breezy afternoon on an autumn day in Central Park. All that's missing is a soundtrack, a mixed tape by park musicians - among them, a saxophonist in a tunnel, a family of singers known as the Boyd Family signing hymns in the Bethesda Terrace Arcade, and an accordionist on the Mall billowing out songs of Paris. To fully convey the atmosphere, I would also toss in the smell of roasted nuts. This day happened to be Sunday, October 31, 2010, All Hallow's Eve, or simply, Halloween. I felt lucky to be there.

At Belvedere Castle

From the top terrace of Belvedere Castle, looking west

From the Castle, looking down on Turtle Pond and the Great Lawn

In The Ramble

Bow Bridge

View of The Lake from Bow Bridge

Bethesda Terrace Fountain

Bethesda Terrace Arcade

Trees near The Mall

On The Mall

Wollman Rink, with buildings along Central Park South in the distance

The Pond

The Tree
(just kidding, but on this day, it certainly aspired to be The Tree.)

Images by Walking Off the Big Apple. October 31, 2010. Clicking on the images greatly enlarges them. The images represent a hardy walk from near 96th Street just west of the Reservoir and then south to near the southeast corner of Central Park at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue.