Posts Tagged ‘parks’
Central Park’s Conservatory Garden
New York’s Central Park is a wonderful place to explore. One of the places I always enjoy returning is Central Park’s Conservatory Garden, in the northeastern corner of the park (between 104th and 106th Streets). The name comes from a glass conservatory that was installed in this spot in the late 1800s. That was removed…
Read MoreExploring Brooklyn’s Prospect Park
For years, I’ve “meant to get out” to Prospect Bark, Brooklyn’s largest public park, but it is only this past summer that I visited for the first time. Prospect Park is one of New York’s “historical” parks, it was planned by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux – of Central Park fame. It was first…
Read MoreOn the shores of Central Park’s Harlem Meer
The Harlem Meer is a picturesque artificial lake at the northeastern corner of Central Park. I enjoy this small lake, lined with benches, in all seasons. This artificial lake was constructed with the creation of Central Park, on what used to be a tidal marsh fed by a creek that led into the Harlem River.…
Read MoreBarbarians (and kids) at the gate
The Aurelian Walls of Ancient Rome are still in remarkably good condition in today’s Rome. It isn’t called the Eternal City for nothing. Built between 270- 275 AD under Emperor Aurelius, the Aurelian Walls eventually reached 19 kilometers of defensive walls guarded by Roman soldiers who were vigilalant in ensuring the Barbarians were not capable…
Read MoreEnjoying the winter sun in Madrid’s Parco del retiro
Last December I was with my family in Madrid. We spent lots of time walking around and exploring, and hours in museums enjoying the collections. But the blue skies beckoned and the warm December sun led us to the Parco del retiro, a place I had been for summer visits to Spain’s capital. It was…
Read MoreFrom lunatic asylum to ideal escape from the lunacy of NY: Randall’s Island
Randall’s Island – actually the conjoined islands of Randall’s and Ward’s – is an ideal city escape in New York’s Manhattan. Located in the East River, at the height of Harlem and Queens, this peaceful oasis allows you to feel far, far away from the chaos of daily life in New York. Not surprisingly, this…
Read MoreAn urban oasis in New York’s Morningside Park
While most people know (or know of) New York’s spectacular Central Park, fewer know its less famous sibling – Morningside Park. Morningside Park was designed soon after its more famous neighbor, by the celebrated landscape architects who had designed Central Park – Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvin Vaux. Olmsted and Vaux produced a design for…
Read MoreTourists in glass houses. Madrid’s Palacio de cristal
On a recent trip to Spain’s capital, I visited the Palacio de cristal – the Crystal Palace. As you can see from the photos, I was lucky enough to have a clear December day with blue skies in which to visit the structure. Situated as it is in the Parque del buen retiro, it’s a…
Read MoreSprinting around the aqueducts of Rome’s Tor Fiscale Park
It’s great raising your kids in another culture and enjoying the differences in their upbringing. I reflect on this a lot as I take my younger son, a track and field and cross-country athlete, to his competitions. For his weekly workouts, he trains, arguably (for others, clearly not for me), at the most beautiful stadium…
Read MoreJogging in New York’s Central Park
Ooh, jogging in Central Park is one of my favorite things to do when I’m in New York. It never fails to put me in a good mood. And when I’m back home (in Rome), I always feel a tug of nostalgia for my nice jogs through green Central Park, with the view of skyscrapers in…
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