This is the final part – 31st July & 1st August

After getting ready for the day, I got all my stuff packed up and headed down to the 14th Street main hostel/office to drop off my key and lugged my suitcase down to the subway to catch the trains up to Jill’s to drop the suitcase off. I spent some cuddly time with Molly cat, curled up in front of the air conditioner for a little while. It felt really good. The only goal I had for the day was to walk through the upper end of Central Park.

It being a beautiful day, I walked down to the 79th St & 1st Ave bus stop, I caught the bus over to the 79th St. entrance to Central Park. One of the things I wanted to see was the Belvedere Castle, which I hadn’t been able to do when I was in NYC the last time I was there. There were some gorgeous views of the park from the castle.

Belvedere Castle Tower, Central Park, NY, © J. Lynn Stapleton, 31 July 2012

A View From The Castle, Turtle Pond, Central Park, NY, © J. Lynn Stapleton, 31 July 2012

I ventured across the the park, past the softball fields, up along the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Resevoir and up to bridle path and up to the Ramble. The Ramble is one of my favourite places to visit. I’ve taken a picture of the Rambling Arch last March (2011) and I took another one here this year during the summer. I love both of them for different reasons.

Rambling Stone Arch, Central Park, NY, © J. Lynn Stapleton, 31 July 2012

Heading around the paths, I found some folks out for a lovely day of rowing.

A walk in the woods, Central Park, NY, © J. Lynn Stapleton, 31 July 2012

Rowing on the Pool, Central Park, NY, © J. Lynn Stapleton, 31 July 2012

There is something about an entangled exposed root system of a tree or trees that fascinates me. A reminder than in many ways we are all interconnected in some way, to the earth, to each other. It’s not always pretty or vibrant – it is what it is.

Tangled Roots, Central Park, NY, © J. Lynn Stapleton, 31 July 2012

Walking further down the path in the north woods, I found this wonderful waterfall.

Waterfall, North Woods, Central Park, NY, © J. Lynn Stapleton, 31 July 2012

The beautiful Glen Span Arch involves several of my favourite nature elements: pathways, water, stone architecture, plants.

Glen Span Arch, North Woods, Central Park, NY, © J. Lynn Stapleton, 31 July 2012

And another waterfall…

Another Waterfall, Central Park, NY, © J. Lynn Stapleton, 31 July 2012

I finally ended up at by the Harlem Meer and the Conservatory Garden on the upper east side of the park before I decided to stop for the day, exiting at the E. 106th gate and headed over to get a bus to downtown where I was meeting up with Jill for supper. A mix of walking and busing, I finally met her at Dhaba Restaurant for some lovely Indian food. We left and headed back up to Jill’s for the remainder of the evening until it was time for me to leave for my train. By 2am I bid adieu to a lovely tired Jill and a curled up Molly cat and headed to Penn Station. Alas my vacation in the city was drawing to an end.

I’d managed to get a wee bit of a nap at Jill’s, and then I was able to sleep on the train for a couple or three hours on the train from New York to Boston. On the train, I met up with a lovely woman from South Africa and we got talking about travelling, photography and things. She was also going up to Portland, ME and since this had been my third time doing this route, she and I stayed together during the travels. Boston was still as warm as ever, though the TD Center was a bit more air-conditioned than Boston Back Bay. Managed a bit more sleep on the Boston-Portland run which was good because I would have a five hour drive from Portland to home.

Caffeine in, and the soundtrack to Wicked playing in the car’s CD player, I started my drive home. The sun was beautiful and windows open as I headed up the I-95 to the Houlton, ME/Woodstock, NB border, then home an hour later. Phew. Already missing NYC and my friends there. 🙂