Last week started with rain and chilly temperatures, but ended with summer. I continued my daily walks through New York City. In total I traveled around the City ca. 24 km on foot and ca. 25 km by bike. That are almost 50 km. I am giving myself a pat on the back here. Even though I only accomplished a big chunk of the bike distance thanks to using an e-bike. In general I feel that there are more and more people outside these days. After all those weeks at home and a cold, rainy April, everybody really just wants to be outside though. Since most people keep a healthy distance and/or wear masks, that feels alright though. According to the New York Times thousands of rich residents have left the City anyways. Plus there aren’t any tourists around. So there is plenty of space for all us remaining people.
Monday: A short Midtown walk to the East River
Monday was the big day when I met my friend for the first time since mid-March. I met her close to Grand Central. After we got tea and coffee in a little independent store, we walked to the East River and watched the ferries crossing.
Tuesday: A walk through Midtown to Madison Square Park
Rich wanted to juggle so we first walked to the East River Esplanade. Unfortunately, it was a little too windy. We then ended up walking down to 23rd Street and paying a visit to beautiful Madison Square Park.
Wednesday: A long bike tour to the West Side, down to Battery Park and from there all the way up to Midtown along the East River
This was a splendid afternoon. I managed to snatch an e-bike. Such a wonderful invention! First I cycled from the main public library over to the West Side and was at the Hudson River Park for the first time. I stayed on that bike path until I reached Battery Park at the Southern tip of Manhattan. From there there is a bike path all along the East River up. I was home in a jiffy. Thanks to that e-bike. Definitely not thanks to my muscle power.
Thursday: A bike tour to and a long walk through Central Park
Another sunny, but the first properly warm day. I biked up to 79th Street to visit Central Park. Just at the entrance there, next to the Met, I bought myself a giant icecream. So I first sat on a bench and enjoyed that before walking all the way around the Reservoir and then back to the south-east park entrance on 59th.
Friday: A short Midtown walk to Bryant Park
At the end of my work week I felt exhausted. I took my tablet, bought an iced coffee and sat down in Bryant Park to unwind.
Saturday: A short Midtown walk to Bryant Park
A proper summer day and we both had time. We got takeout salads for lunch and spent the whole afternoon in Bryant Park. That’s actually the park closest to us. And these days there are relatively few people there.
Sunday: A walk to the Upper East Side with the discovery of this beautiful little park at Sutton Place
It got slightly cooler again, but still pleasant. We walked past the U.N. and I finally got to show the little park at Sutton Place to Rich that I had discovered last week. On the way back we found a block with three little restaurants next to each other that all sold takeout cocktails. They were immensely popular. We got some tasty sangria.
© janavar
Must be very interesting to see a big city so quiet these days. I prefer walking around in the nature near my hometown Düsseldorf now. But I would really like to go to New York again after many years, even if there was a lot of hectic and many people around again.
Cheers, Renate of http://www.trippics.de
Thank you for this exciting article. It was interesting to read how the corona situation is dealt with. Even without many people, the pictures are very impressive.
Best regards Mo
Strange feeling for me. 1992 I was living in N.Y. for a while. It was an active, often crowded place and traffic was insane. Even in the parks a lot of people. NY never sleeps, was real. I enjoyed my time there. Today it looks so different to me. I hope, life goes usual, soon. Advantage: you can shoot pics nearly without ppl. Thats a rare thing. Cool Pics.