Oasis in New York

It is a cliche of course to describe Central Park as an oasis within the heavily built up streets of New York - but that is exactly what it is!

Although it looks tiny when viewed from the top of the Rockefeller Center - some 65 storeys above ground level, it is not so small really and has quite a diverse landscape of mature trees, lakes, paths, roads, baseball diamonds and of course lawns.

There are literally thousands of people in the park on a sunny day, jogging, walking, picnicking or, like this lady, just enjoying the dappled sunlight through the trees and writing her diary in a quiet corner.

We were too late, unfortunately, to join the weekly story telling hour..

..but Hans Christian Andersen was still there, with his audience of one, presiding over the storytelling space next to the boating pond.

He had a nice view to look out over.

There were quite a few sailing boats out on the pond.