18/12/2019 - New York by bike

It may be quite cold outside, but with the right attire, a bike ride in New York is a lot of fun even in the depths of winter. Additionally, it is an easy and quick way to explore the many sights of the city. So, we took the bus to Manhattan, walked to the bike rental station, and started cycling. Our first stop was at the Rockefeller Center. Once again, we watched the big Christmas tree and the ice skaters. We continued through the bustling streets of New York, along the Hudson River, until we arrived at Central Park. Here, we had several points of interest. First, we visited the Strawberry Fields, a memorial for John Lennon named and designed by Yoko Ono after his song 'Strawberry Fields Forever'. The next destination was the Bethesda Terrace. From the terrace, we had a great view of the fountain in front - the Bethesda Fountain - topped by a bronze angel figure. Also known as Angel of Waters, it is considered a monument to the construction of the Croton Aqueduct water pipeline in New York's Central Park. However, this part of the park is not only beautiful from above. Underneath the terrace are the Bethesda Arcade, consisting of over 15,000 Minton tiles and also worth seeing. The Central Park offers exceptional sights, and we could also observe some extraordinary residents of New York, see photos. Our bikes took us to the world-famous ice rink in the park. Despite the bright sunshine, some people were skating on the ice. Meanwhile, we enjoyed watching them, always with a view of the Manhattan skyscrapers and the famous Gapstow Bridge in the background. Perhaps it is not as well-known by name, but it has already been a backdrop in some romantic movies. Directly at the edge of the park is The Plaza hotel. We would have liked to see how 'Kevin Alone in New York' spent his time here, but unfortunately, only hotel residents are allowed inside. So, we went to the overcrowded Apple Store directly across the street. After everyone unpacked their phones and used the Wi-Fi, we left Manhattan and continued to Brooklyn. Arriving at the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, we took some beautiful pictures here of the Manhattan skyline, and then we slowly made our way back to Manhattan with several stops on the Brooklyn Bridge. A quick look at Ground Zero, today with the best weather, then we returned the bikes and took the bus back to Lyndhurst.