A Horse-Drawn Carriage Ride Through Central Park

The last time I was in New York I was with a group of friends and I suggested, as one who travels to New York frequently, a horse-drawn carriage ride in Central Park. I had just taken them to brunch and we were nearby. While Tracy and Allie were up for it, the others bailed on the idea, saying they wanted to go to their rooms to sleep, or see something else, or whatever. So, in the interest of group unity, I didn’t insist. However, now that I am here on my own, I decided to go for it. A horse-drawn carriage ride through the park strikes me as a romantic and enjoyable thing to do. If Emma were here it would be more romantic for me than doing it alone, but hey, I’m not going to sit around and do nothing just because Emma is, well, being Emma - that is to say being absent and uncooperative. So to Central Park solo it is.

First off I had to select a nice looking horse and carriage, and this one looked perfect for the task. The horse’s name turned out to be Rudy.

Rudy’s driver turned out to be from Ireland and was very pleasant and a good guide to the park. I climbed aboard and off we went.

My view from sitting in the carriage as Rudy pulls me along Central Park South toward the entrance to the park.

As the carriage moves through the park, my guide points out buildings on the Upper East Side and which celebrities live in them. 

Here we go by the Dakota - the Upper West Side condo building where John Lennon once lived.

Here is the famous Bethesda fountain near 72nd St where numerous scenes from movies and TV shows have been filmed over the years - including The Avengers, Ransom, When Harry Met Sally, 27 Dresses, Enchanted, Home Alone 2, Friends with Benefits, Elf, Deconstructing Harry, Stuart Little 2, Godspell, Uptown Girls, Law & Order, Rubicon, Doctor Who, and Gossip Girl. Lady Gaga used a version of this fountain on her “Monster Ball Tour” when she performed ‘Alejandro’.

Here below we have  two Westies greeting each other in the park. New Yorkers are a friendly bunch!

Here is a girl texting in Central Park. One might think from the photo she is in a wilderness park miles from anywhere, but no, she is in Central Park and I took this from the carriage as Rudy pulled me past her. Central Park is like that - you can appear to be in the wilderness, or in the busy hub of everything - your choice:

During my 40 minute ride through the park I saw people playing soccer, sleeping, reading, playing chess, talking, dog walking, doing yoga, meditating, breastfeeding, playing video games on an ipad, making out on the grass, painting, drawing, doing gymnastics, and many other things. Central Park is the place in New York to kick back and do whatever you want to do. I find New Yorkers to be very friendly.

Dear Readers - Rudy and I send you all warm greetings from Central Park! Check back tomorrow for another of my restaurant reviews.