Chirping birds and Christmas bells in the Greatest City in the World (part 4)

Contrary to its nickname, NYC is more than just a concrete jungle of towering skyscrapers, much like its Asian counterpart, Hong Kong. Both cities boast charming low-rise buildings, quaint houses, and abundant green spaces. Beyond well-known spots like Hong Kong Park and Chi Lin Nunnery, Hong Kong’s natural panorama feels wilder and more untouched, featuring stunning mountains and pristine white-sand beaches perfect for weekend hikes and swims.

Similarly, NYC offers its own coastal gems, such as the famous Coney Island and the Rockaways, in addition to beautiful parks and gardens.

These spaces invite you to take a bike ride or a stroll, play tennis or baseball, practice yoga, enjoy a leisurely lunch or a cup of coffee, or simply take a break to appreciate the tranquillity of nature and the breathtaking hues of a sunset.

Each of the five NYC boroughs has something to offer in this category. 

The posh Upper East Side and Upper West Side neighbourhoods (which should be quite familiar to Gossip Girl fans) straddle one of the most famous parks in the world - Central Park.

The park's landscape is so vast that it is impossible to fully explore it in one single visit!

There are quiet corners where your only neighbours will be the squirrels and the birds, and other more populated areas like John Lennon's Memorial and the Bethesda Fountain exhibiting the statue of the Angel of the Waters.

You can admire the striking reflections of NYC’s skyline in the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir…

Enjoy a day rowing a boat on the Central Park Lake… 

Or listen to some of the many bands playing various styles of music at every corner of the park on Sundays!

On the west side of Midtown Manhattan, you will find the High Line - a park 30 feet (9 metres) above street level and converted from an old rail line - that displays some awesome views of the Hudson River and the city.

The golden colours at sunset are an absolute treat!

A little bit further east, Bryant Park is the perfect place to hang out with a cup of coffee on a lazy afternoon!

In winter, you can enjoy the ice rink, some mulled wine and one of the best Christmas markets in NYC!

You can also walk or ride a bicycle, hopping from one park to another, along the Hudson River from Midtown to Lower Manhattan.

Hudson River Park runs four miles (around 6.5 km) along Manhattan’s west side and provides a real oasis on a hot day!

Rockefeller Park and Battery Park further south have some of the best views of New Jersey’s and Lower Manhattan’s skylines.

From any bench along the river, you can admire the most exquisite sunsets, with the Statue of Liberty in the distance as the icing on the cake!

Washington Square Park, with its notable arch and fountain, is one of the best known of New York City's public parks and a great meeting spot!

City Hall Park in the Financial District surrounds the 19th-century New York City Hall building - the oldest city hall in the United States. This park is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike and is well worth the visit as it contains some monuments paying homage to the city's history.

The surrounding Manhattan architecture is remarkable as well!

Brooklyn is home to the enchanting Brooklyn Bridge Park. It is known as the Brooklyn Riviera and will surprise you with some amazing views of the East River, the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, the striking Manhattan Bridge and the dramatic Manhattan skyline!

We met a friend there and absolutely loved it! 

It felt like a summer afternoon at the seaside, and not in one of the largest metropolises in the world!

In Queens you will find Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.

It is picturesque with its lakes with hundreds of ducks, seagulls and swans! 

The park's centrepiece is the impressive Unisphere - a spherical stainless-steel representation of the Earth, designed for the 1964 New York World's Fair. The park features a variety of attractions such as the Queens Museum, the New York Hall of Science, and multiple recreational facilities in addition to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, where the U.S. Open is held annually.

The Bronx has the New York Botanical Garden.

It is spectacular in spring with tons of blooming bright rhododendrons!

There are also lots of Japanese maple trees with their flamboyant colours!

The roses will be there whether you visit in spring, summer or autumn!

It is an oasis, where rivers, cascading waterfalls, and tranquil lakes weave seamlessly through it, and offers a captivating retreat for anyone seeking solace amid vibrant blooms and serene greenery.

Our first reaction was “Wow! Is this still New York City?”...

Dozens of cute chipmunks and birds, and even a lizard, were also roaming around to our utter delight!

Even the ride to reach the Botanical Garden was an exciting experience as it took us through Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan where we purchased our tickets and boarded the train.

The station was completed in 1913 and is an outstanding execution of a Beaux-Arts design!

The chandeliers, murals and clocks are dazzling…

Staten Island, known to some as “The Greenest Borough" or "The Borough of Parks", boasts over 170 parks, covering over one-third of its total land mass. The most popular of them - The Greenbelt - stretching across the heart of the island and spanning over three times the size of Central Park, is on our bucket list for our next trip to NYC!

(with the kind help of my friend Wanda Rene)