An oasis in the midst of concrete and high energy urban frenzy...Central Park is an island unto itself.

In the park, there are multiple tunnels leading from one part of the park to others. Each time I passed through one of the tunnels...I was reminded of the concrete jungle I had just left (although I enjoyed it). It is truly like passing from one world to the next. The stark contrast is striking. One minute I was among throngs of people moving in a wave down 5th Avenue...stepping off the sidewalk treadmill now and then to buy a brat from a vendor or window shopping at Sak's...the next minute I was emerging into a land of lakes, horse drawn carriages, carousels and walking paths through pastoral settings. As I looked ahead of me, I could swear I saw C. S. Lewis' Lamppost guiding my way!

Central Park is an oasis at the northern end of Manhattan. City planners know that as cities grow and become densely populated, it is necessary to provide outlets of sanity to escape to. Intriguing and exhilarating as it is to browse the shops on 5th avenue or feel the electricity in the air of Wall Street...the escape to Central Park to just observe the masses is most satisfying to this visitor. In this oasis, the New Yorkers shed their hurried lives and share a walk with friends away from the hectic streets of the city. The park is beautiful and allows one to experience nature with the backdrop of the city looking on from a distance. Not often does one experience the stark contrast of serenity and urban excitement at once as one does in New York.