Snowy Central Park...

(I hope you're sitting comfortably,
because there are a fair few photos coming up...)

Yesterday it snowed pretty much non stop all day, but unfortunately it had rained for a whole day before that, and it wasn't really that cold so it was too wet and too warm to settle... however, by around 11pm last night the snow had started to settle rather nicely and by 8am this morning there was LOADS of snow! I woke up to a full thick blanket all over the road, all over the cars, all on the bushes and trees... it was lovely.

One thing I've been wanting to do is see Central Park when it's all snowy, and as today was the heaviest the snow's ever been since I've been here (it was like the amount of snow we used to get when we lived in Moorside), I thought I'd make the most of it and get on the train to Central Park...

As soon as I got out of the train, the sound of the city was completely different, everything was so quiet and peaceful, and the park was a sea of white.

The park couldn't have looked any more different from when I last went in the Autumn.

There were icicles hanging from all the street lamps and lamp posts around the park.

This person was rather well prepared for the snow... snowshoes?!

Nearly the whole pond was frozen over and covered with snow, you couldn't even tell there was any water there at all, the ducks must have been freeeeeezing.

The little hills that in the summer are covered with sunbathers and people reading had now become prime sledging locations.

The photographers were out in force and there were a fair few TV News vans dotted about too.

The ice-rink was out of action, but the little diggers were trying their best to clear the snow for the skaters, they were creating banks of snow that must have been 10-15 feet high at the side of the rink.

I've noticed that the snow plows are fast to respond to the weather, people are clearing pavements, clearing driveways, clearing their cars and clearing the cars very quickly after it starts snowing... it puts our shortage of grit supplies to shame.

The steps that usually lead down to the fountain by the Boathouse had become another sledging slope for the braver Xtreme Sledgers (that would have been me and Tom!)

Some folks even had their skis out!

Business at the Boathouse must have been a wee bit quiet today... I was hoping to get a hotdog there, but I don't think their snack counter was open.

I was amazed to see the Pedicabs were still out and about - I hope their passengers tipped well!

I think the schools must have been shut, because there were loads of keen sledgers about. There were vendors offering rubber rings for rent too, I'm always impressed by the vendors in New York, if it rains they have umbrellas, if it's sunny they have sunglasses and water, if it snows they have rubber rings!

The Promenade was eerily quiet, the benches are usually full of people reading or musicians, or entertainers... not today.

The pigeons were all huddling together and nestling in their puffed out feathers to keep warm.

It was an absolutely amazing site, I was so glad I made the trip - it felt like I was wondering through Narnia or a Winter Wonderland or something - it's funny to think it's practically March though. I've always wanted to see Central Park in the snow, and now I know it's even more beautiful than I could have imagined.