An avalanche of odd stares hit our traveling party as we marched through the sea of people busily strutting around the streets of New York City. Extravagantly ageless buildings loomed before us, and neon signs flashed out at us like sirens beckoning us into the deep abyss of materialism.
We were quickly pushed along the coarse sidewalk and through the sea of suits until we finally reached the Grayline Double Decker. Once we found our seats, I set down my largely stuffed backpack, gave a sigh of relief, and let my aching legs rest a moment as we were delivered to our next destination.
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I knew we were at our stop when the tour guide gave a loud, dry humored remark about Central Park and the clicks of cameras could be heard throughout the crowd of passengers. My mother and father beckoned me and my sister forward and we quickly slid from the back of the bus and popped out of the entrance.
Before us stood Central Park. I could not believe my eyes as I stared at this lush green oasis full of wilderness, sunshine and a myriad of flowers. The fact that this giant park was hidden in such a large city full of metal, fumes, and angry faces amazed me.
As we began to descend the worn down stairs and enter into the heart of the park we grabbed hold of the map and stared at the large expanse of illustrated greenery. It was so big that it would take days just to cover half of it! So, we simply began walking and let the path lead us through the maze of trees and bushes.
While we walked along the path we stumbled upon many curious things including a Merry-Go-Round, a tea house, uniquely designed bridges, a harpist, a boat house, and the occasional horse drawn carriage. We decided to ride the Merry-Go-Round which was extremely slow and not worth the money. But as we walked along the ponds and over bridges we came across rather friendly people. Central Park seemed to be a safe haven for tourist from the overpowering city.
After several hours of carrying our huge backpacks and wandering through Central Park my family and I became very hungry and went in search of a hot dog stand. I don’t know what it is about eating cheap New York hot dogs in Central park, but it is truly satisfying.
After a full day of trekking and a nice picnic we decided to head back to the hotel and come back another day to further explore the wonders of this extravagant park.
A single thought rushed through my head as we boarded the bus: I would always remember that place.
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