Autumn in New York: Central Park

I realized too late that the peak of the fall foliage had come and gone before I was able to enjoy a long walk through Central Park, but autumn in the park is still quite a treat even if the trees are now slightly more bare.  Which is why I decided today to walk from the northwest corner to the southeast corner, just over 2.5 miles of beauty and fun.  

Central Park is ideal territory for people watching, and the sights and sounds can be absolutely heartwarming.  The day's mild weather (in the high 50s) encouraged many people to head out to enjoy a little nature, play sports, take in some sun, support runners who were completing the NYC 60K (that's 37.2 miles!), play/listen to a little live jazz, stroll with their families, sail model boats (a tradition that is over 135 years old), dance/roller skate to house music (with a live DJ), visit the zoo, listen to a live performance of Bach's cello suites, tour a castle, picnic, bird watch, listen to someone singing Puccini's "O mio babbino caro" and other arias, etc. etc. etc.  Who could ask for more?