Finally Central Park.

One of the cardinal rules of being a houseguest is to fit in seamlessly with your host’s routine. Of course this is not really possible because unless your host runs a professional guest house, they are bound to go through some effort and adjustment having you under foot. But it would help if you tried not to disturb your host’s routine.

My host family is very health conscious and from time to time various family members go out for their routine exercise program. So when my host told me that she was used to a morning walk, I told her to go ahead. My ears perked up when I heard that her route that morning was around Central Park, and asked if I could join in.

However, I was in no condition to ‘walk’ and preferred to sit it out while she carried on with her daily constitutional . So after huffing and puffing up the steps, we made our way towards the Great Hill , at the Upper West side of Central Park .

At this time of day time pooches are allowed to be off their leash so Great Hill is a dog lover’s paradise: full of dogs and their owners enjoying the warm early morning sun.

And accustomed as I was to seeing overfed Labrador retrievers, Beagles and the Indies waddle reluctantly behind their equally disinterested dog walkers, it was a treat to see the different breeds do their stuff. Honestly, I’d never even seen such a variety of dogs at a Dog Show.

Walking down the path, amidst the calm of the trees , suddenly we came across a sun-soaked grassy meadow dotted with dogs and their owners having a blast . The dogs chased their friends with joyous abandon, tongues hanging out and fur flying in the breeze . Some of them flopped on the grass tired after a hard work out while others rolled in the grass or walked by sedately . A bunch of greedy guzzlers eagerly followed a Pied Piper in Red – a red haired woman who had a bag of beef jerky to treat her canine friends.

This was really the best use of a public space where morning walkers, dog walkers, babies in strollers , regular joggers and of course dogs who were free run wild and stretch their legs could share the same space and enjoy the beauty of the park in their own way.

Having seen most of the dogs only in picture books, It was hard for me to identify the different breeds. Labradors , Grey hounds, Chihuahuas and French Bull dog were just a few of the breeds I could recognise. Some looked awkward yet strangely beautiful with their thin elongated bodies covered in tight curls or their silky smoky grey slicked back. Some had coats in black and white and some had fringes that flopped over the face. But there was no denying that these handsome well groomed canine specimens were happy creatures.

One pretty little ballerina strutted around in her frilly, pink, tulle tutu playfully following a sleek young hound with a slick, dark coat, firm muscled body, and a thin conductor’s baton of a tail. He naturally ignored her and walked straight ahead.

They chased their friends or rubbed noses while some just walked sedately past looking questioningly at me. this strange human staring at them.

Walking around or sitting on the few benches, under the shade of giant oaks soaring up to a bright blue sky, soaking in the smell of wet earth covered with dew laden grass is an unexpected treat in the middle of a very busy city just waking up to another busy day.

The Great Hill with its well kept grassy lawns, shaded paths beneath magnificent trees is a pure delight for dog lovers and early risers. It is definitely worth a visit but remember that this special city experience is only possible before 9 in the morning when the dogs are allowed to be free and unleased.

So the next time if you are in New York and are up for it, do go to the most beautifully landscaped Great Hill in Central Park , located on the West side on the third highest point of the park, between 103rd and 107th streets.

Ciao