This is also the Bronx

We went to Orchard Beach and City Island yesterday afternoon. Most people don't realize how gorgeous the Bronx is, or how much park land our borough has - Orchard Beach is in Pelham Bay Park, which is the largest park in NYC. City Island is basically a New England fishing village with excellent views of Manhattan. Both places feel like you're on a totally different planet from the one that Manhattan is on - but somehow they all manage to coexist within the same city boundaries. Go figure.

Here is a detail shot of the rather rundown bathhouses at Orchard Beach. The City is currently in the design stage for renovations:

The bandstand at the beach:

We were at the beach as the tide was going out, and the shore was a little rocky.
I collected some lovely stones:

Orchard Beach is a crescent, and here is the far eastern side of the beach (with Georgia):

Some cool footprints. From left to right, mine, seagull and eastern great egret:

The eastern great egret himself:

In flight:

The sunlight through the grass on the path to City Island (that's the bridge to City Island in the background). You can't quite see it, but there's an adult egret and a baby egret on the sandbar:

Shot of the north side of City Island:

The City Island bridge:

It's very difficult to knit on the BX12 bus to City Island, by the way. The road is in terrible shape and very bumpy. I prevailed though, and managed to get a few rows in on the Lettuce Pullover.

We ate a lovely dinner at the Black Whale on CI, which has great food (great prices!) and questionable service. But hey, it's the Bronx, right?