Strawberry Fields

Strawberry Fields is a Memorial to John Lennon who was tragically assassinated by Mark Chapman in front of his apartment building. The memorial was donated to Central Park by his wife Yoko Ono. Visiting Strawberry Fields is a very emotional experience. The simplicity of the monument with the single word Imagine prods you to imagine a world where John Lennon and his musical genius still exists.

The memorial is surrounded by benches. The benches were full when we visited and I suspect that is the norm. People sat very quietly, taking their turns approaching the memorial and paying their respects to the man who brought so much joy to his fans. Zacko, our pedicab driver, told us it isn't unusual for musicians to gather and play at this sight in the evenings. George Harrison was known to come on occasion and even the likes of Eric Clapton.

A picture of the entrance to the Dakota is pictured above. This is where Mark Chapman approached John Lennon when he and Yoko Ono were returning after working on his last album "Walking on Thin Ice" at Record Plant Studio. He shot John Lennon five times. On December 8th, 1980, the world lost an amazing talent.

Zacko told us that the Dakota is a very coveted piece of real estate. Michael Jackson and Madonna have both tried to get an apartment there. However, to live at the Dakota, all of the other tenants have to agree to it. Apparently they were both denied.

If you are a music lover and you find yourself in New York City, please take the time to visit Strawberry Fields.

I myself caused quite a stir during our visit. Two young girls thought I was adorable, which of course, I am. You would have thought they never saw a computer before. When we explained I was a guest blogger, they were fascinated and a tad jealous they hadn't thought of the idea themselves. I suspect there may be a few more computers landing sweet jobs like mine. But remember, I'm the first.