The Quiet of London Parks

Yesterday morning, I had planned on going out to the Yorkshire countryside, but I woke up to a dozen different text messages and emails telling me that Ike Skelton had passed away.  I spent the morning watching online videos of Ike's old speeches and reading former colleagues' Facebook tributes to him.  By the time I left my flat, it was too late in the day for a trip out to the countryside to be worthwhile.  But London is loud, and I needed some quiet.

So I trudged deep into Kensington Gardens, past the Palace, past the Serpentine lake, past the formal gardens.  I watched birds flit around the tall grass and dogs stalk squirrels amongst the fallen tree limbs.

I walked over to Holland Park, made my way down paths lined with red and yellow leaves, and wandered past bench after bench inscribed with tributes to deceased loved ones.

Then I found my way to Battersea Park and got lost over and over again in its towering trees and overgrown bushes.  Eventually, I popped out of the park, practically on top of the Thames.  As I stared at the swift current of the river, racing eastward, out to the North Sea; I wondered, did Ike know how deeply we admired him, how profoundly he shaped our lives?

A Stroll through Kensington Gardens

The other day I went on a Kensington Gardens Historical Tour.  Yep, I'm that girl.

In 1908, Ernest Law (we need to address that I thought the tour guide said, "Ernest Lore."  But when I googled the name to confirm spelling, I discovered that it was "Ernest Law."  Loving the British accent!) designed the sunken gardens as a place for repose, without intrusion.  To this day, you must have a key to enter the sunken garden, and fortunately, because we were on the official tour we were allowed to enter.  

Ernest Law also created the Cradle Walk -- the archways covered with tree branches you see above -- so as to create a leafy portrait through which visitors could look at the beautiful brightness of the sunken garden.  The original lime trees from 1908 still grow on the archways!

Dutch formal gardens inspired Ernest Law's design, which can be seen most prominently in the above bed of flowers.  The triangle pattern was common in formal Dutch gardens.  These were exquisite to see in person!

Queen Victoria's daughter, Louise, created this statue for her mother as a present.  Louise went to art school where she was trained and was quite gifted as a sculptor.  You can see her signature at the base of the statute.  The statue is beautiful and imposing at the same time and gives a strong sense that Victoria is the protector of Kensington Palace.

Embedded in Art

A couple of months ago, I read a blurb about Sou Fujimoto's Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in Town & Country magazine.  I put the exhibit on my several page long list of "Things to Do in London."  Normally I plan out my sight seeing with military efficiency, but because I seem to spend many of my days wandering through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, I happened upon the Serpentine Gallery by accident yesterday afternoon.

The pavilion is magnificent.  The perfect geometrics repeating themselves over and over again is mesmerizing.  So many people were there -- eating, chatting and playing around.  For an art lover like me, it was neat to see people so engaged with this piece.  People were, quite literally, embedded in the art.

Observations from London

Pedestrians vs. Cars:  Whereas in America, we are used to pedestrians having the right of way as against cars, in London, cars most certainly have the right of way.  I watch pedestrians get almost-hit every single day.  Which is an interesting experience.

Veggie Lovers Paradise:  Vegetarian and vegan eating options abound in London!  Every restaurant at which I have eaten has a good sized vegetarian section, and countless restaurants are exclusively so.  All of these options has made me very thankful for veggie-friendly stalwarts in Kansas City that are in close proximity to my home such as Green Acres Market, Cafe Gratitude and Blue Bird Bistro.

My Own Garden:  Everyday, somehow or another, I walk by or through Kensington Gardens.  I am getting rather spoiled.  I must have my own English country garden someday.

Eat the Cookie Dough:  In London, they don't refrigerate their eggs -- in the grocery store, in restaurants or at home.  Any lingering concerns I had about eating raw cookie dough are now gone.

Off-Leash:  Almost all of the dogs in the Royal Parks are off-leash.  And they are perfectly behaved.  They don't go after other dogs, people or squirrels.  They stay close to their owner; and when they do frolic, they come right away when called.

Vegas Casino:  Harrods is like a Vegas Casino.  Hardly any windows, difficult to find exits, and lots of flashing lights.  I'm headed to Liberty.

Lights Searching

A couple of nights ago, I was walking along the outside of Kensington Gardens.  The sidewalks were empty and the streets relatively quiet.  Lost in my own thoughts, I happened upon the Albert Memorial, aglow in the late evening.

Queen Victoria famously went into mourning when her husband, Prince Albert, passed away.  She honored him in countless ways throughout London – from Royal Albert Hall to the Royal Albert Memorial Museum.

And yet this Memorial struck me, with its lonely statue of Prince Albert, lights searching through the dark night.  To love and long for someone that much.