Lovely London

There’s something in the air…difficult to pinpoint, but definitely noticeable. Flowers are in full bloom, grass is being cut, every fountain gushing, the sky a lighter shade of blue, the sun out long past the day’s end…strollers on parade, women trading knee-high boots for gladiator sandals, Adirondack-type chairs dotting the lawns of Hyde Park and Regent’s Park, impromptu picnics on open green spaces, business suits flooding the open-air plazas during the noon-hour, and outdoor seating available at every café. Spring is here in a very palpable way.

This last Saturday (4/10) I took advantage of the lovely weather and gave Regent’s Park a run for her money. I admit I was a bit skeptical that her beauty could compete with Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens….and I stood corrected. It was beautiful. Regent’s Park is every bit unique and different than other London parks. It somehow manages to feel small and intimate while at the same time being big and multifaceted. I made my way through a very traditional and symmetrical English garden type area with beautifully manicured bushes and color-coordinated flowers in gigantic stone urns, past a wildlife preserve set on a small island where I saw black swans (amazing- as I’ve never seen them before), past big open spaces in the distance with footballers in action, around the manmade lake crowded with rowboats and paddleboats, over bridges and around waterfalls, and finally to a part of the park where the daffodils swayed haphazardly and people lounged on spongy grass under trees and across the walking path from the water’s edge. I grabbed a piece of earth to sit on for myself and ate my picnic lunch while I kept one eye on the waterfowl and one eye on the parade of tourists and locals. I easily passed quite a few hours sitting, watching, reading, and listening to music – until it was time to go. On my way back to Balham (although it was not in any way “on the way”), I stopped at Hyde Park to have a walk around. It only seemed fair. I got off at the Paddington station and walked past my old place, by Lancaster station, and through the black iron gates into Kensington Gardens. And in that moment my soul was joyful. I made my usual walk through the park, with a bit of a struggle (lots of bobbing and weaving) given that hundreds of people were loving up the park the same day I was…and I contemplated the two great parks of London. And while some might say that Regent’s Park is more diverse and offers a more polished, grander version of a royal park – apparently my heart will always find itself more at home in Hyde Park.

Photos of Regent's Park -






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And just a few of Hyde Park (to be fair of course!) -