Since I didn't get in until 3am after my New Years excursions, I slept until 1pm and then set off to explore a bit. I meandered between Double Decker buses, taxi's, and phone booths taking in Mayfair. I wasn't in much of a shopping mood but there's a lot of that to be done here, too! Mayfair reminds me of the Upper East Side. The streets have a very 5th Ave/Madison Ave/Park Ave feeling to them. Similarly, the main street I walked along was called Park Lane. Not really my scene, but beautiful to gaze at. Especially in another country.
I found my way to the Marble Arch. The Marble Arch was originally supposed to be the entrance to Buckingham Palace but it was found too narrow for the grandest coaches and moved to where it is now as an entrance to Hyde Park. Hyde Park is like Central Park but wayyyyy bigger.
From there I decided that instead of taking the Tube (Underground/Subway) I'd circle around the edge of Mayfair and walk along Hyde Park to Buckingham Palace. I LOVE to walk and listen to music and watch the world bustle around me. I love to drive and listen to music too, but that's more to have time with my thoughts while the world blurs past--I can't really watch anything but the road. I passed Hard Rock Cafe, Wellington Arch (the largest bronze sculpture in Europe), some U.S. Military trucks doing who knows what, and then crossed through The Green Park.
The Green Park is beautiful. It was dusk, and as soon as I stepped onto the Broad Walk footpath I couldn't help feeling like I was in my own little piece of Narnia. Ever since I was little I've had a deep reverence for trees, and I could feel that reverence blowing against my skin by the twisted, gnarled, bare massiveness that surrounded me.
I half wondered if Turk the goat-man would meet me at the lamp post ahead....When I made it across the park I was directly in front of the Canada Gate.
Through that I could see the Queen Victoria Memorial, clouds fading to baby blue directly behind her.
And then I found Buckingham Palace and all stood still.
Along with everyone else, I was instantly stunned by it's majestic beauty. It was surreal. It was quiet. There were people, but it was so quiet. Tiny shutter clicks and hushed whispers faintly dispersed. As if using your full voice might wake you from a dream. There's something about standing outside Buckingham Palace as the sun sets that is truly, awesomely, magical.
After that I took the Tube to South London to visit my friends Davi & Kat Viera and their new baby Jacob! I love the Tube. It's clean, fast, and really easy. I think the names of their various Tube Lines are adorable (like Picadilly and & Jubilee) and an Oyster Card sounds so much cooler than a Metro Card. Plus, you can "top up" the same Oyster Card over and over again which is really environmentally friendly. Although I do miss the crazy performers and larger cars of the NYC Subways. I met both Davi & Kat in NYC through church. Kat was visiting from Birmingham, England so I got to know her at the same time Davi did! They got married a couple years ago and now live here in London. I love it when my friends marry each other. It makes life so much easier! I think I have at least 3 friends who have done that now. Thank you! I'm so happy I got to see them and meet Jacob. He's beautiful. Ironically, 2 years ago Davi was part of the crew that celebrated 2007 at my place in NYC. Now here we are ringing in another New Year, only this time he's married with a baby! :) It was a good day.
2 comments:
your pics are great, makes me homesick though!
since you're now a londoner, you can also say 'arse over tits' which is what I heard more often... but maybe that says something about the company i kept? ;)
besos! amy
Hahahaha! Thanks Amy, great tip. :)
Post a Comment