Nov 17 Walk in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens

Again, I'm writing here in my living room in East Point by the fire with Poesie at my feet.  It's December 18, 6:53 pm.

November 17:

Ralph came home on this overcast drizzly day inspired with the idea of going to Hyde Park.  And we went.  He had figured out our route so I tagged along.  We "alighted" at Marble Arch and made our way across the street and traffic to the park entrance.  Several paths offered themselves.  We took the middle and headed off between green lawns and old trees.  There was a lot to see.  We came upon an art gallery and walked through.  Mostly film clips and a nice book store.  Back out along the trail where it seemed to me, because they had their dogs, that there were mostly  Londoners.  Lots of dogs running loose.  We passed what is called The Serpentine which is a long lake, the Princess Diana Memorial Fountain, various statues, and came to the Albert Memorial.  I had read that this was a tribute by Queen Victoria to Albert to whom she was devoted.  It is impressive if for no other reason than it's over the top lavishness.  Albert all in shiny gold sits atop a platform under a sort of cupola.  It's ornately carved and painted.  On the four corners are settings of statues meant, I take it, to represent corners of the empire:  elephants, camels (I think), etc.  There are long steps up to it.

Across the street was Albert Hall.  In front were gathered young people in caps and gowns and what I took to be their friends and relatives.

We went round Albert and entered a gated path which turned out to be the flower garden.  Naturally, there were few, if any, flowers blooming but it was a lovely walk.  Some joggers.

We came out close, we figured to Kensington Palace and walked over to find it.  It's impressive in size but pretty plain and drab, I thought.  Prince Harry purportedly lives in the carriage house.  The palace is in part open to the public.  We did not go in.  We turned in the direction of the park entrance we had come in and walked along the Serpentine.  It was dusk.  I'd been a little concerned about being in the park after dark but there were people everywhere.  We stopped at the Lido Cafe Bar, got glasses of wine, and sat on the porch overlooking the patio to the water.  Such moments of contentment.  Then we headed home.