Most of today, our final day in London, was spent walking through two of the city’s glorious parks.
To get there, we took a bus that dropped us off near Marble Arch on Oxford Street. Oxford Street, the main shopping street in London, was decorated with Union Jacks and was quite festive looking. We made a brief stop to buy some T-shirts and other souvenirs before heading into Hyde Park.
Marble Arch, an impressive structure that leads nowhere, was supposed to be Buckingham Palace’s front gate. But the royals changed their minds, so now it’s just out there as a place for tourists to take photos. But no photos today, the structure is being repaired and is covered.
We walked a long way across Hyde Park and into Kensington Park Gardens. When I lived here, Kensington Gardens was my neighborhood park. I spent many hours wandering through the beautiful grounds, playing football (soccer) with friends, or reading under a tree.
This time we took in the vibe. In one area a photo shoot was happening. In one of the ponds in the Italian Garden baby ducklings were being feed by their parents. One duckling got caught in foliage and needed to be rescued. Next, we wandered near the Serpentine (a body of water), stopping to admire the Peter Pan sculpture. Our final destination in Kensington Park Garden was the Albert Memorial. No matter how many times I’ve seen it, I always find it impressive.
The Albert Memorial is Queen Victoria’s ultimate “I miss you” gift. It’s a towering tribute to her late husband Prince Albert after his death in 1861. It’s renowned for its ornate design, including extensive gilding and intricate sculptures. On this sunny day, Prince Albert positively glittered. At each corner of the memorial, there are sculptures representing the four continents.
Scott, Sherrie, and Brianna spent the remainder of the afternoon shopping for souvenirs. I sat in a café, had a latte and people watched.