Hyde Park Walk

First of all, let me just say that I love everything about London; everyday I am reminded of that. One of the things I love about London are the parks. It's incredible to me that when I'm walking in a London park, I forget the fact that I'm really in the middle of a huge, sprawling city. There is so much crammed into London, but if I ever miss the "openness," I can step into one of London's beautiful gardens and escape into the quiet island of grass, trees, flowers, lakes, and the occasional statue or monument. The BYU London Centre is just a stone's throw away from one of these parks: Hyde Park. So let me share with you a small part of my love affair with Hyde Park with a few pictures:

Wellington (Constitution) in Hyde Park corner. On top of the arch is topped by a huge statue of Peace Descending on the Chariot of War. Massive statue, massively cool!

the girls at some randomly cool gate by Hyde Park

World War I ("The Great War") Memorial statue: The inscription on the front says this:

"In Proud Remembrance of the Forty-Nine Thousand & Seventy-Six of All Ranks of the Royal Regiment of Artillery Who Gave Their Lives for King And Country in the Great War. 1914-1919"

walking along the Princess Diana Memorial Walk

quintessential bench-in-park picture

Me, Kathryn, Shaina at the Holocaust Memorial Garden

statue of Diana (only ranked a 1 0r 2 on the Dr. Macfarlane interest-ability scale, but it makes for a beautiful picture!)

the pathway strewn with fallen spring blossoms :)

walking along Serpentine Lake

lovely, lovely, lovely!

As usual, pictures are insufficient, but hopefully you got the idea! I love the idea of having a quiet place to go to, accessible at any given moment. I need to take the opportunity to sit by myself in Hyde Park (or any London park, for that matter) and soak in all the experiences I am having here. I'm getting spoiled, and I don't think Utah parks are going to cut it for me when I return home ;)