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Thursday, October 6, 2011

St. James Park


One of the suggestions on the "Top 10 things to do in London" list that was posted in most of the travel forums I googled is visiting the city's many royal parks. Growing up on Peter Pan stories, I had Kensington Gardens in mind as the park was the setting of J.M. Barrie's book "Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens". Unfortunately, there were just too many places to go in the short time we had and we ended up in Saint James Park, the oldest of London's royal parks. It was just across the street from Buckingham Palace. I was so glad we did! The park was crawling with the cutest camera-friendly critters!





The squirrels in this park were super friendly. One actually climbed onto my lap, expecting to be fed! I was going to reach out for my camera, then changed my mind. The spell would have been broken.




And this pretty duck here just waddled up to me waiting to be photographed!


A plaque marking The Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Walk

Dedicated to the memory of the late princess, the walk is a 7-mile (11 km) long circular walking trail in London It goes between Kensington Gardens, Green Park, Hyde Park and St. James's Park in a figure-eight pattern, passing five sites that are associated with her life: Kensington Palace, Spencer House, Buckingham Palace, St. James's Palace, and Clarence House. It is marked with ninety individual plaques, each of which has a heraldic rose etched in the centre made of aluminium. It has been described as 'one of the most magnificent urban parkland walks in the world'.




We could see the Eye Of London from where we were standing.

If I lived in this country, I could see myself visiting the park daily, sitting on a bench all day, enjoying the invigorating cold air and watching the world go by!

"And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything."

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

13 comments:

  1. Oh, V! Your photos are so beautiful! What a wonderful place to visit. I, too, would stay and enjoy the park everyday if I lived there! Thanks for sharing you beautiful pictures!!!
    Girl, you are crazy -- you let a squirrel climb on your lap?! I would have jumped 10 feet in the air and ran til the end of the park! They scare me! Maybe the ones in the US are scary and greedy! I don't know... and that duck! Ours would be running and pecking after us, not politely ask for food! European critters are so civilized! ;)

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  2. What a beautiful park! I agree with you, I could stay all day too! I have always wanted to visit London. So much history. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog.

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  3. Wonderful photos!! Seems like a very beautiful place to be! Thanks for sharing!

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  4. I so want to visit there one day. What beautiful photos!

    Thanks for visiting my page evolution parenting. Your blog is a great read!

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  5. Looks like a great park. How awesome that the animals were so camera happy!

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  6. I love your photos ~ thanks for my walk in a beautiful park this am ;)

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  7. Your photos were beautiful and brought back great memories of our time in London.
    Thought your quote was wonderful...especially "sermons in stones." Perfect Sunday reminder that we can find God wherever we look...if we just choose to see.
    Visting from Sunday Citar

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  8. My favorite is the photo of the duck. I am still so jealous of the vacation you had with your boys. thank you for sharing the great time you had through these pictures.

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  9. great pictures. im surprised the duck and squirrel let you get so close


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  10. Love the squirrel photo...I can never find one that will stay still long enough for a photo.

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  11. These are so beautiful! I have never been to London, but it is the city I would most love to see. I've spent quite I bit of time in Paris. I love that too, but I must to get to London!
    Blessings to you!

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  12. Those flowers and plants are amazing!!!

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  13. What beautiful photos!!! that park is amazing...

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