Sunday in the Park

Last Sunday I finally went to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. For some strange reason, I hadn't gotten around to taking the tube eight stops to Hyde Park Corner and walking across the street to get to one of the most beautiful places in London. My Art History professor, who fun fact is the great-great-great-great-great(?) granddaughter of Charles Dickens, gave the class an assignment that required us to walk through Kensington Gardens and look at a statue by GF Watts. I went with some friends from the class, and we had an absolutely lovely day.

I was very inspired to lie on the ground and nap after visiting the park.

We traversed through gardens, walked lackadaisically along the water's edge, and stood unnervingly close to angry swans. There was one swan in particular that hissed at a puppy lapping at the water, and then proceeded to threaten us poor passerby.

This poor puppy had no idea a swan was about to attack...

Me protecting the puppy

I think the other swan was just annoyed at this majestic motherf***er

I would love to go back to Hyde Park and just stare at the birds in the water and the people on boats. It was very fun being surrounded by wildlife. I didn't realize how accustomed I had become to seeing animals other than pigeons until I was tripping over pigeons everyday without any other bird in site. There is a lack of greenery around Kings Cross (although I walk pass several garden squares on my way to school every morning), so it was very refreshing to just be in the midst of flowers, trees, bushes, and grass.

Getting as much of the flowers as I can before they're dead.

Yet again I did not fall through the stones...

There's a heron on the other side of the stream

DUCKS

It's finally becoming autumn

After a longish walk, we found ourselves in front of Physical Energy, an immense statue depicting a man on a horse. Lucinda told us that the statue was life sized, however it was definitely at least one and a half times the size of a real horse. I could not believe how incredibly detailed the statue was. I am always amazed at anyone with an artistic talent, but this statue was truly awesome.

This horse is a girl, btw

Puppy running around statue

Another puppy running around the statue 

We took some pictures by the statue to prove that we actually saw it, and then walked some more around the park. I really want to go back to Hyde Park so I can appreciate its beauty a little more, but for the few hours I was there I could not believe I was still in London. It was quiet, there was dirt on my shoes but it was not the normal city grime, people were smiling. My friends and I then proceeded to take some obligatory fall photos, most of which turned out incredibly awkward, so I think I'll end this with some hilariously uncomfortable shots.

Taylor Swift's got nothing on this squad

"I see the loss of innocence, the blood of the child, death by water

Shantih...shantih...shantih..."

Tinkerbell is that you?

Zoe and Dan didn't get the memo that they were throwing leaves

When you're actually Lizzie Siddel, model for the Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood

Art

Simone and I are one

Dan Chan is the man

I tried being artsy but my teeth just turned out really yellow