I have lost count of the number of times I have been to London over the years. Concerts, exhibitions, football matches, museums, art galleries, protest marches, family visits, shopping exhibitions - I have pretty much done it all. So when our Ian pipes up with, "What would you like to do while you're down here?" it's hard to think of something new.
Nonetheless, this time round I had the idea that we could drive over to Richmond Park in Ian and Sarah's brand new electric Volvo car. It's sleek and black and goes like a rocket. To be honest, they don't actually own it - they have leased it for three years. Their neighbourhood in Fulham is well-supplied with public electric charging points and of course Greater London is now an ultra low emissions zone so an electric vehicle makes sense.
The top picture was taken in Two Storm Wood in the heart of Richmond Park. This area is fenced off to prevent grazing by deer and below you can see Ian, Sarah and Shirley walking through it. Like Saturday, Sunday was a mild and pretty nice day down in our metropolis.
Here's a fallow stag I spotted in another part of Richmond Park. I guess he wanted to lock horns with me as the rutting season is just starting. By the way, at 2360 acres, Richmond Park is the biggest of London's royal parks and when you are there you may easily feel that you are in open countryside.
After our time in Richmond Park we drove on to "The Orange" in Pimlico for Sunday dinner. There was a statue of Mozart in adjacent Orange Square for he lived close by during his summer in London in 1764. He was a child at the time.
This morning (Monday) we visited the Peter Jones department store in Sloane Square before walking to Victoria where London's main bus station is located. On the way, I paused in Hobart Place to snap this photograph of a larger than life statue funded by The Duke of Westminster and sited here in 2000. It is called: "The Lioness and Lesser Kudu" and was created by Jonathan Kenworthy. It is a powerful piece .
Ian and Sarah were in good health and good spirits as they wait to meet their first child. He's due in six weeks and we wonder if he will arrive before or after Frances and Stewart's second child - also due in six weeks. The race is on.
There must always be something new in London to do. You've taken advantage of a few things.
ReplyDeleteThere's always something else in London.
DeleteI couldn't guess why Two Storm Wood was so named.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I like to be too close to rutting deer, especially with antlers that size.
That's funny, I imagined that you would enjoy being pursued by a stag... just like R when you were young.
DeleteMozart lived in England? huh. Amazing the stuff you learn online.
ReplyDeleteThat park does look like open countryside. I'd be staying well away from that stag. The statue is very nice.
Mozart composed his first symphony in England - he would have been 8 or 9 at the time.
DeleteWhen I was reading for the Bar I had to spend a lot of time in London but had been visiting since I was 18 and stayed with friends which is a good way of getting to know a city. Then my elder son lived there before he died. That was in 2006 and I've never visited again - simply because much as I would like to visit some of the galleries again the idea of the mass of humanity I now find completely anathema.As for deer the lack of culling since the start of Covid has meant that parts of the Island is over-run with them. Given that there is a massive surge in gardening and horticulture on the Island this has led to a certain amount of conflict. They are not in the least afraid of people here now.
ReplyDeleteYou could make a lot of sausages from an adult deer.
DeleteYP, there is a lot of excellent meat on a deer. We used to get half a hind for the freezer every year 'back in the day'. Now there is no one to cull them and they are running riot and we get our venison sausages and steaks from farmed Scottish deer. It's a curious life.
DeleteSarah and Shirley just enough out of earshot for their husbands not to be able to hear what they are talking about.
ReplyDeleteWomen always talk about the failings of men and what beasts we are!
DeleteI have a photo somewhere of me feeding the deer in Richmond Park wearing a flouncy skirt popular in the 50's. My Brother lived quite near and I was staying with him. Bit worried when I saw the title of this post, wondered what you had been getting up to. lol
ReplyDeleteBriony
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Trust you to think that way Briony! No wonder your skirt was flouncy!
DeleteYour post caused me to go off on a journey to investigate stags, i.e. red deer. They aren't the same as our white tail deer nor evidently are they the same as our elk. But it appears we have a population in the southern part of our country though I have never seen them before today.
ReplyDeleteDeer oh deer Ed!
DeleteSmashing photos YP. I hope one day electric cars will be affordable for all. They are not in our second car bracket?
ReplyDeleteTrouble is they are developing all the time. For this reason I think it is probably a good job that I an and Sarah decided to lease their vehicle.
DeleteThe kettle was on, but you didn't show!
ReplyDeleteYou gave me the wrong address ADDY! It was all quite embarrassing.
DeleteForgot to say, lovely photos and that statue in Hobart Place is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteIt is a dramatic sculpture - capturing the sense of a chase.
DeleteOne of the worlds great cities.
ReplyDeleteIt has so many facets.
DeleteYou live in a magical kingdom!
ReplyDeleteToo often people ponder upon the negatives.
DeleteI used to visit Richmond Park quite often as a youngster. During school holidays I would go by bus with my friend Shirley, we would take a picnic and spend the day wandering around there. The other place we could easily get to was Windsor, one of my favourites with its Great Park, the river and the castle. Those were the days!
ReplyDeleteI am glad that this post has evoked some good memories for you JayCee.
DeleteIt's so nice that those woods are preserved for all to enjoy rather than being built up. I'm glad you and Shirley enjoyed your visit.
ReplyDeleteSurprised you didn't run into Steve and Olga in Richmond Park.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good weekend.
ReplyDeleteIsn't your birthday in October? Maybe one or both of these new grandchildren will decide to give you a big birthday present!!
ReplyDelete