Le Chic En Rose

Regent’s Park used to be one of our favourite places for a weekend stroll when we lived in London. We would push our elder daughter around in her stroller – she’s now grown up with a family of her own! I also remember trips to London Zoo, which is housed in one corner of the park and on one especially memorable trip there as a little girl, seeing the very old giant panda, Chi Chi, in her enclosure (am really showing my age now!).

We had a couple of hours to fill on our brief trip to London last month. We’d had lunch near our younger daughter’s workplace in Fitzrovia and decided to catch a bus up from Oxford Street, which dropped us off on Marylebone Road. We wandered up Park Square, past the elegant Regency style villas, to the southern entrance of Regent’s Park.

 

I had a good view back towards St Marylebone Parish Church, on Marylebone Road, which has a family connection as my 3 times great grandparents baptised some of their extensive brood of children here in the 1830s/40s (see here for a previous post about family connections around Baker Street).

 

 

We weren’t following a particular path round the park so am not sure exactly which direction we went in but there are plenty of maps to guide you on your way! Past trees overflowing with May blossom, attractive lakes and pretty bridges we ended up somewhere near the centre of the park and enjoyed a welcome afternoon tea before heading back to the hectic pace of the city.

 

 

 

It wasn’t a particularly sunny day but the spring flowers still looked lovely and the birds were out in force along with some friendly squirrels, one of whom followed me a considerable distance no doubt hoping for an edible treat (not forthcoming as I think he would have followed me home otherwise).

 

 

 

Amongst all this beauty it is sad to think of yet another tragedy in London this week not too far away in West London. It is beyond my comprehension that this dreadful fire could have happened – sincere thoughts go out to all the people deeply affected and suffering at this time.

 

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