Adventure #3

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Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens:  This is, by far, one of my favorite places to just walk... and walk... and walk.   See things north or south or east or west - there's something interesting in every area of this combined public parkland.

Let's start at the Marble Arch tube station.  Come out of the station and face the northeast corner of the park, past Marble Arch itself.  It is here on Sunday mornings that you can witness people saying what they will on any subject.  Note that they all stand on something - a crate or a box or a ladder.  This is because they can say anything they want if they are not standing ON British soil.  If you've ever been on your own "soap box" for any reason, it is these speech givers you can thank for the phrase.  Soap boxes were originally a popular thing to stand on.

Moving west from Speaker's Corner, walk into the park and along to The Serpentine.  This body of water is all that remains after the river originally running through this area was dammed to form it.  Here, you can watch the rowers and the swimmers enjoying the water. 

Walking from The Serpentine back towards the northern edge of the park, you will find the Italian Gardens.  These are lovely water gardens. 

Moving back into the center of the park and a little more west, you will find the statue of Peter Pan.  James Barrie, author of the play, Peter Pan, erected this statue and had it installed in the middle of the night so that park visitors might believe it had appeared by magic.

Now, before going further west, let's backtrack to the east end of the park and "do" the south side...

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