The walk from Green Park starts at The Ritz. (Or THE RIT7, if you believe this photo). Click to embiggen photos but be warned, they're from the little camera.
And as an aside, I don't know when businessmen and civil servants started carrying backpacks rather than briefcases. I'd love to think it was all due to The West Wing's Josh Lyman, but I think he was probably reflecting a trend rather than creating one...The Queen's Walk in Green Park is very pretty at this time of year even as the daffodils start to fade; complete with one lonely deckchair.
At the bottom of the walk, there's this unassuming little residence here... Personally, I think Buck House is hideous - which makes me determined to go to the Summer Opening this year and either confirm or deny this impression.
Crossing the road over the Mall we get to St James's Park, and some more varied trees and water. It wasn't a great day, but still very pretty.
There were birds. I'd hazard a guess that this is some sort of coot, but more exotic than the ones we get on the Cam. I am not, however, Ornithologist-Girl, so I'll leave it at that...
There was blossom. I think this was some sort of willow but the sign on the tree was too far away... 
And then, and then. The highlight of the day. What I've been waiting to see since I first went to this park - The Pelicans. Most if not all of them. Sitting on a rock preening... looking ever-so-slightly pinkish in the dull morning light. Huge! (Compare with medium-to-large ducks in water in foreground)... Pelicans! Almost mythical, symbols of Christ; and before I get completely Hopkins-ish, totally surreal seeing them on the way to work.
And the end of the journey. Past the various emergency vehicles waiting in case of trouble, and along King Charles Street, between the Foreign Office building on the left and the Treasury on the right, to cross Whitehall and into work...
Thanks for accompanying me on my morning walk...
11 comments:
Of COURSE Josh started it! Josh is a trend setter! Josh is the BOMB! *snicker*
Thanks for POSTING your morning walk! As I've never been out of the country other than Mexico, London is exotic to me! I want to visit there SO BAD!!! You took wonderful pictures!
We're in total fangirl agreement there, Jessi, but, you know, there are facts and so on...
facts schmacts
spatula. Also farfetched.
Not a coot, a moorhen! -Anne
I agree that is a morrhen, you can tell by their feet. And if my memory serves there are moorhens on that canal in Jesus Green (the one where all the ducklings gather in the Spring)
I wondered how you were getting on when I listened to the radio that morning and heard about the demo! Looks like a nice walk to work anyway. And I agree about Buck House...
It's worth going inside B House - it's so exactly how a palace should be! I think the tree is the willow-leaved pear(Pyrus salicifolia).
Thanks for the identifications, Anne, Caro and Brigid (and hi, Caro!)
If I'm identifying the right Anne, I will absolutely defer to your knowledge, as the first person I ever met with a collection of owl-pellets.
Brigid, you're completely right - having blown up the photo to maximum resolution, the plaque on the tree reads exactly that. And I will do the tour...
Thanks, all! I am so much more informed.
There really ARE pelicans in the park? I have never seen them, just seen the signs about them. Funny!!
Also, I agree with commenter Jess - Josh IS Da Bomb...
Post a Comment