The Regent's Park

Regent’s Park:  I doubt many visitors ramble around Regent’s Park.  If they find a park at all, it is probably St. James Park, which is close to Buckingham Palace.  Regent’s Park offers manicured English gardens, soccer and cricket fields, an open air theatre, picnic spaces, walking paths (one along a canal), cafes, sun and shade, and lots of interesting people.  It is so big it contains a college campus and the London Zoo (perhaps an apology for its early use as a hunting preserve).  The big attraction for me is always the Avenue Gardens.  If the English Garden defines the English, then you must visit Avenue Gardens: winter pansies, spring tulips, summer roses, fall mums – and lots more variety than that.  If you are really ambitious, leave the Underground at Great Portland Street Station, walk across Regent Park, climb Primrose Hill, arrive in St. John’s Wood, and see the Beatles’ Abbey Road. 

Going to the Movies:  Since London is one of the film capitals of the world, I always like to attend a few flicks while I am there.  And, when you are traveling solo, it’s a good way to pass the evening hours.  The  Vue Cinemas at the O2 Centre on Finchley Road were running Thor, for which I had seen some previews back home.  I opted for the 3D version.   The 3D version wasn’t worth it, but I liked the movie.  They even drew a map of the universe to show the locations of the different civilizations, all of which seemed to live in complete isolation yet seemed to fear each other.  I think there were some lessons in the film for our world today, but I’d have to think too much to extract them.

Geographically yours,

D.J.Z.  

Wedding Bells in London

London Loves Will and Kate:  I landed (6:10 am) with more than enough time to get to the royal nuptials.  I dropped my backpack at the hostel and headed to London's ceremonial precincts.  Security was tight  (bag searches and 5000 officers on duty), traffic diverted, streets without cars.  The city and its people were decked out in red, white, and blue.  I ended up at Trafalgar Square, where the big screen was set up and ready to deliver the day's details in all their visual glory.  It was fun being in a crowd of Brits and internationals, amidst the flags and Ts and masks and hats, wedged into my 2 square feet of space, where I stood for 3 hours with my eyes fixed on the screen.  Cheers followed every appearance of not only Will and Kate, but also Prince Harry (who seems to be very popular here) and the Queen.  Trafalgar Square was the place, two summers ago, where I had watched the Beijing Olympics: on the same screen.  Even earlier, I had there watched the British promote their bid to host the 2012 Olympics.  It was also at Trafalgar that I watched the Kurds on one occasion and the Tamils on another, stage protests against their ruling governments abroad.  And it was at Trafalgar that I stumbled upon one of my favorite art exhibits.  The art was outside and human -- human beings as sculptures who mounted an otherwise empty plinth and did whatever they wanted (juried of course).  That plinth is now occupied by a ship in a bottle (worth about one glance).  I could have gone any number of places to spectate the day's spectacle, but I had a history with Trafalgar and now another memory to add to the list.

After the royal newlyweds were deposited by coach at Buckingham Palace, media coverage turned to the parties that were happening all over London, including at Trafalgar.  All day long,every storefront/restaurant/bar screen in London was playing up the monarchy.  As for me, by this time I needed a nap.


Travel Tidbits:  (1) Something Americans will never get used to:  paying more (even for just coffee) at a cafe for the privilege of "eating in";  (2) The best (part of 'best' means affordable) little meal you can get is a bag of Macadamia nuts and cranberries at Tesco for only 1.5L. (3) Ribena black currant is a real thirst-quencher and so English.  By the way neither cranberries (from North America) nor macadamia nuts (from Australia) were available here 30 years ago.

 Geographically yours,

D.J.Z

From Virginia Beach to London

The Beginning:  The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  Today, the journey of 24,000 miles begins with a single ride to ORF, Nofolk International Airport, which is set in our azalea garden -- now in full bloom.  I will wave goodbye to the azaleas and hello to the crepe myrtle when I return 80 days from now.  It's RTW for me this summer: Round the World. 

I travel with a backpack only.  If it doesn't fit in the pack, it doesn't go.  Here I am ready to depart from my Virginia Beach home. 


I post many of my favorite pictures at my photo blog and will be using it to document my travels on this trip.  I hope some of my teacher-followers will find them useful in class.  You have my permission to use them.


http://www.geographicallyyours.blogspot.com/


I have also been developing a blog on historical markers for use in a summer institute I am doing at Stratford Hall Plantation when I return to Virginia.  I will be looking for historical markers and posting my finds as I travel.  This is the URL:


http://www.historicallyours.blogspot.com/


Is traveling around the world once in your life the only way to become a global citizen?  We'll see.


Geographically yours,
D.J.Z.