CAFE AT HYDE PARK
For the first time since the queen's passing, I went down to London proper to see what the vibe is like. Surprisingly, most people are just getting on with their normal life. There are displays of HM Queen Elizabeth II all over town on billboards, lcd screens, posters everywhere, but it felt more like an imposed mourning that a grassroots thing, like I remember when Diana died.
Talking of which, the palace announced that they didn't want flowers left at Buckingham Palace. Rather, they prepared dedicated places at Hyde Park for the tributes to be left. Of course, some people left flowers near the palace anyway. Some left them in St. James Park. I saw a very touching tribute left by someone with using a little Paddington Bear and a sandwich. I will do a proper photo post of the photos I took.
I ended up staying in town longer than I planned for several reasons. At first, I didn't want to take the tube during the rush hour - being a working day. Also, the vibe, and weather, were both better than I expected. I loved the ambiance at Westminster, where they queen's body is lying in state, so I decided to record some video content there. I will post that too on a later date.
Right. Coffee. Almost forgot :)
I actually packed my own lunch, since I'm doing a relatively strict keto diet right now, and I was sure I wouldn't find anything that conformed to my diet in town. I did, however, stop by a park cafe in Hyde Park to grab myself an Americano to go with my lunch.
There they go again with the "..artisan coffee" claim. Again, the minute I saw that, my expectation was raised. Said expectation was dashed at the first sip of the coffee. The coffee wasn't bad, it just wasn't artisan. This word is useless in London now since everyone uses it.
The price was slightly higher than I'm used to. I wondered if that was a result of inflation, or the central London tax, as I call it. Things are always a little more pricey in the city centre.
A quick glance at my time on my phone revealed that I had been on my feet for 3 hours without break. Goodness me! I took a half-hour break on a bench, enjoying my lunch and coffee before heading off to the Parliament Building and Westminster Bridge (erroneously known to many as "Big Ben"), with the rest of my coffee accompanying me through some of the poshest areas of London.
I took so many photos that my camera ran out of two fully charged batteries. Luckily my phone was fully charged from home, and I was carrying a power bank. It meant I was also able to enjoy my audiobook while taking in the ambiance of the park and having my coffee.
Peace & Love,
Adé
