Monday 19 April 2010

London day 1 - afternoon




The tube to Hampstead was quite a long journey and we asked for directions to Keats House, but unfortunately it wasn't open like our guide book had lead us to believe. Still, we could walk in the garden and peek in the windows and it did look something like the house from the recent  movie "Bright Star". There was a beautiful carpet of crocus bulbs under some of the trees. Houses in the area were single dwellings with expensive cars in the drive and we soon decided that the young women we saw pushing prams (and later meeting in the Heath) were probably nannies!


The bathing ponds or "lidos" in the Heath had us amused as they seemed to collect storm water runoff and were home to ducks, geese and visiting dogs ... but  a very pretty, peaceful place for a walk.


Of course we watched the squirrels among the trees and then the view from Parliament Hill back to central London was really quite something on this gorgeous day.


Next stop was Highgate Cemetery (up Highgate Hill) where only the East Section was open, with graves dating from the 17th and 18th centuries up to the present and a big problem with rampant ivy trying to cover everything! Karl Marx is one of the more famous residents.




1 comment:

Michelle said...

What a shame Keats house wasn't open. It looks like a lovely place to have a wander around, beautiful gardens. I am enjoying your lovely photos.