Park

Never Neverland

Never Neverland. London, England. September 2017.

Never Neverland. London, England. September 2017.

Kew Gardens. London, England, UK. September 2017.

While I love the busy and frenetic aspects of London, I also enjoy its green spaces. Despite how dense London is, there are numerous parks scattered across the city: from Hampstead Heath to St. James Park, Regent's Park to Kew Gardens.

This Victorian-style greenhouse named Palm House is located in Kew Gardens, roughly 45 minutes via tube from city center. This was my first time to this part of Richmond and I ventured there to see "The Hive," the U.K. Pavilion from Expo Milano. The pavilion was beautiful, but I was just as intrigued by the greenhouse.

The Palm House was built in 1844 as a place for explorers to house tropical plants brought back from travels in the tropics. It remains one of the most distinguished examples of a glass and iron Victorian structure. The misters are necessary to maintain the rainforest climate inside, but also creates the appropriate ambience for this ethereal and mystical urban escape.

Balance and Focus

 
I'm Not Aimless. London, England. July 2010. 

I'm Not Aimless. London, England. July 2010. 

Directly beneath Queen Elizabeth Hall on the south side of the Thames is this gem. Skaters started to use this space in the 1970s. In 2008, South Bank Skate Park was threatened with closure for retail development, however it was saved with the help and encouragement of local governement. I love the color explosion on the walls of the park and am very happy it is not going anywhere anytime soon.