I took the Victoria Line to Oxford Circus and switched to the Bakerloo line. That was going directly to Regents Park, but for whatever reason it wasn't stopping there today. Instead it took me just past it to Baker Street. When I got out to the street I followed some signs and realized Regents park is right at the end of Maryebone Rd. just past the Beatles Store and the Sherlock Holmes Museum. Mica and I walked to the Sherlock Holmes Museum when trying to find the S.H. Hotel because we were meeting a group tour just outside the entrance. That was when we went on a celebrity tour around London!
Anyways, back to Regents park. When I first got there I was captivated by the lake with hundreds of Swan and ducks. So what is Emily to do? Start taking pictures :)
I want to do a sketch of a swan later and I always refer back to pictures when I'm sketching.
I sat on the ground and get fairly close to the water's end. The three swan I was photographing did not seem phased by this at all.
Then I decided to start video taping on my lovely Canon Rebel T2 in HD of these magnificent creatures when the one to my right side gets out of the water. I start laughing and then the one on my left gets out of the water. I'm naturally amused by this because I'm catching the footage on tape. The one on my left keeps waddling closer and closer until PECK, he dived for my knee!!! hahahah I was freaking out. I immediately stood up and backed away, but I kept taping. Then he wandered over to my backpack and started pecking at my jacket that I had attached to the straps. I was still laughing at this point but after taking a few pictures of him doing so I grabbed my bag and slowly took it away from him.
So that pretty much made my day!!! And I've decided Regents Park is one of my new favorite places! There so much to see there, including the zoo. I plan to return for future visits.
For the rest of my time in the park I crossed a rickety, yet solid bridge and found a bench I liked along the water's edge. The sky was gray and the wind was grew fierce but I was warm and content. I was grateful for the layered winter clothing I bought from American Eagle over break. I spent the next half hour-hour writing in my notebook about the Swan experience and listing routines I want to create this semester. It was really nice to reflect as the birds squawked and the seagulls hollered. It was as if I was no longer in the city, rather some distant island where you could spend a weekend before returning to the chaos of life.
So the bad news is I think I left my camera USB cord at home over Christmas break so I'm not able to upload the video of the swan at this point. I looked into buying one here but it was going to be 19 pounds! I don't have that kind of money to spend on a camera cord that my mom could mail me.
After returning to the central area of where I live by Kings Cross and Angel station I went to one of my favorite art stores CASS. I love that place! I bought a new notebook and some more oil pastels! I've been working a lot with oil pastels lately because they have such a rich colour and smooth consistency. In addition, I see a huge difference using these ones and not just buying the cheap Walmart set. Go figure. hah
Ok good news! I just used my roommates computer, with permission, to upload some of my photos.
Here's my friend before I started filming
Here he is eating my backpack! Sorry it's blurry =/
My view from the bench
