When I was in London a couple of weeks ago, I wandered from Mayfair to Piccadilly near the Green Park Tube Station and down to the Palace through Green Park.  As I was whistling my way by magnificent old trees, I couldn’t get over the rather shabby appearance of the park.  The grass showed rough treatment, and the foot paths had been totally ignored.  Food stands and overflowing trash bins were unsightly and unpleasant.  I was really very unhappy by the public’s treatment of this wonderful park that we have all enjoyed over many years.  The park has been a royal park for many years, especially when it once was attached to the grounds of Buckingham Palace/Buckingham House during the reign of King George III.  In Georgian times, the park was used to display the King’s new trees which he had received from all over the world.  The King shared his tree discoveries with his friend King Louis XVI who shared the English king’s passion for botany and particularly rare trees.  The area was not a planted garden area, but only a green garden for grass and trees;  thus, we have the name Green Park today.  It is unfortunate that the park has become a transit area for people who come to the Palace by way of the Green Park Tube Station and then walking through the park.  This very beautiful area has been planted with thousands of daffodils which turn the park into a fairyland in the spring.  This wonderful park has a long and interesting history, and it should be respected.  It is beautiful.

Thomas Moore   email:  TMooreSr@me.com    Telephone:  801.791.9918

http://www.londonconnection.com

We settled into our little flat and thought we needed a nap.  Well, we tried, but we weren’t successful!  We were so eager to get going that we all got dressed and took off.  It was dinner time, so we decided we would wander through Ile St. Louis and have pepper steaks in one of the wonderful little restaurants on the island.  We found a wonderful spot with lots of atmosphere and music.  We sat on an outside table and watched the world go by–and every kind of dog you ever heard of.  The outfits the ladies were wearing were something to behold.  It is was the best floor show I had ever had.

At long last, our steaks arrived and they were just what we wanted and needed.  We enjoyed our meal and other visitors who were also enjoying the floor show.  Goodness, it was great fun–really great fun.

After dinner, we decided we were up to a stroll along the Seine to Ile de la Cite to take night photographs of Notre Dame.  Our legs were still working, and I was hoping my camera would help me out.  Bingo!  It was great!  I will post pictures of our evening and hope you will enjoy them.

Now we are all dead tired and really read for bed!  What a long, happy, fun, exciting day:  FROM LONDON TO PARIS.

Thomas Moore   email:  TMooreSr@me.com    Telephone:  801.791.9918

http://www.londonconnection.com

The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain is the perfect place to spend a bit of time relaxing and enjoying the outdoors in Hyde Park.  It is great space to lie in the sun where the children can play in the running water fountain.  The fountain was designed by Kathryn Gustafson, an American landscape artist.  She said that she wanted the fountain to be accessible to all visitors and to reflect the Princess’s inclusive personality.  Ms Gustafson told the BBC “Above all I hope that it provides a fitting memorial for the princess and does credit to the amazing person that she was.”

The water feature has the form of a large, oval stream bed about 50 by 80 meters that surrounds and is surrounded by a lush grassy field.  The granite stream bed is 10 to 20 feet wide and quite shallow and is laid out on a gently sloping portion of the park so that the water pumped to the top of the oval flows down either side.  One side of the stream bed descends fairly smoothly to the downhill end of the oval with gentle ripples.  The other side consists of a variety of steps, rills, curves, and other shapes so that the water plays in interesting ways as it flows to the tranquil pool at the bottom.  The two sides were intended to show the two sides of Diana’s life, both happy time and turmoil.

My son is in London today.  He sent me an email to alert me that the DIANA PRINCESS OF WALES MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN is fantastic during these warm days in London.  Really nice.!

Thomas Moore   email:  TMooreSr@me.com    Telephone:  801.791.9918

http://www.londonconnection.com