Down memory lane

I took a stroll down memory lane today. After helping a pupil to choose a new clarinet in Ealing I took the tube into London. I spent my first two years at college living in a hall of residence next door to the Royal Albert Hall (I could actually see the hall from my bedroom window) and I decided I’d use the three hours before my train home to visit some of my old haunts. I started off by eating my lunch in the sunshine in Kensington Gardens. It was a gorgeous day and the sky was the perfect background for my photos – a beautiful blue with some puffy white clouds which I couldn’t resist shooting in its own right.

After lunch I strolled through the gardens towards Knightsbridge, following a path I used to walk as a student. I’d forgotten how friendly the squirrels are here – I guess they’re used to being fed by people. I knelt down to attract one of them and was delighted when he jumped up on the railings for me. I only had my 50mm lens on the camera (hardly perfect wildlife photography equipment) but I didn’t need anything longer with an animal this brave! I know a lot of people dislike grey squirrels for usurping our indigenous red squirrels but I’m afraid I couldn’t resist the charms of this tiny, cute, furry creature!

Eventually I made it to the Albert Memorial, resplendent in the afternoon sunshine. This memorial, built by Queen Victoria after the death of her beloved Consort, Prince Albert, was completely boarded up all the time I was living nearby but it’s now been restored to its original splendour and it makes quite an impact. OK, so it’s completely over the top, in a gothic Victorian way, but you’ve got to admire its sheer, unashamed bling factor! I then crossed the road to the Royal Albert Hall, taking some shots of the frieze surrounding the building and coming to the conclusion that it’s quite hard to photograph a round building well! I stood outside my old home for a few minutes trying to work out which window was once mine then continued on my way through Hyde Park, taking some autumnal shots on my way. I finished my walk at Hyde Park Corner where I found this chap painting the arch that stands in the centre of the roundabout. After a few minutes I managed to capture a shot of him in action without any traffic in the way then I caught a bus back to the station and my train home, savouring the memories of a lovely afternoon in the sunshine.