Update

 I discovered this morning that the reason the French guards were rehearsing with the British guards is that today is the anniversary of the Entente Cordial on 8th April 1904. So today the French are changing Guard outside Buckingham Palace and the British are changing the guard in Paris.

(See previous post)

A walk in the park

 A few of you have been asking where I'll be walking next week. The walk is a National Trail known as the Ridgeway.

 It's said that it's the oldest road in Britain, having been walked by traders and travellers for over 5000 years. I will be posting my journal of the walk probably after I've completed it.

I have been feeling rough this week as I picked up a virus from the grandkids and so haven't been out walking so as it was a reasonable day today ( well it didn't rain!) I decided to go for an easy walk. I started in St James's Park then continued through some of the other London parks.

St James's Park has numerous flower beds as well as a large lake.

At the other side of the park is Wellington barracks and I could hear the band playing so I wandered over to have a look.

When I got there the band were playing La Marseillaise, the French national anthem so I assume they are rehearsing for a State visit. 

The French guards were being put through their paces. I had to feel sorry for them as the British guards are drilled to within an inch of their lives and are accurate to the centimetre when marching.

Couldn't quite get all their arms in synch.

I left the marching guards and went into Green Park. This is the smallest of the eight Royal parks and is the link between  St James's Park and Hyde Park. There are no formal flower beds here. It is said that Queen Catherine, wife of Charles II was so angry to discover that her husband had been picking flowers in the park for another woman that she had all the flowers removed.

I then crossed Hyde Park Corner and entered Hyde Park. A very popular park for cyclist and runners but stepping away from the main paths it is usually quiet.

The flower beds were stunning and numerous.

The Serpentine lake in the middle of the park. There is also a lido here and boats for you to rent. Close by is the Serpentine Gallery. It is a small free art gallery so I went in for a quick look at the exhibition. I was so glad I did as it was excellent. It was called Echoes of the Earth: Living Archive by Refik Anadol 

This is Anadol's first major institutional solo exhibition in the UK. It is described as 'an immersive environment that utilises years-long experimentation with visual data of coral reefs and rainforests and showcases the creative potential of AI.'

It is difficult to show how impressive it is from photos. I did take a video but it wouldn't download. I'm sure if you would like to see more it will be on youtube somewhere.

One section of the gallery had large cushions/bean bags on the floor for you to lie on and watch the video on the ceiling. I could have stayed there for hours.

 

I left Hyde Park to continue my walk in Kensington Gardens, home to Kensington Palace. This art installation by Henry Moore has the Palace at its centre.

There are some wilder parts in this park as well as the formal gardens.

This is the Italian Garden. Today it was home to numerous artists who were competing in some competition. From what I could see, the standard looked very high.

I walked back through Hyde Park and then Mayfair.

I finished my 7 ml walk in Trafalgar Square which was hosting the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi. There was free food and Indian tea, demonstrations of martial arts and how to put on a turban.

My walk through some of London parks today turned out to be a great day with lots of things happening and at the end of the day it was all free.

Happy Easter

After some sunshine yesterday I was hopeful that today would be warm and sunny but no it is dull and cold but at least it's not raining. Two weeks today I will be starting my annual long distance walk with 5 friends. The weather has meant that I've not done as many country walks as I would liked to have done in preparation for the 80 miles or so that we will be walking. 

I was hoping to get out in the country today but everywhere is so wet, it does not make for a pleasant walk where you are ankle deep in mud. Instead I went to Greenwich park, which is my local large park. I'm glad I did as the flowers and the blossom were at their best.

After walking around the park I continued my walk by the river. This is 'The Trafalgar', festooned ready to celebrate the Easter holiday. I think the last time I went in here for a drink I was with Andrew from From the Highrise. No time today for a break, as I needed to get a few miles under the belt before lunchtime.

There's always something to see by the river. This is the old pier attached to the Greenwich power station.

Docklands across the river.

I walked as far as the O2 which is an events arena plus shops, restaurants etc. and then returned for another circuit of the park. All in all I managed a 10 mile walk, mainly on the flat with just a couple of hills in the park. So I don't feel I am ready for the long walk but hopefully with a pocket full of blister plasters and good company I'll manage. 

 

Last day in Oslo

 I just had a few hours this morning before I needed to leave for the airport. As my City Pass had now expired, I had left all the free entry places until this morning.

After checking out of my room and leaving my luggage at the hotel I walked the short distance to the Opera House so that I could walk on the roof. I might add that the roof has been designed for you to walk on as it slopes upwards from the ground.

It is made of Carrera marble which must make it impossible to walk on when it is wet or icy.

I was there before 9am and had the roof mainly to myself.

I imagine had it been a very sunny mid summer's day I would have needed sun glasses to protect my eyes from being blinded by reflections from this totally white surface.

From one side of the roof I could see the barcode area of the city. 

Looking at the station with a tram in the foreground.

A view over the front of the Opera House shows the fjord.

I descended from the roof and walked into the town. This is the Storting, the Norwegian Parliament. There are ten different political parties represented in the parliament by 169 MPs. Elections take place every 4 years. 

The building was officially opened in March 1866. Members of the public can follow the debates from the public gallery.

Just off the main street, Karl Johans Gate is the City Hall, a twin towered huge building. it was built in 1950 to commemorate Oslo's 900th anniversary. As you can imagine it is something of a landmark. It is here that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded on the 10th Dec each year. The City hall is the seat of the city council and the administration.

Surrounded the entrance are these large motifs from Norse legends.

Admission is free and I thought I would just pop in to have a look. I was blown away by the huge murals that decorated the vast rooms. This is the Grand function room. Alf Rolfsen and Henrik Serensen are credited with creating these frescos which show Norwegian Industry at one side and the Occupation at the other.

This is the Festival Gallery inspired by the history of Oslo and Norway. It depicts industries such as fishing, farming, shipping and trade.

The window at the side provides a view of the City Hall square and Oslofjord.

The Banquet Hall, the grandest of the function rooms. This is the most modern of the rooms with its art deco, zig-zag pattern.

The fresco shows the Norwegian Constitution roots in the ideals of the French Revolution.

A short walk from the City Hall and you are at the Royal Palace. I was there in time for the changing of the guard but there was none of the ceremony and fanfare that takes place at home.

Now it was time to return to the hotel to collect my bags and make my way to the airport. It was an easy 20 minute train journey from the station to the airport. It started to rain as I left Oslo so my departure was well timed.

I have had a great time and feel I managed to see so much. Coming out of season meant that nowhere was busy and I could wander round the museums with no crowds whatsoever.

A short flight of less than 2 hours and here I am back in London.