Springtime in Regents Park

I think my favorite thing about London has to be its parks. Might be my current buddy really prefers running around to being pushed around in a stroller around the city, but who knows. :) Each park has its own reasons to fall in love with it - the well-kept gardens, the wild craggy trees, the ponds, the funny looking birds that have us guessing what they are, the list goes on and on.

Last month while Papa was in town, we headed to Regents Park for part of his birthday celebration. We brought some bread to feed the birds (who will eat the bread out of your hands if you're not careful), walked around admiring the tulips, and just taking in one of the sunnier Spring days we've had here this year. I love Regents Park for its quiet beauty, seemingly endless paths to explore, and the rose garden that blooms in the late summer months which is obscenely beautiful. 

Getting to know Highgate // Waterlow Park

The first month we spent in London was near the financial district (Barbican), and I knew I had to take advantage of being in a prime exploration location. We took full advantage - trips to museums, historical sites, cathedrals, markets, restaurants, etc. You name it, we did our best to get there. Now that we are officially North Londoners, and on that pesky black Northern Line on the tube that can sometimes be a little temperamental, we are now shifting our focus to exploring North London. And I'm ecstatic about it.

One of the great things about Highgate is the parks! Within a mile of our flat we have our choice of 4 really great parks. The first one we found, is one of the sweetest little parks - Waterlow Park. Equal parts manicured to wild, there is no shortage of beauty and good people watching here. About a 10 minute walk from our house, we like to hit the playground first for some swings and merry go round action. There's a small playground (with swings for King Hen), a nice cafe with indoor and outdoor seating, some fountains and even a sundial. Lots of dogs playing fetch and that sort of thing. It's a really lovely spot. We go there a couple times a week.

I'll be posting about the other Highgate parks over the next month, and some other topics about how we're transitioning from DC to London, if you're interested. It was hard to find much information about what Highgate offered besides green space, so I hope this might give some insight into what it's like to live the expat family life in Highgate.