A Different Christmas Day

Waking up to a beautiful, sunny Christmas morning.  This is the view from our hotel in the Kensington Gardens area.  There we can walk to the Queensway which is chocked full of every kind of ethnic food you can imagine, tons of souvenirs shops and so much more.  Our tube line, Bayswater, is about a 10 minute walk from the hotel.

But we have other plans today.

LOL!

I purchased this great coat in Ipswich and what about the 'fascinator?'

While we were in Cambridge, Debbie left me alone too long at the market and I purchased a Royal blue (hair piece) fascinator.  Oh yeah.

At breakfast, in the hotel, they placed crackers at each place setting.  Don't you love my other new hat.....it's a CROWN!

This day just can't get any better.....or can it?

Kensington Gardens was about a 15 minute walk for us.  We were amazed at how many people were out strolling the parks on Christmas Day.  

Here I am standing in front of Kate and Wills home at Kensington Palace.  I rang the buzzer, but I believe they are with Betty and Phil at their Christmas gathering.

A mother and son visiting London as well took this great picture of Deb and I in front of the Queen Victoria Statue with Kensington Palace in the background. Queen Victoria was born and raised in Kensington Palace.  She moved to Buckingham Palace later.

Fun people watching while we strolled Kensington Gardens and then Hyde Park.

The Royal Albert Hall named for Queen Victoria's husband.

Some young gals enjoying a Christmas breakfast in the park.

Unbelievable.  These exotic green birds flying around the park.  Again, I could hear them and I wasn't sure if my pictures would turn out.  Not a bad shot, if I do say so myself. 

Many, many different fowls and critters along our paths.  These two striking ducks are definitely not from Canada.

Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband who died at a young age unexpectedly.  She mourned him, dressing in black, for the rest of her life.

This is a Memorial built in his honour.

Just on the outside of Kensington Gardens and upon entrance into Hyde Park is the "Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain.

This plaque signifies a path you can follow in honour of Diana.  I took this picture in Hyde Park, but I also have a picture from a few years ago of the same at St. James Park quite far away.

The 'fountain' is quite original and creative and not at all what we thought we were looking for.  The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, is a enclosed ring of constantly moving water.  You are encouraged to honour her in whatever way you chose in enjoying the fountain.  People put their feet in, touch it, splash it, I am sure children are in the water in the warm weather, and like us take pictures near it.

Surely we walked 5-10 km on this day.  Hyde Park was the hunting grounds of King Henry VIII.  Today it is the 'Central Park' of London.  600 acres of green space with exotic birds, lush greenery, a huge man-made 'Serpentine Lake' and much more.

Including the 'Italian Fountains' where Debbie posed with her brand new London jacket.

Guess who else is at the Kensington Gardens?

Peter Pan.

This creature did not move with all the tourists snapping away to get a great picture.  He reminds me of Dan Devito in the 'Batman' movie, when he played the Penguin.

He was on one leg for a very long time.

More people watching.  Loved the hat this gal was wearing.  Check out how many people are out enjoying a warm Christmas day in the park.

Rental of bikes is available everywhere around the park.

This gentleman was curious and peeking at someone's bike.

Feeding the ducks and swans and other hungry birds in the Serpentine Lake.

This bird, I thought, looked like a Snowy owl.  So cute.

After a day of working up an appetite, we found an Italian Restaurant that was serving dinners on Christmas Day.  Deb had pasta, I enjoyed an Italian twist on a turkey dinner.

Below, Christmas pudding in a ice cream sundae.....OH YEAH!!!!

Christmas Day was bittersweet for us.  We were thrilled to be in London to celebrate it together, but boy oh boy did we miss our family and friends. 

Our Skype date with the kids turned out to be very sad as we couldn't get a connection to see or hear them.  A few tears and we had to let them go.  

But Christmas Day is not the only day that matters in letting our loved ones know what they mean to us.  

We love them and cherish them.....as well as the rest of our families and friends.

Merry Christmas and God bless.