(Disclaimer: I apologize for the lack of quality in these pictures. I was attempting to take candid pictures of strangers, which is not an easy thing to do without arousing suspicion.)
"The Lovers"
Couples come here to be couple-y and escape the. In parks, somehow PDA becomes more appropriate and acceptable. Thankfully though, this couple kept their consorts classy and restrained, so they didn't draw too much attention to themselves (just the attention of a creeper American student with a camera and an assignment).
"The Reader"
As we've been told multiple times, and as I've observed multiple times, London is a city of readers. Though the majority of them are reading the tabloids that venders shove in your face when you turn every corner, a good deal of people do read quality newspapers and novels as well. The Kensington Gardens are a perfect place for reading and contemplation. This lady was reading a tabloid, escaping from her own reality by reading about the exaggerated exploited lives of others.
"The Adorable Little Boy and his Mum"
This picture does not do this scene justice. The little boy was chasing a squirrel around the tree, and invited us to join in. We all cheered him on and pointed out to him where the squirrel was running. While this wasn't exactly a quiet activity, as most of the others I observed in the park, it still fit into the serenity of it because of its innocence. The little boy had no reservations about talking to strangers, he only wanted us to have part in his game. By coming to the park, this mother and son could escape some of the more frightening, less trustworthy aspects of city life.
"The Loner"
When we stopped to take pictures by a Peter Pan statue, this man glared at us unabashedly. He was obviously annoyed by our obnoxious tourist ways. Smoking and scowling, he sat at the end of the bench, daring anyone to invade his sacred oasis of a park bench. He escaped the loud busy city and able to brood alone.
"The Tourist"
Though tourists are escaping from their real lives in general by being in a different place, Kensington Gardens provides a place where they can put their guard down a little bit and enjoy the park and embarrass themselves and poke at (or thrust their head into) the dignity of anything they encounter in peace and quiet.
"The Elderly Stroller"
One of my most favorite things about London is its elderly population. They, like any elderly population, serve as reminders of past generations, when people were more classy and polite. Kensington Gardens is full of elderly people enjoying a leisurely walk. Like the rest of the park-goers, they probably choose to escape here for the quiet and beauty. They walk slower than the rest of the people in the Gardens, and seem to be more aware and fully enjoying what is going on around them.
"The Hobo"
This man actually surprised me when I saw him in the park. He seemed out of place, as most of the homeless people are in the dirtier, more crowded parks. I loved that he was there though. He wasn't begging for money or playing an instrument, and perhaps he came here to escape that stereotype, judgment, and lifestyle. He was simply enjoying the beauty and nature around him.
"Picturesque Schoolchildren"
Like the little boy and his mom, Kensington Gardens provides a safe haven for school children to cross the city on the way home from school. Their picturesque uniforms and adorable demeanor also add to the serene atmosphere of the park much to the enjoyment of the rest of the escapists in Kensington Gardens.
