Around the Serpentine

Although I wasn't sure what today's weather would bring (the sky seemed to change every time I looked up), I decided to head down to Hyde Park and wander toward the Serpentine Gallery in neighbouring Kensington Gardens. Even though this Hyde-Park scene looks rather idyllic,

the deckchairs are empty for a reason: the chilly wind and unpredictable clouds didn't make for good deckchair weather. This swan and cygnet enjoyed the sun while it lasted, and I couldn't figure out just where this parade was headed, but the birds all swam in the same direction, seemingly toward nothing.
The solar shuttle cruised along the Serpentine,
and these men got very close to this tall swan.
Somehow, whenever Bob and I walk along the Serpentine, we always walk along the north bank--I don't really know why, but it always works out that way. Today I walked along the southern side instead, and came across the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain for the first time. I didn't really know what to expect, and I was quite impressed with the lovely fountain, whose water changed speed (and acoustics) as it flowed from two directions down to the tranquil pool at the bottom.



After a walk through the Serpentine Gallery's eerie Paul Chan exhibit, I had some coffee at a waterside table at the Lido Café, where this rude passerby wouldn't stop staring at me!
Suddenly, the sky turned ominous
and seconds later, it started to pour. Even though I had an umbrella, the lower half of my body still got soaked. People huddled under trees, with looks of horror on their faces as they considered how they were going to make it out of the park, and the cold wind sliced through the water and my damp calves with equal force. Then, as quickly as it began, it was over: the sun came out, and I swear I could hear my jeans hissing as all that water began to evaporate.
The birds didn't even seem to notice what had happened. This great bird (which I've found out is a moorhen) posed for the camera, and the cygnet I saw earlier was still on the water, as cute as ever.
I think that Bob and I have walked past Hyde Park's rose garden before, but it must have been back in winter, when the garden was fully asleep and certainly didn't look (or smell) as glorious as it did today.



Two fountains are incorporated into the garden: Huntress,
and this rather bizarre one, called Boy and Dolphin.
My last stop for the day was at the National Theatre for a free performance by the Luca Luciano Duo. An extremely laid-back group of people lounged on couches and chairs while the sounds of clarinet and piano filled the huge space.
On my way out, I noticed this man watering the lawn growing on the side of the National Theatre. I liked how the Antony Gormley sculpture looked like the gardener's lazy co-worker, staring off into the distance while his friend did all the back-breaking work!