Taking a walk before work is the perfect way to explore a city when on a business trip. I look at it as a way to maintain work-life balance even when I'm on the road. It's like taking a mini-vacation when I get up an hour early and walk somewhere I've never explored before. On my recent trip to London, I did a loop around the lake in St. James Park near Buckingham Palace. I noticed various birds on the water and along the shore. There was soon a mad rush of birds surrounding me. At first I wasn't sure why but then I saw this - an older man and his son throwing some bread crumbs to the birds. He looked so happy doing this, it simply made me smile.
Of course, I took advantage of the opportunity to photograph some of the residents of St. James Park including a black swan, wigeon, pintail, goldeneye, shelduck, bar-headed goose, barnacle goose, and red-breasted goose. Some of these birds are not native to this area but are part of the Queen's 'Collection'. They were gifted to the Royals and now live happily on the lake in the park in their backyard.
Aside from the birds, St. James Park also offers gorgeous wildflowers in summer.
SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Did you know that St. James Park is also home to royal pelicans? If you're lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the Queen's pelicans like we did. |
Overall, St. James Park was a quiet oasis from the hustle and bustle of nearby Victoria in London. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a 'mini-vacation' before work if you're on a business trip.
SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for other places to visit in London? Why not plan a workcation adventure and discover things to do around Tower Bridge, around Covent Garden, or places to visit around South Kensington. Did you know that South Kensington is a 45 minute walk or 15 minutes on the Tube from St. James Park? You could also get a little off-the-beaten track and spend a week in South West London. |
