Richmond Park

As promised, here is the newest entry describing another “first” and, also, general animal confusion.

Putney Along the Thames

But first, let me tell you a bit more about where I am. Like where I am right now. Like RIGHT now. Often, I go into Putney to write these blogs for the very simple reason that I very much dislike being alone in my room for long. Granted, that rarely happens. There is always someplace to go, some shopping to do, someone to visit, and of course some running to do. I am constantly busy and classes haven't even begun! But in those rare moments of down time I walk to Putney, the town I've mentioned many times, just a quick two miles away. Putney is mainly residential but there are two or three “main roads”, the biggest of which runs perpendicular to the other two and will send you straight into London, basically, if you were to take it far enough north. While you can't do much in the way of clothes shopping here you can, however, buy all the essentials. They have all the most common stores like Sainsbury's for groceries, Boots for pharmaceuticals and drug store items, Vodafone and Orange for all your mobile phone needs, and of course the usual fast food and cafe eateries....among other things. The sidewalks can be quite crowded during the days but less packed than sardined pedestrains in Central London. Like most of London, Putney is an old town with old brick and stone buildings. It had two connections to the tube and two train stops for the line that terminates at Waterloo station. 

A Random Italian Restaurant You'll Pass on Your Way to the Tube

It's here in Putney, like I said, that I most often come to write. You can find me at the corner of Putney Hill Road and Montserrat Road in a front window seat of Cafe Nero, a chain coffee place much like Starbucks. Normally, I'd prefer a quieter cafe, a local place hidden down a narrow side street, but those don't have wireless connections. Oddly enough, it's harder to connect to the wireless internet in London than I would've thought prior to coming here. Regardless, from my spot in the window seat at a tiny high-topped table I can both write and people watch. 

Literally THIS Cafe Nero, I'll be the one in the Window on the Left in this Picture View

The thing that I admire most is how those giant double-decker buses navigate these miniature streets while bikes crowd the traffic from every side and ridiculous tourists run out into oncoming traffic. From here I have yet to witness a collision. Farther up the road, however, back towards school, I did see the aftermath of a reckless motorcycle driver. They're known for weaving between cars and that morning one's hurried maneuverability didn't quite pay off. The bike was smashed to bits in the road and the driver of the car that hit it was in a neck brace, still strapped in the car. They had to cut off traffic on that road, the main road through Roehampton, during London's rush hour. If you thought Cleveland was bad.....

I've Been Told the Thames in Putney is Where They Hold the Famous Cambridge/Oxford Rowing Competition

Thankfully, the is a flip side to the chaos of London. Some time ago some genius English ruler thought to install/maintain a slew of public nature reserves across London and incidentally put the largest of these right next to my campus. Richmond Park existed before the school despite the fact that Roehampton is one of the oldest schools in London. It was once a manor house, built by a gent of some considerable wealth, to overlook the park, intentionally facing the opposite way away from London's skyline. After its conversion into a school, developed with the intention to be one of the first universities to admit female students, no less, dorms and additional buildings were constructed, each of which face the park as well. My room, today, overlooks the park from afar. 

Lovely, Lovely....

Finally, after days of anticipation, I made the 10 minute jog to the main entrance of Richmond Park with the intention to explore its grounds on foot. This first excursion took place close to dusk which initially left me fearful. Being the intelligent girl I am, I am ingrained with a dislike of new-place-exploration in the dark. However, I wanted to run and with luck I figured I might make it out again before complete sunset. 

These Shots Barely Do Justice to the Size of this Park

Alas, I did not. But I was happily surprised by several things all at once. First of all, my immediate reaction upon entering this park was awe and disbeleif. Again, I am living in one of the biggest, most populated cities in the world. Yet there before me was an open expanse of nature as far as I could see. Miniature rolling hills, trees, rivers, and paths going off in every direction. A runner's paradise. Not wanting to get lost in the dark, though, I took the paved, straight path, pointed toward the center of the park, I guessed. This paved path ran parallel to the road that also passes through the park. I was pleasantly surprised by an absence of traffic, though, as the gates close at dusk and only bikers and people on foot can enter. So the park was intensely quiet.

The White Cow Behind King's College Cambridge

Quiet until I hear an astoundingly loud 'mooing' off in the distance. There I was, simply admiring the scenery and the fact that both gravel and grass paths weaved across the hills and fields and off into the far away distance when all of a sudden I'm disrupted by what I assumed must be a cow. A cow, alone, in a public park, sounded beyond suspect. However, it's not unknown. I'd experienced free-range cows in Cambridge. Literally free-range. A white one often trespassed across the boundaries established by the university to keep the great unwashed public out, away from the brilliance of its students. Cows, on the other hand, could pass this barrier willingly and without retribution, apparently, because no one bothered to send it on its way. It lounged directly behind King's College Chapel, along the Backs (as they called the 'Backs' of the colleges), most days, lazily soaking in the sounds of the chapel choirs, I'd bet.

So while I was running, minding my own business, a suspicious cow-like moo reached me. Imagine, then, my surprise to come nearly face to face with an entirely different beast once I crested the hill. At first glance I thought it was a moose, sure to attack. Its giant size lended to a most threatening appearance. But upon further inspection, if not speedy inspection, its true identity was revealed: a male deer, a buck with antlers the size of tree limbs. Praying it saw me as less of a threat than I saw it, I hurried past just as it called out in its cow-moo-voice again. At that point, seemingly out of harms way with the animal remaining quite still behind me, I relaxed....and noticed the entire herd of deer just beyond that single male. I'd wager that buck was watching over the herd. They were about 30-50 in number; it's hard to be too accurate with a population count because the deer blended so effortlessly with the dry grasses, and then they stay perfectly still.

Lots and Lots and Lots of Deer, Everywhere.

Since my first run in Richmond Park I've returned to it almost daily. Again, I hope to get photos up soon. One of these days I need to force myself to get out and about and just snap away at everything.

Cheers!