I have never been to the UK, let alone London, this late in the season. It may have something to do with My Beloved Brit’s fear of having to actually experience Britain’s cold, damp weather again.
But this November visit I have found to be golden in London’s Kensington area on the edge of Notting Hill.
The last hurrah… golden tree in Kensington Gardens. photo by me
Everyone was out to enjoy the last blast of color even if the skies were grey.
All the bike rental stalls at the entrance to Hyde Park were empty. Photo by me
The arbor at Kensington Palace’s sunken garden has definitely changed since I last saw it in June.
A detail from the arbor at Kensington Palace in November. Photo by me
The air was quite chilly as I sat on a bench under the ash arbor at one of London’s most famous sites. I asked My Beloved Brit when he called me on my mobile, “Why does 50 degrees in England feel so much chillier than 50 degrees in the southern United States?” He suggested it might have something to do with the damp, windy, grey skies that usually accompany the temperatures. The Grey Country?
The statue of Queen Victoria looks out over Hyde Park and grey skies on the east side of Kensington Palace. Photo by me
The gates at Kensington Palace, laced with gold inside and beyond. Photo by me.
I was quite comfortable walking along Kensington’s roads with my hat, gloves and scarf firmly in place. It was golden.
Outside the palace gates in the very center of London. Photo by me
A front garden wall on a Kensington side street. Photo by me
Goodbye Autumn.
The final hours near Notting Hill. Photo by me