There were many deer grazing.
It was great to see the reindeer with antlers which are unlike any of the types of buck that we see in South Africa.
Apparently they can become aggressive during the breeding season from May to July.
A park gardener told us about the invasion of Oak Processionary Moths which was spreading and badly affecting the oak trees in the park.
The caterpillars cluster in groups and damage the trees - you can see some at the top right corner of the next photo, on the trunk of an oak tree.
Claire is organizing the end of school year picnic for form 8 in the park next week.
After a coffee we headed back home, Claire was going to a luncheon and Ian and I were off to see the Olympic stadium and the Emirates cable car which had opened yesterday.
We caught the overground train from Kensington Olympia station 2 minutes from their house and headed in a big sweep towards the east and Stratford station. As we drew closer we could see the main Olympic stadium and the piece of iron sculpture that we later found was known as the viewing platform. With about 3 weeks to go before the start of the Games we found that the tours had been discontinued for security reasons and were directed to a viewing platform on the 3rd floor in John Lewis at the new shopping centre.
In John Lewis the memorabilia reflected both the Royal Jubilee and the Olympics.
The picture of the Queen below was made out of jelly beans:
We walked across the new bridge towards the transport hub seeing the sculpture of fish.
And the new bus station...
We caught the DLR to Royal Victoria. The Docklands Light Railway runs using unmanned carriages.
The Emirates Airline sponsored cable way had opened the previous day but there were no queues. We used our oyster cards to get on and were soon suspended above London with our car swaying a little in the strong winds.
Great views of the O2 arena ....
Ian had been invited to a cocktail party at the Design Centre so our intention was to walk from the cable car to the centre which is close to Tower Bridge.
Well what a long walk it turned out to be. With the loops of the river and the many construction projects interrupting the pathway I think we must have walked 12 miles.
The strangest thing about the walk was that we kept seeing the same landmarks as we meandered, especially the Dome, the Greenwich Naval College and the HSBC building on the Isle of Dogs. It was almost as if we were walking in circles.
The Thames walkway constantly detoured inland around private property and the many new buildings that were being constructed along the banks of the river.
The walk to Tower Bridge should have been 6 miles.
Anyway it was interesting to visit a part of London that I had never been to before.
The Greenwich Meridian..
The dome (again)
Greenwich Naval College
The Cutty Sark
We bought some lunch and sat and ate opposite the ship on the wide wall along with many other tourists.
Then off we set again. We kept seeing the rubber ducks powering down the river and the many boat tours.
At yet another deviation a set of steps lured us down to the river and Ian decided that we should walk along and find a way up further along.
We climbed down the mossy steps.
To me it looked as if the river was getting higher as the tide came in. Every time a large boat went past the wake was making larger waves in the wind.
I struggled womanfully along the pebbles in my cheap flowery Morecambe plimsolls, not to be outdone by my brother.
After half a mile or so it became obvious that the river reached the wall ahead and there was no way to walk through without swimming.
Ian decided to go up iron rungs on the wall and see where they led to.
My newly conquered fear of heights didn't quite stretch to negotiating the metre of wall at the top where the ladder was missing, so there was no way I was following.
Luckily Ian saw sense and came back down saying that it probably ascended to a highly secure factory area from which there would be no escape!
So we walked back!
I was missing my hiking boots and my legs were beginning to ache when Ian said we could stop in a cafe and have a hot chocolate. A blissful respite.
We continued past Southwark docks, an incredible bridge and floating gardens.
Soon around a bend in the Thames we could see the welcoming sight of Tower Bridge with its Olympic Rings. The almost completed "Shard" to the south and the "Gherkin" to the north.
We were both glad to arrive at the Design Centre and celebrated by joining in with a Ceilidh.
Location:Olympic Stadium to Tower Bridge, not forgetting Richmond Park
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