Mary Poppins

Dear Grace,

You and I went on our 2nd Adventure walk through London. This took place over two days filled with rain and sunshine, random side streets and a beautiful park with lots of dogs running around. You were exceptionally smiley and "talkative" while we were resting in the park and watching a group of young girls play ball. Enjoy.

Love, Mummy 

Walk # 23: Mary Poppins in Battersea Park

"The Adventure- The London's children's story about the magical and mysterious nanny Mary Poppins has captivated readers since it was first written in 1934. Eight Mary Poppins books were written in total, with the first famously telling the story of the arrival of the greatest children's nanny in literature. Made indelibly famous by the film with Julie Andrews as Mary herself, it tells the story of two children from the Banks family needing her care in their home at No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane.

As every mother knows, sadly there is no such creature as Mary Poppins, and there is no street in London called Cherry Tree Lane. But it is possible to piece together elements of the stories and find the places of P.L. Travers inspiration and imagination. She lived at 50 Smith Street, Chelsea. The park described is almost certainly Battersea Park, just across the Thames, with its zoo and lakes. The East Wind blows in Mary Poppins by umbrella complete with her tardis-like carpet bag and impatient manner. Every child would dream of a nanny who rewards good behavior with magic, can talk to animals and give out medicine that tastes of everyone's favorite flavor (rum punch for Mary P.) or chimney sweeps (in the film), laughing gas tea parties, pasting gingerbread stars in the sky, flying kites in the park and visiting old ladies who sell gingerbread whose fingers are made of barley-sugar. Take a kite and a rug for a picnic."

"Spit spot, take a no-nonsense approach and stride out of Sloane Square tube, straight across the square towards Peter Jones and up the King's Road."  

"Some way down on the left is Smith Street, where the Mary Poppins author, P.L. Travers, lived at No. 50. She apparently sent the Disney producers a photograph of her house when they were trying to re-create Cherry Tree Lane for the 1964 film." 

Personally, I feel there are way more Cherry Tree Lane look alike streets in London. I tried to make Smith Street look more interesting by playing with the pictures. 

"Walk down Smith Street, cross St. Leonard's Terrace and continue down Ormonde Gate to Royal Hospital Road. Turn right here heading toward the Embankment. 

Our next stop was Chelsea Physic Garden, which is one of London's oldest gardens, tucked away behind a high wall on the corner of Swan Walk. People are able to enter the garden at a small fee. I think it will be worth you and I checking out on another sunny day. 

We walked out of the neighborhood side streets and came out by the River Themes. 

This is where it gets tricky. We were supposed to cross Albert Bridge and into Battersea Park, but...

...the bridge is under construction! It was close to the time when Daddy gets home from work so I decided it was a good time to head back and finish our adventure tomorrow.

On our way home we stopped at this bench so you could eat because you became pretty fussy. As we were about to leave I read the bench and thought it was picture worthy. 

Day 2:

We headed back toward the River Themes, and crossed the closest bridge where this family statue awaited. 

Just around the Albert bridge that is under construction is the entrance to Battersea Park...

"While there is no Cherry Tree lane in London with a park across the road, it is quite likely that P.L. Travers based her park on Battersea Park, with its small zoo, lake, wild corner and winding paths. Read Mary Poppins in the Park for a particularly eccentric tale of the adventures of the Banks children and their nanny, set in a park just like this one. Lay out your rug and picnic, sit bolt upright against a tree while the children play around you." 

I spy an airplane. (Coltan and Matt...this one's for you two!) It's much easier to find in the 2nd picture.

The London Peace Pagoda 

It was built by nuns, monks and followers of Nipponza Myohoji Fujii and is dedicated to the realization of Universal Peace. It is a symbol of light in the darkness of the present day world, a visible prayer to awaken humanity to peace. The annual celebration of the Peace Pagoda takes place in mid June, and there is a Nagasaki Day  commemoration Floating Lantern Ceremony which takes place on 9th August each year. Grace, I think we should meet Daddy after work that day to show him this park and watch the ceremony together.

We walked around the corner and discovered this dog party. Since I'm obsessed with dogs, I found it appropriate to invite myself. 

This is 1 dog walker with all the dogs (without leads (aka leashes))  that he is responsible to watch. Go ahead and count them. One of the dogs was even outside the picture. Dogs are rarely found on their leads and they are very well behaved. What are we doing wrong in the states? 

I decided this would be the perfect spot to lay out my picnic blanket, relax, and read my mindless Chelsea Lately book. (Thanks, Libbie. It's hilarious.) My tour book did say to take a rug for a picnic and I am a rule follower...Sometimes. It's no Mary Poppins in the Park. 

More dog walkers. I am in heaven. When a Londoner says doggie it sounds like they're saying dougie with their British accents. Here, Dougie, Dougie. Come here, Uncle Dougie! ;) 

The journey continues...

You and I stopped to sit on a bench so you could eat and this was our view.

I was so excited to find these pictures from the movie.

"Feed the birds toppins..." 

This is the part when you were exceptionally smiley and "talkative" while we were resting in the park and watching a group of girls play ball. Oops- there is proof that I didn't change you out of your pjs this morning. You didn't seem to mind.

"Eventually, we came out the opposite side on Queenstown Road. Like Mary Poppins and her charges, we had the option to hop on a London bus." I decided to keep walking and head towards the start of another adventure walk while you were smiling at me still wearing your pajamas. 

I usually try to pack too much into each day. So much to see and such little time. I can't believe we've almost been here a month! Maybe one day I will learn and limit myself???