London’s Urban Nature (McGouran)
By Ronan McGouran.
As I have been exploring the city of London for almost two months now, I have gained a strong connection with the city and its diverse culture and environment. In particular, I am enjoying the natural spaces within the urban environment and frequently find myself exploring new parks and gardens. After spending a long day or week within the urban environment of London, through the busy streets and crowded tube rides, tourists everywhere within the city center, going to parks is a great way to decompress from that aspect of London and experience a more natural side of the city and country. I love the aspect of nature within the chaotic environment of the city; it becomes a balance to me in a therapeutic way. Hearing the different birds chirping, squirrels running around, and trees and plants in the phase between winter and spring, occasionally getting to see some flowers like in Kew Gardens at the Orchid Festival. Within the peaceful environments of the natural spaces, you can overlook in the distance and see buildings that remind you that you are in London like in Regents Park and the breathtaking view from Primrose Hill.
I love the aspect of nature within the chaotic environment of the city; it becomes a balance to me in a therapeutic way.
When walking through Holland Park, I was able to walk by peacocks and beautiful small waterfalls with huge fish swimming in the water in the Japanese Kyoto Garden. Growing up in NYC where the chaotic urban environment tends to dominate the natural spaces, I always seek nature within the city and I feel it is very easy in London with a park or square every few streets away, using my film camera and love for photography as an excuse to explore alone with no sense of destination.
Although not the most popular nature spaces I have explored, Hampstead Health is a short walk from The Stay Club in Kentish Town and evokes a sense of emotions that I anticipated on having when studying abroad. As I walk through the neighborhood to reach the health, I get a sense of residential community and it is very unique to the atmosphere of London through the architecture of the homes and aesthetic of the streets. Seeing all the people within the health, walking their dogs or with their family and friends, I feel welcomed in to the community of London and the residential neighborhoods surrounding me. Through this welcoming, I feel like I will carry this emotional attachment to London, Kentish Town, and the natural spaces within the city further than just one semester.
