The flight I booked to Prague included a three-hour layover in Heathrow, which seemed perfect. The 12-hour layover that turned into once my initial connecter was cancelled, slightly less so. But thanks to the wondrous internet, I found an article with such specific instructions on how to tackle a London layover (store your bag here, buy a train ticket there, get off at this stop, etc.) that I quickly downed my coffee and got to it.
The recommended stop took me through a sprawling park filled with lounging people and ancient trees, and directly to Buckingham Palace. I know plenty about the inside of that place from watching The Crown, so I didn’t bother trying to book a tour.
Nonetheless, it was quite something to see those (dare I say ridiculous?) palace guards in their giant fur hats high-stepping it back and forth in front of the entrance.
Curiosity satisfied, I headed through the Palace grounds toward the River Thames. The streets in between were filled with tourists wandering around Westminster Abbey and posing in front of Big Ben.
I liked seeing the red double decker buses in person—they’re just so quintessentially London. The ferris wheel in the distance was a fun surprise. Why not insert a visually dramatic carnival ride right in the middle of your river walk?
The scene along the South Bank was definitely my favorite. If there’s one thing I learned on this trip, it’s that there’s a formula for great community development: Include a little something for everyone.
This area had some really great visuals, such as this polka dot creature (a panther, I think?) and his brightly-colored companion.
There were tons of food and drink options, of course. Some so creatively designed, they just begged you to stop and explore. Love the reuse of metal food cans here to create the 3-D BBQ sign.
Colorful planters filled with greenery tall enough to provide a nice visual barrier added some classy privacy for this outdoor seating area.
This was an arts and cultural district for sure, but that didn’t stop them from including a skate park filled with graffiti right next to the main path. Kids were skating and an artist was creating as I walked by. I love seeing this art form channelled rather than scorned. Suddenly this underused space offers something to see and something to do.
The hardscape included sculptural features that were clearly fun for kids. Playground equipment is not always needed.
Since I’ve been collaborating with several groups to help bring a maker space to Downtown Morgantown, I was really excited to discover that London has done a very similar thing.
The first floor of the building above was filled with retail shops. The top had a nice restaurant with a view.
The floors in between offered individual workspaces for artists and craftspeople.
Even the common hallways got some artistic attention.
The courtyard behind had its own intrigue, including a giant digital sign shaped like an iPhone that offered up information and an associated QR code.
Naturally all of this was done at big city scale, but the concepts are repeatable. We can do this here.
I couldn’t tell if the art on the wall above was part of a construction site or permanent, but it added some colorful vibrancy either way.
I ended my little walking tour in the gardens around the Palace. I wasn’t expecting this group of pelicans next to the pond, seemingly unbothered by the throngs of people walking by and stopping to stare.
My legs felt blissfully exhausted as I headed back to the airport for the next phase of my travel adventure.