It was a simple task: “Meet us at Regent’s Park after work!” At exactly 18:00 I pulled out my phone, chose the first result from Google Maps and headed for the Tube.
The next few hours are best summarized as a failure in communication and a huge misunderstanding of the size of Regent’s Park.
When I finally arrived at the main path going through park I was hungry, tired and had given up on finding my friends. My new objective was to find a place to eat. A map showed a cafe just a ways down, so off I went.
It was a quaint little place, painted dark brown with little shelves showcasing their delicious cakes. Sadly, it was not meant to be; they had closed a half hour ago. The hostess instructed me to follow the path a bit further to the main circle. There I would find a place to eat.
I won’t lie, I left the cafe a bit irritated with my situation but that soon changed. As I left, I looked to my right… Oh my, that’s beautiful. I took a picture, soaked it in for a short while and continued my dinner pilgrimage.
This new cafe looked like a blend of a garden house and beach hut. White chairs and wooden tables surrounded the building while large hedges encircled them both. C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity kept me company as I awaited my meal, the most lovely chicken and potato I’ve had in some time.
I left refreshed, but my time in the park was not quite over. Just as I turned the corner another breathtaking view unfolded at my side.
This time I sat down on the grass and took in the calm breeze, the bird songs, the sunset… There was nothing else I could do but praise the Artist who had painted this beautiful scene before me.