Physic vs. Physics

London continues to treat me well - it showed me some sunshine today and prompted me to strap on the ole running shoes and head for Hyde Park. Amazingly, my host lives LITERALLY 2 blocks from the Park. I was initially concerned about getting lost but soon realized that the park is well marked and let my anxiety go. With MGMT playing, I explored all Hyde Park had to offer - The Italian Fountain, Prince Albert statue, the Flower Gardens, Princess Diana Fountain, Isis statue, Serpentine Garden, and the Peter Pan statue (nostalgia, what??!!). People watching was at its finest and I perched for a spell on an embankment and just indulged in one of my favorite pastimes while I rocked out to Muse - Black Holes and Revelations!! My host, Jess, has only popped over to the Park once or twice....FOOL!!

A quick shower later, and Jess and I set off for the Chelsea Physic Garden. Apparently, Chelsea is the posh place that "Kate and Wills" go out in - as well as Mayfaire....where I had Thai food last night. I saw my first live Birkin bag ;) The garden was fantastic and not at all what I expected. Silly me, I say the word "physic" and expected something like the Children's Science Museum in Nashville. Instead, it was a fantastic garden founded in 1673 by the Society of Apothecaries for their apprentices to learn to plant medicinal plants and to study their effects. Physic really means "the natural world". I saw the largest olive tree growing outside in Britain and learned that the original cotton seeds sent to Georgia (i.e. the Colonies) came from this garden!! Overall, an incredibly worthwhile experience and one that I'm glad "Saw Me". I had a lovely lunch of "mixed salads" - watermelon, feta and kalamata olives; squash, mint, proscuitto, peas and edamame; endive, cress, peaches and filberts...the perfect "garden and park" day. Too bad it kicked my allergies into high gear but that's what I brought Claritin for :)

Also - had to take a picture of the Jack Daniels poster in The Tube b\c it had the word "Tennessee" on it...what a taste of home, huh??

Tomorrow, it will be a day of museums and my first day to navigate The Tube by myself. If you don't hear from me, I am stuck underground. Another "worthy" day in London, as my Mom would say, and I'm looking forward to more.....