Over Christmas, me and my boyfriend went to Crystal Palace Park, and I really enjoyed it.
We went to see the dinosaur statues, as fans of dinosaurs. We walked hand in hand, even if we started out going the wrong way, and it was a lovely day.
We walked round the lake, and it was just so nice to be out and about in nature. The lake was surrounded by a large forest, full of tall trees and wild bushes. It was raining, which made it even better. I love the scent of the rain through the tree; fresh, pure, intoxicating. I loved the feel of the mud under my shoes, connecting me to the earth, soft under my feet. It felt like am adventure, splashing through puddles. The lake was really calming, with its serene waters, as clear as a mirror. And the rain sang, droplets kissing my skin as we walked and talked.
We did eventually come to the statues, and they were wonderful. There were lots of dinosaurs, and I got even more excited at the signs. Normally, in places like these, I will struggle with the signs. But these were really accessible. They were on black card, with white writing, making it super easy to see. Each animal had a little tactile drawings, that you could feel to get a sense of the animals.
It just felt so wonderful, to be included. To not have to struggle to see. For someone to just have made things accessible, without a war to make them do so. And the statues themselves were close enough to see, even from the other side of the bank.
We trailed round the islands, finding all the dinosaurs. We then explored the rest of the park, lost in this little world, and found more statues of pandas and butterflies and giraffes as we meandered down paths and over bridges.
It felt like a magical forest, that I wasn’t expecting to find in London, even if it was on the edge of the capital. And I loved it. It was an ocean of green hidden in a landscape of grey. It was full of the senses, of that exotic petrichor and the sweet birdsong. It was full of wonder, with these statues hidden amongst the trees.
It was wonderful, and I would go again. I didn’t want to leave. But I was getting hungry, and my feet hurt from walking to far. But I was glad we went.
