The Crystal Palace

These pics are the second half of our walk just past the Rookery in Streatham Common. I can't remember how we'd heard of it but at some point during that completely serendipitous stroll, our goal became the Crystal Palace. It was on this search that we became dimly aware of the Capitol Ring. Since we had no internet or a map or a guide book (and these things are not listed in the tour books) we had to ask directions a few times. Along the way, we walked through a linked system of parks. 

At the top of this one there is a meadow with a view of the skyline beyond it:

Finally we reached our destination:

And here is the site on which it stood. It was a worlds fair destination that burnt down. What's left is like an old roman ruin. If you want to read more about the park here's a wiki link:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal_Palace_Park

N found this little toy bus behind a chain link barrier so of course we had to rescue it. We set it on one of the old walls so it could have some well deserved dignity and a view. Unfortunately on the way back it had been removed from its post and smashed beyond repair. 

Inside the park are lots of mini parks. This one is the Maze. 

It's several hundred years old and more complicated than you'd think. I lost my scarf trying to avoid a puddle and didn't notice it was missing until we made it into the middle part here. Luckily A found it right away and we all left by the thoughtfully provided "escape gate".

An unmarked monument in the park.

A parent bird brought its baby some food to share.

We couldn't figure out what these black birds were. They swim in the water but don't have webbed feet like the coots they hang with. Any ideas?

And this is part of the famous dinosaurs in the park. They're from 1853 or somewhere around that time and the iguanodon "Iggy" is famous for being anatomically incorrect. Apparently it was constructed before science knew how dinosaurs used their tails for balance.

Guess where we ended up for the evening? That's right: Ace Cafe. There was a German car event someone had to go to and a pint of pale ale someone else had to imbibe.