Completely Failing The Peter Pan Tour of London

I have what I like to call are my "automatic tearjerkers." No matter how many times I have watched these movies, I pop them in and reach for the tissues, secure in the knowledge that the tears will be a-rolling. Steel Magnolias is one of these movies, and Finding Neverland is the other.

Personally, I feel no shame in the fact that I love Finding Neverland so. It's an incredibly beautiful, and incredibly sad, movie. If you haven't seen it and fancy a good cry, give it a go.

Image via http://twofistedfilmgazer.blogspot.co.uk

On one of my first days since arriving that I didn't have actual work to do, I decided to loll about for the morning watching a movie. Since I am in London (WHAT?!), only a British movie would do. And I was thumbing through the movies, I realized that Finding Neverland was in fact filmed in Kensington Gardens and J.M. Barrie lived in the hood! HEEEEEY!

So I put it in, and two hours later I wearily arose from the couch, with an actual tear stain on my shirt (not my guitar). Through the misery, I had a thought buzzing... I should go FIND Peter Pan themed things here in London and write a blog post about it! How lovely! 

And so I marched outside and headed the half mile north to Kensington Gardens, ready to get my blogger on. Of course, there were other things in store for me... namely THE WEATHER. I smugly distrust the weather predictions in London, since it pretty much SAYS rain every day but rarely is bad enough to warrant an umbrella. I was carrying one anyway, but I should be fine. I could see people out picnicing! Look at this sky! Interesting clouds, sure, but nothing to be concerned about.

So I arrive to the Gardens and say HEY!!! to the home of my future in-laws:

In my very very intense research for this tour, I had found out that the Peter Pan statue was by the Long Lake. Now I could have done the simple thing and looked up where that lake was, but how hard could it be? It's a lake! I'd head for the body of water! In fact, there's a body of water right over there, and I can see a statue on the other side! Let's go.

As I start the walk around the lake, the heavens POUR open. My just-gotten-dry feet are quivering just remembering it. Then I get to the statue and it's not even Peter - it's literally "Pure Energy" or some stupid thing like that. COME ON!

I doggedly decide to continue heading north to the old home of Barrie, which I know to be at 100 Bayswater. While it's still raining, I find a bit of romantic wonderment in walking the empty paths and imagining what it was like 100 years ago - and doesn't this look like the picture above?!

Finally reaching the street, I randomly turn to one side reasoning I can always backtrack. Naturally this utterly fails me - by the time I can see house numbers, I'm in the 60s and there's no going back. Number 100 will have to wait.

Luckily I was able to enjoy some beautiful things from the day as the sun peeked its head out, including the Italian Gardens:

Of course, the sun shining was only a tease, for the heavens opened again. And thus my wonderful Peter Pan tour, which would also include me sitting in the park reading my just-downloaded copy, completely failed.

Completely coincidentally, as I trudged home I actually found the statue! So here's your damn picture:

Final bit of SQUEE from the day - not cats but Mama Duck protecting Baby Ducks from the rain!