Crystal Palace - a day with the dinosaurs

Last Saturday, on the first properly warm day of spring, I took a trip up to Crystal Palace to visit a friend. I knew nothing about the area, apart from the fact that they had a football team, and it was very apparent that I was travelling in the opposite direction to the vast majority of people changing at Three Bridges.

In fact, on seeing my ticket, the train conductor (is that what they're called or is the term archaic?) exclaimed "you're going to Crystal Palace! We don't get many people from your parts going up there." This made me a little worried as to why not - "what's wrong with it? I asked. But, as I found soon found out for myself, absolutely nothing: It's a lovely area and all the better for being kept somewhat of a secret from the hordes of tourists the summer is likely to bring to London's greener localities.

Being self-contained, the south-London area felt a little like a village - and a pretty cool village at that: One with a fair few vintage flea markets, charity shops, nice cafes and beer-garden boasting pubs and a view over the South Bank.

And then there are the 'royal grounds'. While only the foundations of the Crystal Palace now remain, after numerous fires gutted the glass and iron structure, in the 1800s the building played host to the seminal Great Exhibition of the industrial revolution I learnt so much about in Economics lectures. The grounds of the palace now form a vast public park complete with an interesting steel stage structure, pond, children's play areas, waterfalls and impressive dinosaur sculptures.

The beasts, unveiled in 1854, were the first dinosaur sculptures in the world, pre-dating the publication of Charles Darwin's Origin of Species by six years. Because of the limited knowledge scientists had of the creatures at the time, the models are now known to be somewhat inaccurate but nonetheless, good guess work guys!

According to my friend, rent-prices in CP are pretty reasonable by London standards but the creation of a tube-line, to be built in time for the Olympics, is likely to push them up and increase travel into the area.

But, until the mentalness of 2012 is upon us, I'm going to make the most of my lovely London discovery and am already planning a picnic in the park with Irish nearer the summer.

Click on images to enlarge.