Hyde Park

By Solomon Taragin

Florence

What could be better? Maybe the Garden of Eden—but who really knows? The weather and the colors of the leaves in London were in complete contradiction. It was cold—like, properly cold. And of course, my sister and I were totally unprepared for it.

I’m into clothing, sure, but I hate shopping for clothes. So naturally, on the first day, we had to go out and buy things just to survive the chill. I didn’t even pack any pants. I knew I’d need pants, but I was so rushed while packing—and all mine were dirty—so I figured, “I’ll just buy a pair or two when I get there.” Big mistake.

Shopping bored me so much that I ended up grabbing pants that were too big—and didn’t even think to get a belt. So for the rest of the trip, I was unintentionally sagging like a '90s rapper. Very street. I also bought a scarf. I couldn’t bring myself to buy a winter coat, though. That felt too important to rush. I’ve got one back in New York, and I’m now wondering if I can make it through the semester without it. My current strategy? Layering. And layering. And then some more layering.

On Saturday, I met up with a friend from my summer program who's studying in London too—and she knitted me a beanie! She’s amazing. She actually started making it back in the summer but didn’t finish it in time. Poetic, really—because I got it at the exact moment I needed it most: cold, underdressed, and desperate for warmth.

London’s weather felt like winter, but the city looked like the perfect version of fall. The leaves in Hyde Park were everywhere—yellows, oranges, burnt reds. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen that many scattered on the ground at once.

And you know what? It was nice doing... nothing of real importance. No museums. No packed itinerary. Just throwing leaves with the little kids in the park and calling it a day. Culture and sophistication? I think not. And honestly? I’m good with that.