The sun is shining, the sky is blue, the temperature is 26°C, and it is a holiday Monday.
Without a doubt, today is a day to be outside.
There is nowhere else I want to go more than a cemetery.
Wandering the paths of cemeteries is so relaxing, especially one in which nature is growing wild and the tombstones blend with the tall grass, the flowers and trees. On a day such as this, the parks are full of a happy of sunbathers, picnics, children laughing and playing games, couples walking hands in hands beaming in the sun. This is a pleasure to observe, the simple happiness of others. Yet, today, I crave for the cemetery, for the peacefulness, the emptiness, the timelessness. The eeriness. It happened before, though it has been a long time since I ventured into one. I used to go to empty my mind, to read a book, to be alone in the big cities of Paris or London without having to lock myself indoors. And today, I am sharing this walk amid the graves with a friend, another lone wolf.
It is instant. The second I cross the gates and see the tombstones barely surfacing from the grass, or emerging from behind a tree, serenity envelops me. The rare people we encounter speak in a hush. The air is heavy with the smells of the many flowers blooming between the graves, and yet it feels lighter. Time slows down. Whatever worries were on my mind before, they have no place here. Even the coffee I took before coming cannot stop me feeling more relaxed, zen, serene.
Why did I wait so long before coming back?
There is humour, too. Here, the dead have not only flowers but vodka at their disposal. I make note that one day, too soon, my grandmother will have a bottle of Suze from me.
Also, the dead seem to have misbehaved, and there is a security cordon. Did one dead murder another? (I wonder how this would work…)
I take a few shots, as always. And old picture inspired one of my favourite creations, a photing. Maybe another one will come out from today’s visit to the Old Brompton Cemetary? For now, I feel energised and on a natural high.
So, which London cemetery should I visit next? Anyone interested in coming with me?
Thank you for reading.
Yours, Virginie
