I want to write about all the places I have been to in London but I don’t really know where to start. Or finish without making the post far too long.
I guess the first place I went out to see was oxford street which I walked along to oxford circus (not a real circus) and then along regent street to Piccadilly Circus (also thankfully not a real circus). It was all done up for Christmas at the time with lots of lights and decorations. I just tried to stay warm while soaking up the atmosphere of my first Northern Hemisphere Christmastime.
While still staying with Giselle she sent me out one day and I discovered the wonders of the Whole Foods Market on Kensington High Street. It’s pretty impressive as it covers three floors. But I found that the product range was not as exciting as the Whole Foods Market I went to in California.
I still could have spent up large at the UK branch, especially since I happened to have in my hot little hand a platinum American express card. Yep I had a very sexy little bit of plastic wanting to play. Not mine of course but it’s always better when someone else is playing the bill.
The Amex was Giselle’s so I was well behaved with it. Can you imagine the bitching that would have happened if I used it inappropriately? Well no you would have to imagine I am sure you would have been able to hear it, wherever you are in the world. And probably on a few nearby planets too…
I had actually been sent out ahead with her card so that I could pick up the tickets for our evening’s entertainment before we met up in Kensington. We went with Giselle’s friend to a noodle place for dins and then to the show.
The show was at the Royal Albert Hall and was the called The Best of Broadway. Our seats were way up high and I admit I felt a tiny bit of Acrophobia. The show was good but would have been better with more well known big happy songs. The upbeat kind that you just want to sing and dance along with.
Another adventurous day I caught the tube to Westminster (nice how it has the platform edge doors) I saw Big Ben, The London Eye and the outside of Westminster Abbey. I walked along the edge of the Thames River to the Tate Britain where I joined a free tour that was about Turner paintings (feel so cultured now).
Wandering back the way I came I was thrilled when I found the familiar underground sign with Big Ben in the background. I had placed a photo at my previous much hated place of employment to remind me what I was saving up for, so it was a big moment to actually be in the spot I had strived for!
From when I was at the dodgy hostel, which I must admit at least had its location going for it. I went for a walk with an Estonian girl who was in the dorm room with me. We went past Marble Arch and via Oxford Street to Piccadilly Circus and then on to Chinatown. It was quite a long walk but good exercise and nice to see the sights of lovely London on the way.
Then of course there was the previously mentioned stalker of Hyde Park, lets all repeat what a weirdo!
The next big moment out in London was the New Year’s celebrations. I joined a bunch of drunken people from the (new) hostel and we caught the tube to into the city and then wandered around the very crowded and cold streets as some of the hostel people wanted to meet up with some other people that we eventually found at a pub. We then all walked towards Trafalgar Square. It was packed but we found a new route in and as we were all running into the square in the dark I promptly managed to lose everyone!
I arrived around 11.45pm so didn’t have to wait too long for the show to start. It was pretty amazing to see in the New Year watching the fireworks exploding from the London Eye surrounded by strangers in Trafalgar Square. The fireworks lasted about 10-15mins and afterwards I wandered around looking at the square and amazed at the swarming sea of people in the area. Some freaky people wished me happy New Year but I managed to avoid kissing any of them. Eventually I followed the crowd to the underground. There was a huge
line at Leicester Square station. A bobby on the beat (well actually a horse) with a loudspeaker said there were 100000 people in the area and 600 of them were in line with me for the tube. But I eventually made it onto a train home. Yay for a free tube ride home with amusing drunks to entertain me on the way.
I had been talking to a Danish chick at the hostel about throwing something at a map of London and going wherever it lands (I still want to do this) but she talked to someone who recommended going to Primrose Hill so we just did that. We caught the tube to
Chalk Farm and walked to Primrose hill were we looked at the view of the city and took lots of photos. We then walked the short distance to Regent Park. It was pretty cold that day but I was still surprised to see that the water in the duck pond and
boat lake was totally frozen over. I do want to return in the spring/summer to see the gardens in the glory of full bloom.
One fine day I met Giselle for lunch and decided to go to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard that morning. Got off the tube at Green Park and walked across the park playing follow the tourist to find the palace. I was running late as usual for me here and didn’t get a good viewing spot. There were more people than I expected since it was off season and I was freezing my ass off!
The most interesting thing about the changing of the guard was that they played the music from Indiana Jones. I told Giselle this at lunch and she was like yeah when I went they played Austin Powers. So I like how they make it interesting for the tourists with fun music.
The last place I will mention visiting in this post is Camden, it has cool markets for wandering around. When I want to buy some flower patterned gumboots or a funny t-shirt this will be where I head to. There was a shop with quirky fun stuff including a mug that had “please hold while I pretend to speak to my supervisor about your fucking problem” oh how I wanted thee.
I had a great vegan burger with avocado. Camden seems to be quite a veg friendly area with quite a few veggie food places there and apparently there is a little Whole Foods Market as well but I haven’t managed to find it yet.
So that’s the beginnings of my London life. Not as interesting as it could be. But I will end this post now so that we can move on to much juicer stuff for the next one.
