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Day Two in London we decided to venture within closer proximity of our hotel by visiting Notting Hill’s famed Portobello Road and then make our way towards High Street Kensington
Notting Hill, while charming and filled with dozens of antique shops didn’t quite live up to the hype of what Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts led us to believe years earlier. Meanwhile High Street Kensington’s shops managed to tickle M’s fancy as she could finally find clothing that suited her in both style and size (m notes: it’s not really a size thing, more a fit thing as I am a bit taller and..erm…curvier than most women in Japan) for the first time in ages. Seeing her excitement actually led me to spring for a really cute green dress she managed to find in the first store we visited. For lunch we ate pad thai and then ventured off in separate directions to do some souvenir shopping for family in addition to ourselves. That said, there isn’t much to buy in London in terms of gifts compared to other destinations we’ve visited; still we found a few things.
On our final day before leaving for Paris, the weather was nothing short of spectacular as we visited our company’s global office to meet up with colleagues we arranged to see in advance of coming. One of the highlights for that day was walking around Covent Garden & Leicester Square with my old boss from Japan and seeing him genuinely happy adjusting to his new life in London after having transferred only a few months before. Not too long ago he too was working late into the night helping our team on a myriad of projects. Now, he’s excited about going to the park on weekends to play with his son, going out to movies with his wife, and enjoying the simple things in life. On our way back to the office we bumped into M and parted ways, but not before giving thanks and wishing each other the best.
From there, M and I made our way over towards Tralfagar Square and it turns out that both of us had similar stories to tell. As we sat upon the steps facing Big Ben, we watched the sun set and deep down hoped that some day we will return, but for now I’ll take it as a beautiful vision of the future.
Sorry for the delay. After two weeks on holiday, we had a lot of catching up to do at work. Fortunately we have a three day weekend and can bring everyone up to speed on our travels.
London…lots of fun, would like to live there some day.
Where to begin?
The flight from Tokyo was long (12 hours), but on the bright side M & I both had plenty of movies to help pass the time thanks to Virgin’s selection. Aside from that I can’t say that I was blown away by Virgin’s service based on all of the hype; nevertheless we got from point A to point B safely.
Once we arrived at Heathrow, things picked up pretty quickly as we managed to get through customs and on the Underground heading to London proper in twenty minutes time. With our hotel located near Gloucester Road station we managed to find a few restaurants close by that would serve us well, but perhaps our greatest find was Sainsbury’s.
Yes, the supermarket…
I love supermarkets, my mother and both grandmothers took me all the time as a child and to this day I still enjoy roaming the aisles in search of cookies, cereal and chips. However in Japan , food shopping is not as enjoyable since I really can’t read half of what I’m buying and selection for our tastes are limited. Sainsbury’s by comparison was a wonderland filled with baked goods (I highly recommend the jelly donuts), exotic spices, culturally diverse frozen foods, wide variety of fruits and vegetables, cereals, and even ginger beer. Which leads me to my next point, London is a truly global community.
On the streets you experience a cultural mixture unlike anywhere else as Europe, Asia, the MIddle East, and Africa all meld together. By comparison, New York is more of a cultural clash as most ethnic groups live within rather sheltered enclaves that divide up the neighborhoods. I’m sure that I’m missing something and only saw a fraction of the truth, but through my eyes it was very appealing.
Also appealing…the green space.
During our first full day in London we walked. Starting out on the west side we ventured toward Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey while stopping off at the famed Harrod’s department store along the way.
All three sites were enjoyable, especially watching the Queen’s horsemen parade through the streets, but not until we reached Big Ben did I truly feel that we were in London.
From there we walked along the Thames towards the Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.
Unfortunately the distance was a lot further than imagined and M rightfully protested we take a train, especially as the rains picked up a bit. But in time, fueled by a chai at Starbucks, M and I made our way across town and arrived with just enough time to tour the grounds before closing.
Little did I know the size and history of the Tower until I had the chance to experience it first hand. Everything from the Queen’s Jewels can be found there along with the Beefeaters who help guard the Tower. If ever in London, I highly recommend it.
Tomorrow, days two and three.
