It’s amazing how a place can become a part of you, and even after being away, you return and it is as if no time was ever lost. That’s how I feel about London – even after years away, I can breeze through multiple lines on the Underground like it’s my job.
Our last few days in London were spent doing a mix of touristy and non-touristy things as our time in the city came to an end.
We grabbed brunch at Tom’s
Kitchen in Chelsea. The menu is reasonable priced, and despite being initially
underwhelmed at its size, my Brioche French Toast was delicious and quite
filling. I also had plate envy over L’s Eggs Florentine, and if I had room in
my stomach, I would’ve had that as well.
We rented Santander cycles
and rode through Hyde Park, one of my favorite things to do. There was a lot
going on so the park was packed with people, but we managed to have a nice ride
and didn’t hit anyone so that’s always a win in my book.
We ventured to Camden Town, a
must-see in my book due to its lively and eclectic nature. Some people argue
that Camden is becoming a bit more mainstream, but I think it highlights a lot
of what London has to offer. The markets at Camden are great for finding
souvenirs, and you can find pretty much every type of food imaginable. Also, no
visit to the markets is complete without a trip to Cyberdog – all three floors.
We embarked on a late-night
kebab hunt, as anyone visiting London should do at least once… but maybe minus
the “late-night” part. It began as a joke of looking for the best kebabs in
London and next thing you know, J and I are taking two buses to some place in
Fulham at 11pm. Despite slight troubles getting the bus home, we ended with delicious Turkish food, excessive leftovers, and a trip to the bathroom (n o r a g r e t s).
We visited Saatchi Gallery, which is one of my favorite art galleries. The gallery is located in Chelsea
and offers such a diverse mix of contemporary works. I’m by no means an art
buff but I find Saatchi Gallery to be exciting as you never know what will be
around the corner. The current exhibition featured works from Latin America and
Africa, and I was most looking forward to seeing Rafael Gómezbarros’ “Casa Tomada”,
which is an installation of a cluster of massive ants. The verdict: it is as
creepy in person as it appeared online, and L refused to even enter the room.
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| Alida Cervantes |
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| Boris Nzebo |
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| Rafael Gomezbarros |
Last but not least, we did
the London Eye. I’ve gone on the Eye before, but I wanted J to experience it so
I got us tickets as a birthday gift for her. Despite the day’s rainy
beginnings, we really lucked out in terms of weather and got some great shots.
Although it is a bit pricey, I think everyone should do the Eye once,
especially towards the end of your time in London. It’s a great way to see the
places you’ve been and tie the city together. It’s also a bonus if you have a
live and intelligent British friend along with you, who can identify almost any
building as well as a short background of its significance to the city (thanks
Seb!).
x A
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