London Calling

I had time to fit in one more longer trip to London during my “study week”. Megan and I left on Monday Dec. 9^th and stayed until Friday Dec 13^th. Our days here were full and lots of fun. After we got off the plane we took a bus, train, the tube, and finally made it on foot to our hostel! That night we met up with a friend of mine, Julie, from DU (also from the Seattle area!). 

On the first day we accomplished walking from Waterloo station all the way to Camden town making stops along the way. The day started by walking past Big Ben towards Buckingham Palace. There was some sort of event going on so lots of dressed up people were entering through the gates with pink tickets in hand. Perhaps a Christmas party? All of the cars and taxis entering had to be searched before driving through. 

Harry Potter being searched.

After, we headed to Hyde Park to see Winter Wonderland! This is a huge Christmas market/amusement park. It was HUGE, and I was very thankful to see it in the morning when very few people were around. Next, we went the Sherlock Holmes museum, Regent’s Park, Primrose Hill, and to Camden. Is a neighborhood in the north part of London. The Camden Lock Market is here, and it is enormous. There are large horse statues throughout the market too! That night we went back to Hyde Park which this time was filled with people. Megan and I enjoyed mulled wine in the Bavarian Village and Nutella crepes after! 

Winter Wonderland!

 View from Primrose Hill

The next day started at Pax Lodge, one of four Girl Guide World Centers! I originally signed up for a tour but it happened to coincide with their annual Christmas party so Megan and I attended this instead. There were crafts, food (yule logs, scones, and carrot cake), tea, and carols. We didn’t get an official tour but were able to look around the ground floor after. I am halfway done with visiting all the centers now! Visiting Pax Lodge made me want to volunteer at center, perhaps one day. 

Contribution to the hand wreath.

After, we went to the British Library and National Gallery (both free!). I would highly recommend both. That night we went to dinner at the Lehore Kebab House, as recommended by our free map. It was a shot in the dark that turned out to have really good food! We had seekh kebab, bhindi gosht, sag paneer, and garlic naan.

Our final full day started the in the South End at a smaller Christmas Market at Gabriel’s Wharf by the London Eye. We continued walking along the river to the Borough Market. I had been here previously and remembered it having lots of good food. I bought a slice of cheesecake and sampled lots of tea. 

Millennium Bridge in the fog, not snow.

After, we went to the Tate Modern. There was a lot of strange modern art...I took a serious of photos I call “Turds of the Tate”. 

After the Tate, I went to Paddington Station where I got on a 25 min train ride east to Reading! My friend Penny (or as I know her, Queenie!) who I have worked with for 2 summers at Robbinswold lives here!! Reading was a bigger town than I thought, I learned the only reason it’s not a city is because it doesn’t have a cathedral. She had 3 hours off from work so we went out to dinner and then I got back on the train to London. She is headed off soon on a 5 month trip of her own to Asia, Australia, and New Zealand (and maybe more...). 

I got back to Waterloo station on the tube and heard some members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra playing Christmas songs in the station to raise money (I can’t remember the charity). 

We left our hostel at 4:30am the next morning to catch a bus to the airport... There was minimal studying had during this trip but it was worth it. I studied the rest of the weekend and all of this past week for 3 finals, the last of which ended at 6pm on Friday!