02/18/2019
I wake up to the sounds of construction and the hustle of the city. I look out my window to see a beautiful view of both King’s Cross and St. Pancras Station. I’m alive. I breathe in, gather my thoughts and create my game/day plan. First up. Run.
I am training for the LA marathon, which is in one month, so I have to keep up with my runs while I’m away. To be honest, it was one of the coolest ways to see the city. First run is through Regent’s park. First off, London’s parks are incredible, and Regent’s park is no exception (other than I came when the roses weren’t in bloom!).
Sprawling grass fields and hills, an outdoor auditorium, grandiose statues spaced throughout, and, to top off the run, Primrose Hill. Finishing a run and just sitting at the top of this hill, you can see all of London. It’s stunning!
After the run I walk over to Camden Market which is about a mile away. I take a path that brings me along the water where little boats float almost like a little Venice. I walk past murals of graffiti on the walls and walk into Camden market. It’s pretty chilly outside so the first thing I do is get a hot chocolate. Not only is it delicious, it keeps my hands warm. Perfect.
Camden market is all I expected. Fun food vendors everywhere, boutique shops, alt rock vibes (I mean, I walked through a rave store the size of an Old Navy out here).
I started to get hungry and was narrowing down my options when I came up on a place I didn’t think I would see until the next day’s excursion...CEREAL KILLER CAFE!
I walk in and the inner child in me comes out. This place has cereal stacked from floor to ceiling, TVs playing 90s cartoons, pop art of all things nostalgic, I mean their numbering system to bring you your food is an empty VHS holder.
I look through the menu and land on the perfect one: OREO-M-G. This was oreo cereal with mini oreos, chocolate milk, and a scoop of their ice cream. I know what you’re thinking, ice cream with cereal? Yes, ice cream with cereal. It is glorious and I highly recommend trying it.
I finish up the bowl, and after overcoming the slight depression of no longer having any cereal in my bowl I venture on. Next up: the British Library.
I was going to walk there, it was about a mile and a half away, but it started raining, so onto the tube I go. I decide on the tube I should definitely shower before going to any more public places, so I do. After the shower I walk to the British Library and start walking through the various exhibits. You aren’t allowed to take pictures of the various books on display, but I can’t help but be in awe of how preserved these pieces are. I was in more shock and awe with this than any other exhibit I have been to. Documents date back thousands of years and are still in good enough shape to be seen. Not to mention seeing the Magna Carta up close and personal was pretty freaking cool.
Alright, now it’s off to Westminster Abbey before it closes.
I tube over and get there to find out it’s twenty-two pounds to get in. Yeah, not happening. If I was going to do that I would want to be in there a while, but I showed up with only an hour or so to go. Oh well. You can see the covering over Big Ben, but nothing much else, so it’s onto Westminster Palace.
I approach a security guard when I get there and ask what the procedures are for just seeing the palace. He asks me if that means I want a tour, “yeah if it gets me in.” Turns out the next tours are on Saturday...but you can go in and watch a House of Lords session. How much is that? It’s free. Count me in.
I walk through the security which looks like a small airport security with way better TSA agents holding assault rifles. I empty my pockets, get my stuff back from the X-Ray, and make my way inside the Palace of Westminster. I walk in and once again am awestruck. In comparison to the museums, it stacks up with all of them. But this is a building of business, this is a living museum with it’s incredible artwork, high arching ceilings, and unbelievable architecture. I take a video, but am immediately told I can’t do that.
Whoops. Sorry, I’m just a stupid American please don’t hurt me. So I walk to the waiting area and wait for my group to be allowed into the chambers. We get called up and walk up what seems like six to ten flights of stairs, but it’s only like four steps a flight. We get to the doorway, have to give our phones up, and then we are let in.
Once again, living freaking museum. Ornate light fixtures made of gold, wooden chairs/thrones look like they were made hundreds of years ago, and three British men wearing black robes and curly white wigs. The lords. This was like watching a session of Congress, but if you could only understand 50-75% of it because of their accents. They talked about climate change, Brexit, the economy, how is this free? I sat there for a good twenty minutes before I decided it was time to move on.
I decide to make my way to the Churchill War Rooms, but it was twenty two pounds. Maybe another day if I have money leftover. So I walk over to 10 Downing Street, which is just down the road. Very underwhelming. A lot of armed guards in front of a gate with tourists packed together. On to the next thing. The National Gallery.
I get to the National Gallery and use the WiFi to FaceTime Emily. She’s about to go to sleep, but I tell her it’s amazing out here, and what I’m up to next. 1) The National Gallery and 2) Afternoon Tea. I tell her good night and peruse the massive expanse of painting throughout the gallery. The National Gallery lives up to all its hype: it’s massive, it’s expansive, it’s historic, and it has Van Gohg’s + Picasso’s. If I wanted to I could spend all day there, but I’m losing my opportunity to get my Afternoon Tea!
I go down to the cafe in the museum, but they are no longer serving their Afternoon Tea, so I look at my list and find the closest place that was recommended: Dean’s Townhouse.
As I walk to my destination I pass through Chinatown. Holy shit did that area smell good, if you like Chinese food that is. I think to myself, I’ll be back (unfortunately unlike the Terminator, I wasn’t. Just another excuse to come back for another trip!).
I arrive at Dean’s Townhouse and it lives up to its name. It would be lazy to say it was homey, but I’m doing it. Lights and candles kept the area dimly lit. While it was quaint and cozy, it was also open and roomy. I felt close enough to people, but I still had a lot of my own personal space. I was seated in a comfortable armchair and was able to just rest my feet and relax. I order my tea and anticipate what’s to come.
Side Note: How do I like my tea? I usually just drink tea in the US for caffeine. Hmmm. Guess I’ll have to try some new things out!
As I wait, the lone candle flickers on my table. Reminiscing on these first couple of days I couldn’t have asked for more, it’s been incredible. I’m not even staring at my phone, but rather just enjoying the immersion into this wonderful culture.
The tea and the snacks arrive and I dig in. I add a sugar cube and some milk to my tea. Delicious. I eat some of the strawberry cake they gave me, delicious. The scones are meh on their own, but with the clotted cream and jam it takes it to a whole. ‘Nother. Level. The sandwiches are literally what you would expect: white bread and whatever filling they put in it.
Side Note: I found out at this moment that I could live on the cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches.
Halfway through I’m getting fuller than I expected, but that’s only slowing me down and helping me live in the moment. Fantastic. As I finish up I am satisfied and extremely full. I probably shouldn’t have eaten the chocolate pastry and last scone, but hey, I’m in London, it’s time to live it up a bit!
Side Note: Before I left I heard Americans behind me coincidentally having a convo about living in New York. Of course they mention that they would go to Alimentari 3-4x a week and love Il Buco! What a small world.
Side Side Note: The owner, Donna, was roommates with Mary Lou, my fiance’s (Emily) Mom, when they were in college.
I ask the waiter for a rec for a place to get a good drink before the play I am about to see. He recommends Hovarda. I get up and am off to whatever and wherever that is. As I am walking I notice that even though I’m so full I have a huge burst of energy. Sugar + Caffeine high! Holy crap I’m amped up. Hopefully this drink will calm me down before the play.
I get to Hovarda and it is this fancy restaurant and bar. I’m in at an off hour so it is completely empty. Everything is beautifully polished wood except for this cool sciencey beaker set-up that is bubbling with water flowing through beakers, funnels, and flasks. This climbs up to the second floor where the bar is. I sit down at the bar, look at the menu, and order an old fashion.
I sit there and watch him make this old fashion. It took him about ten minutes, and the use of multiple cups and utensils. This is either going to be a very watered down old fashion, or it’ll be the best I’ve ever had. He hands it to me and I take a sip. Damn. That’s really freaking good. It might even be the best old fashion I have ever had.
Side Note: That all changed when I went to Cure in New Orleans. That’s for a different time though.
After the drink I walk over to the Picadilly Theatre and wait in line for the play. I don’t know what to expect at all from the London theater scene. I literally know nothing about it at all, including the play I am about to see.
Side Note: I just had to look up what the play was called because I forgot. It was The Curious Incident. (It had a longer title, but that’s the gist of it.)
So the line starts moving forward, I get my ticket checked, I am told to go all the way to the top, not surprising for the price I got my ticket for. I get to the top and there is a bar. Score. I grab a beer and head to my seat. The seats are cramped, but you can really see the whole stage, can’t complain.
I get through the play, don’t get me wrong it was good, but it was long and hard to watch. Hard to watch because of how well the main actor played a kid on the spectrum trying to find his mom. It was emotionally draining.
So it’s time to take the tube back and rest up for tomorrow. I get back to the area and decide I want some food, and McDonalds is one of the only places open. I snag two McChickens, walk the empty streets back to my hotel room, and chow down. I try to read a little, but it’s time to go to bed. Night, night.
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