There is so much to do in London and never enough time to accomplish it all. Over spring break I was able to experience London for two days. I got to see most of the places on my bucket list but I want to go back to experience more aspects of the city that aren't as touristy.
We arrived at London Gatwick Airport. From there, we went to stay at a family friend's house in East Putney. British homes are so full of hospitality and love. Their kitchen was full of great food and adorable decorations. The cabinets and tiles were all the same shade of baby blue. We stay up talking for hours to our friends, talking to them about their stories in London.
When we woke up early at their house, there was one destination on our mind that we knew we had to see: Camden Market. I was so excited to see the eclectic side of London. We headed north on The Tube to explore the shops and vendors. I was able to find a man who sells Indian leather bags. He spent years in India learning to perfect the process behind the production of them. He was native to London but had a love for creating and treating leather. I snagged myself a satchel bag because I knew I would need a sturdy and durable bag for school and my internship this summer. It's only been two months since I've bought it, but I am still so happy with my purchase. There were several other shops full of unique products, such as jewelry, turkish lamps, vintage cameras, and exotic food.
The food at Camden Market was just as interesting as the textile shops. Camden specializes in ethnic foods that are foreign to England, such as Mexican good. My mom and I need to try fish and chips, so we stopped at a place near the Amy Winehouse statue.
The food and assortment of clothes and accessories is something that I will never forget and next time I'm in London I will prepare myself to spend more money on these timeless souvenirs.
Later on, we found ourselves taking The Tube to the Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. All of these landmarks were even more large and over-the-top than I ever imagined to witness in real life. Buckingham palace was just as beautiful as it was when I saw the royal wedding on television a few years ago.
We ended our trip with a night out with our hosts and treated ourselves to a great meal at an Italian Pizza place (I couldn't resist). I got the best vibes in London and visiting completely changed my perception of the city. Originally I was so set on studying in London but I changed my mind last minute to go to Florence because I wanted to have to push myself to learn another language. I'm glad I stuck to Florence because of the size of London and the familiarity of the English language but I can see myself returning to London as often as I can and someday I hope that I can live here to fully understand this place.
