The trip got off to a rough start. Our departure \u2013 which was supposed to be at an already late 10:45 p.m. \u2013 didn\u2019t end up being until 1 in the morning. Because someone was smoking (or possibly vaping) in the airplane bathroom BEFORE WE EVEN TOOK OFF! So they were removed after much rigamarole \u2013 and the only good thing I have to say about it was I got to hear good working-class British griping as the offender and her fella were booted off the plane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A funny moment shortly after arrival: I end up having a laugh with a security agent, because I\u2019m shocked enough that I can just walk out without declaring anything or having anyone look at my passport that I actually ask if I\u2019ve made a wrong turn! Oh, innocent Canadian me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m not too much of a gawking tourist\u2026 but I do enjoy the view on the train ride in! The Strand! London Bridge!, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I get to the flat (look at me with the lingo!) and am very delighted. What a deal\/friend! And the cats are, well, cats. This day was mostly about getting settled (and maybe dealing with a wee bit of fear), but I did step out a little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I headed down Market Road to check out the Islington Tennis Centre and Gym, thinking this might be a thing. It didn\u2019t up being a thing. But while I was there, I also checked out Caledonian Park and its clock tower, and as I was walking by, this guy and gal were kicking a football (or, if you prefer, \u201csoccer ball\u201d) back and forth, and I heard her say \u201cI\u2019m from Toronto.\u201d So I chipped in a \u201cMe too!\u201d (the good kind), and I ended up kicking the ball around with them for twenty minutes. She was a U of T student from Saskatoon doing research in London for the summer; he was from Nigeria, actually playing football for his uni and a Tier 7 team. Making friends! (Single serving, but still.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then I grabbed a burger on the way home\u2026 noteworthy mostly because it\u2019s how I learned that the numbers of buildings across the street might be off by hundreds!<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Day 2 (Saturday, July 29th<\/sup>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I head to the Camden Market\u2026 and got a little lost on the way. It wasn\u2019t until the next time I went that I realized I could just stick to the canal, which takes a little longer but is well worth it. I did a good proper wander and did find the Amy Winehouse statue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was also guided by this \u2013 from the Frommer\u2019s Easy Guide to London 2020 \u2013 \u201cfood halls of fame: \u201cThe downmarket choice \u2013 mostly cheap and simple \u2013 but bountiful. Star attraction: The Cheese Wheel, where hand-rolled tagliatelle is tossed in a bowl made of a huge truckle of melting Parmesan.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n So how could I not?! (https:\/\/www.cheesewheellondon.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n From there, I went to Hampstead Heath. In retrospect, it\u2019s kind of funny that I went to the park so early in my trip. I didn\u2019t really need a temporary escape from the urban jungle at that point! But it was still neat to see, with some people-watching and -listening. (I also went on a Golders Green grass courts goose chase, based on some out-of-date online info. But what are you going to do?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n And since I was (vaguely) in the neighborhood (or should I say, neighbourhood), I checked out the Spaniards Inn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From their website, https:\/\/www.thespaniardshampstead.co.uk\/about-us#\/<\/a> :<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBuilt in 1585 as a tollgate on the Finchley boundary, The Spaniards has more than a few tales to tell. This characterful inn was named after the Spanish Ambassador to James I of England and rumour has it highwayman Dick Turpin was born there, whilst his father was landlord in the early 1700s. <\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Immortalised by Dickens in The Pickwick Papers, and allegedly the place in which Keats penned \u2018Ode to a Nightingale\u2019, The Spaniards has a romantic, nostalgic air and a feeling of time stood still. Boasting an open fire and many a cosy corner, its charming walled beer garden offers ample comfy seating, sheltered tables and barbecue facilities for the summer months, as well as patio heating for those cooler days. Perfect for laid-back afternoons, al-fresco dining or just a glass of something special on a sunny day.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n History!<\/p>\n\n\n\n And from there, a pretty lengthy walk home, and that was my day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Day 3 (Sunday, July 30th<\/sup>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n My wandering to explore came to a pretty early pause when I saw the Canopy Market and all its splendiferous booths. I went with the chicken tacos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (I\u2019m just going to put as an aside here that there were some sites close enough \u2013 and between me and King\u2019s Cross Station \u2013 that it doesn\u2019t make sense for me to note every time I go through them. But shoutouts to Granary Square, Coal Drops Yard, Regent\u2019s Canal, etc.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today\u2019s first (and basically only, not to get ahead of ourselves) stop was the British Library. I\u2019ll let some pictures tell some of the tale, but highlights that stand out include two copies of the Magna Carta, the Diamond Sutra (the oldest known printed book), a Gutenberg Bible, a Shakespeare First Folio, and yes, original Beatles lyrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, if only because I\u2019m an excellent son, stamps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Admittedly, some of this stuff I remembered from having been there about eighteen years earlier, but still pretty nifty. (Leaving aside the stuff that probably shouldn\u2019t be there.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Upon leaving, I got caught in a HARD rain that I had only partially prepared for \u2013 I was wearing a windbreaker \u2013 and that made me cut my day short. Lesson learned, London! Though I did wander through St. Pancras Station and saw Platform 9 \u00be. (Thought it would be a short-cut. Not so much. But still.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Things calmed down by the evening, and I still hadn\u2019t really done any shopping, so I took Other Kate\u2019s advice, and checked out the Lord Stanley. A very solid local, and I enjoyed me some lamb pizza and beer. (https:\/\/www.thelordstanley.com\/<\/a> )<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Day 4 (Monday, July 31st<\/sup>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Far from my only one of the trip, but this was a long walk day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n As in, I was doing the Frommer\u2019s Walking Tour #1, but I also had a long walk to get to the starting point of that walk!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thankfully, I found some incredible fuel fairly early. The falafel I had at Just Falafels, a stand in the St. Pancras Church yard, might\u2019ve been the best I\u2019ve ever had. And even if it wasn\u2019t, it damn sure felt like it at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then my long pre-walk continued, taking me by Somerset House, then along Fleet Street, then along the Thames.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As for the walking tour proper, stops included: Victoria Embankment at Westminster Bridge; The Palace of Westminster; Parliament Square; St. Margaret\u2019s Church; Westminster Abbey; Birdcage Walk; St. James Park; The Cenotaph; 10 Downing Street; Horse Guards; Nelson\u2019s Column & Trafalgar Square.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (For a running gag I\u2019ll carry through this post, this is when I first clocked where the Churchill War Rooms were.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was basically 5 o\u2019clock when I finished, so I decided of the close options, the National Portrait Gallery was the one I could best run through. I\u2019ll let pictures tell most of the tale\u2026 but I love those Tudors! (Thank you, Reign!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, I tried to go to Caf\u00e9 in the Crypt, but it was closed, so I took the Tube home. And honestly, it was remarkable it took me this long to ride the Tube. But the seal was now broken\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Day 5 (Tuesday, August 1st<\/sup>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This seems like a good time to mention that though I took a fair number of days off, I was working throughout this period. With the time shift, my 8 to 4 become a 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., so I was often able to squeeze in a morning activity before starting. But this was my first proper workday abroad. So mostly, I just did that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n BUT I did make a shopping excursion. I mean, I ate out a lot during this trip, because why wouldn\u2019t I?! But some meals had to be eaten at home, obviously, so we\u2019ll call this a practical day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, in terms of \u201cfun\u201d purchases, I had two. I got \u201cFrosties\u201d, which is what they call \u201cFrosted Flakes\u201d in the UK. That\u2019s fun, right? I also picked up some Jaffa Cakes, a snack I\u2019d been curious about since seeing them in The Commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, moderately curious, I suppose, since I\u2019d been to Europe after that movie came out in 1991, and hadn\u2019t bothered before. But this time, I did, and they were quite tasty! In fact, I wish I\u2019d brought some home\u2026 and as I\u2019m typing this, I\u2019m wondering if they\u2019re available somewhere here\u2026 Hmm\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Day 6 (Wednesday, August 2nd<\/sup>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Still in classic tourist mode at this point, I go to the British Museum! Luckily and inadvertently, I found the back door, so I didn\u2019t have to deal with a line (or \u201cqueue\u201d) to get in\u2026 but it was quite packed. As it should be!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019ll let the pictures once again tell most of the story, but here are the notes I jotted down when I returned home: \u201ctotem pole (taste of home!); Rosetta Stone; Egyptian mummies and sarcophagi, etc.; Assyrian Lion Hunt reliefs; Parthenon sculptures; Lewis chessmen; clocks; Book of the Dead\u201d Sums it up pretty well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n A funny moment in terms of how I was acclimatizing: I realized on my walk home that I had gotten (more or less) used to what side of the street people were driving on\u2026 but I did walk by a car and think \u201cWhere\u2019s the driver, and why\u2019s that guy just sitting in the passenger seat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Back home, a day of work, and then\u2026 reunion with Merv and Caz!<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are two people I went to Israel with (as part of a bigger group), and though at one point I\u2019d had ambitions to make a huge reunion of nearly everyone, these were the two I had the most vivid memories of as being \u201ccool.\u201d And my memory proved right! (I mean, I guess I can\u2019t definitively say they were \u201cthe coolest\u201d\u2026 but they were certainly cool. And if I were to live there, I\u2019d want them in my friend group, and I might be obnoxious about making it happen.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, in what was pure but delightful coincidence, this reunion happened to be EXACTLY thirty years from when we\u2019d last been together. (Well, the last day didn\u2019t line up, but we had been together on that day thirty years ago.) Hopefully, it won\u2019t be so long until the next one. What with them internets and all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The highlight was of course seeing them\u2026 but after the tasty dinner we had at Arcade, we also hit up the Princess Louise, which is an old-school (as in Victorian) pub I highly recommend, especially for those who like a little history with their hooch. (See links below)<\/p>\n\n\n\n (https:\/\/www.arcadefoodhall.com\/arcade-tottenham-court-rd<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n https:\/\/www.londonpubexplorer.com\/central-classics\/the-princess-louise<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n https:\/\/londonist.com\/pubs\/pubs\/pubs\/the-princess-louise<\/a> )<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Day 7 (Thursday, August 3rd<\/sup>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Another pretty pure workday. But after, I did manage a quick walk along the Canal, then sat to catch an outdoor flick at the Everyman Screen on the Canal. It was an audience pick, which ended up being The Devil Wears Prada. So, not the MOST me\u2026 but one I hadn\u2019t seen before, so that somewhat balances out. And it still felt like \u201ca thing done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Day 8 (Friday, August 4th<\/sup>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I brought my tennis stuff with me specifically because I wanted to play on a grass court and cross that off my bucket list. But I also didn\u2019t want to go a summer month without playing, AND I thought it would be nice to have a little human interaction and exercise to boot. So I got on an app\u2026 and that\u2019s how I found Joao!<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was from Brazil, had lived in Philly for a few years, and now lived here. Though he had a decent serve and I don\u2019t usually bother with one, we were pretty well-matched, and a good time was had by all! (And also a helpful reminder that if I WERE to move here \u2013 or for that matter, anywhere \u2013 this IS an option!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n And on the way back, an accidental excursion. As it\u2019s smack dab in the middle of a neighbourhood, I stumble upon Emirates Stadium of Arsenal fame. I don\u2019t do much with that fact, as everything seems to be fully closed, but I do walk around it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Day. Of. Work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then nighttime of play! Seeing that there were three things on my potential to-do list that were all fairly clustered together geographically, I decide to do all three. Which made the first two kind of rushed, but I stand by the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First stop is Chinatown, Dumplings Legend. \u201cWhy?\u201d, you ask. For a very stupid (or at least silly) reason: it\u2019s where the old Lee Ho Fuk was. You know, from the Warren Zevon song, Werewolves of London? Oh, me! Anyway, I wolf down some dumplings, and I stand by the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, to the John Snow. And yes, that H belongs there, for this is not a bar dedicated to the Game of Thrones character. No, it\u2019s dedicated to the man who figured out the source of a cholera outbreak, and in so doing, basically invented epidemiology. (I used to know the history better, specifically when I was reading a book about it\u2026 but that\u2019s the gist of it, and it\u2019s neat!) Anyhoo, I had a pint of lager and saw a replica of the infamous cholera-spreading pump!<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/scatteredflurries.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/20230728_094512-scaled-e1714161988616.jpg\")
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