I know that Spring Break was a long time ago, but I'm finally blogging about the long weekend I spent with my sister in London! This was my first time in the UK, and it was marginally strange to be in a foreign country where the official language is English. A combination of having my sister there and the familiarity of the language made London a city that I felt I fit very comfortably into. Nevertheless, I heard more foreign languages in London that I have ever heard in Greece.
I arrived in London during my sister's last week there; consequently, she was finishing exams. According to our recently established tradition (which I didn't mention in the post about Halie's visit to Greece) she was also sick while I was there, just as I got sick while she was here. We managed to pack a lot in, regardless. My first night in London we got to go see Les Miserables. I was ecstatic when my sister suggested the idea before my visit - to see Les Miserables for the first time in London? What could be better? Now, I'm not a musical theater geek, but I have a good friend from college who is, and I owe all my theater knowledge to her (thanks, Natalie!). So I was excited. We had a choice between front row seats and the balcony, so though I anticipated craning my neck up to see the stage, we chose the front. I was sitting so close to the orchestra pit I could peer right in! We could even see the tiny microphones attached to the foreheads of the actors. While it wouldn't be the way I would choose to see every play, it was a very cool experience, and maybe my favorite of the whole trip. I bought a poster that I'm definitely going to frame.
The morning of my sister's exam, I took the opportunity to visit the Victoria and Albert museum, my sister's favorite. I walked there, and everything in London is just so... pretty. After Athens, which specializes in stucco, the neighborhood of Kensington was just so neat and orderly and architectur-y. The museum itself is spectacular, as are the other museums nearby. I saw a temporary exhibit at the V&A called "The Cult of Beauty," which focused on the aesthetics of the 19th century, my favorite literary period! And, just in case I didn't enjoy the museum exhibit itself enough, they had a gorgeous cafe where I had my very first British tea and scones.
In case you didn't know exactly when my Easter break was, let me remind you... it coincided with the royal wedding. And, like a true tourist, I stood with my sister and her boyfriend Jesse for five hours to watch the royal parade to the church and back. Except for the one lady behind us who had no concept of personal space, it was totally worth it, and it was pleasant to hear the people around us chatting about where they were from. I was pretty sure I wouldn't get any good pictures, so I didn't really try very hard. Mostly I just enjoyed the experience. And I got a great view of the Queen! Jesse is tall, and he got some very respectable shots, so I can always steal them.
That same day, after a nap, we took tea at the Kensington Palace Orangery. We managed to get in right before closing, despite my late napping habits. The gardens there are beautiful, and the tea absolutely delicious. We each got our own three-tiered set of tea cakes and sandwiches; I was practically rapturous with joy at the sight of the little dish towers, as my sister can attest. We strolled home through Kensington and Hyde Parks.
The next morning was spent at Burrow Market, a sight worthy of pilgrimage for all food lovers. Now, I like the Greek market, but the variety (and the samples!) at Burrow put anywhere else to shame. The only thing they couldn't compete in was citrus fruit, and they had more than enough to make up for it. Paella? Roast duck sandwich? Ostrich burger? Fresh fruit smoothie? Toasted cheese? Fudge? Specialty chocolates? Jam? Fish and Chips? Baked goods? Spanish sausage? Fresh milk? Heart attack? Yes, please! It was difficult to tear me away.
We closed my trip with a river walk and then a nighttime visit to the London Eye. The ride is pricey and not that long, but it was a great one-time experience. Everyone was politely jostling to get pictures with the best views. Mine didn't turn out too well because it's hard to get a night shot in a moving car, but I have plenty of other pictures. Finally, my visit (and my break) were at an end, and I headed back to Athens. But I hope this isn't my only visit to London.
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