Hello again!
Last weekend I undertook a swift journey to the capital city of England which lasted for 25 hours. It was pretty exhausting but also rewarding. So what did I do in such a short time? Well actually quite a lot.
Last weekend I undertook a swift journey to the capital city of England which lasted for 25 hours. It was pretty exhausting but also rewarding. So what did I do in such a short time? Well actually quite a lot.
So the adventure began on Friday evening when I left Cologne by bus and the next day at 7:30 I arrived at the famed Victoria Coach Station. But until then we had to travel through the city, cross the Thames on the Westminster Bridge, remember the Big Ben joke, go around the Parliament Square, say hello to Churchill, drive near the Trafalgar Square and finally reaching the station.
I've been in London a few times before and almost every time I try to see something new. And when you have some good friends that live in the city, the mission becomes easier and more pleasurable.
So, after a quick-breakfast in the Finsbury Park area we headed for Hampstead Heath. The neighborhood is a really posh one with stylish houses and of course luxurious cars. After going through the park, we reached the top of the hill, from where you can see a nice panorama of the city. Well, if the weather lets you...
Afterwards we reached the Stables Market and the Camden Lock Market. When you enter the market you suddenly feel like you are in a bazaar in the Orient. Lots of people, sellers and buyers alike, filling the alleys, all kind of merchandise being displayed, the smell of food filling your nostrils, the mix of loud voices with different accents stimulating you inner ear, you can feel at the same time lost and excited.
The Stables Market, as the name suggests, used to be a horse hospital which served the horses pulling Pickford's distribution vans and barges along the canal, that was transformed into a marketplace in which chain stores are not allowed to trade. Going further you will reach the Camden Lock Market situated near the Regent's Canal. Here you can find a lot of fast food stalls with specialties from all over the world. I also had a wrapped duck, which was delicious. The journey continued along the Canal. We passed the pirate's castle and watched some kids rowing with their father.
Then, taking advantage of the sun in the sky we went to the Primrose Hill. From there you can see the tallest buildings in London. Laying down for a while, producing some vitamin D and enjoying the view was the perfect activity for that after-noon.
I've been in London a few times before and almost every time I try to see something new. And when you have some good friends that live in the city, the mission becomes easier and more pleasurable.
So, after a quick-breakfast in the Finsbury Park area we headed for Hampstead Heath. The neighborhood is a really posh one with stylish houses and of course luxurious cars. After going through the park, we reached the top of the hill, from where you can see a nice panorama of the city. Well, if the weather lets you...
Afterwards we reached the Stables Market and the Camden Lock Market. When you enter the market you suddenly feel like you are in a bazaar in the Orient. Lots of people, sellers and buyers alike, filling the alleys, all kind of merchandise being displayed, the smell of food filling your nostrils, the mix of loud voices with different accents stimulating you inner ear, you can feel at the same time lost and excited.
The Stables Market, as the name suggests, used to be a horse hospital which served the horses pulling Pickford's distribution vans and barges along the canal, that was transformed into a marketplace in which chain stores are not allowed to trade. Going further you will reach the Camden Lock Market situated near the Regent's Canal. Here you can find a lot of fast food stalls with specialties from all over the world. I also had a wrapped duck, which was delicious. The journey continued along the Canal. We passed the pirate's castle and watched some kids rowing with their father.
Then, taking advantage of the sun in the sky we went to the Primrose Hill. From there you can see the tallest buildings in London. Laying down for a while, producing some vitamin D and enjoying the view was the perfect activity for that after-noon.
In the evening we went for a walk in the central area of London. Blackfriars Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, and then reaching the Old Street neighborhood. It is the perfect place for nightlife fun, with lots of bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants.
We first had a pint of cold beer in the William Blake pub followed by a nice dinner at a Thai Restaurant. But the strange thing is that some of the bars close around midnight, so you'll have to do a bit of research if you want to party all night long. A good thing is though that some buses travel all night so you don't have to take a cab to go home.
Some strange things about the English houses are related to the bathroom area. The sink has, for example, separate spots for the hot and cold water. So you have 2 choices: either get burned or get very cold. Another funny thing is how you turn the lights on and off. You do that by pulling a string that hangs from the ceiling. It was pretty fun to discover this peculiarities.
We first had a pint of cold beer in the William Blake pub followed by a nice dinner at a Thai Restaurant. But the strange thing is that some of the bars close around midnight, so you'll have to do a bit of research if you want to party all night long. A good thing is though that some buses travel all night so you don't have to take a cab to go home.
Some strange things about the English houses are related to the bathroom area. The sink has, for example, separate spots for the hot and cold water. So you have 2 choices: either get burned or get very cold. Another funny thing is how you turn the lights on and off. You do that by pulling a string that hangs from the ceiling. It was pretty fun to discover this peculiarities.
The next morning at 7 am I had to wake up and go back to Cologne. On the way here I took the ferry from Calais to Dover, but on the way back we boarded the Eurotunnel Shuttle. It was the first time for me in the Tunnel and honestly I didn't know what to expect. I thought that it was a normal tunnel. Oh, how wrong I was... Actually every vehicle has to board a shuttle that has 775 m in length but that is not so broad - the bus barley made in, so it's not recommended for claustrophobic people. The journey was quick, it lasted for 50 min and in no time we arrived in France. From there, the usual route via Ghent, Bruxelles and Cologne.
After this super-short-city-break I felt a bit tired but very satisfied with the efficiency of the visit. :)
See you next time!
R.C.
P.S.
The jokes about Big Ben:
a) luckily Big Ben wasn't named after his brother Richard
b) What did Big Ben say to the leaning tower of Pisa? "I've got the time if you've got the inclination"
After this super-short-city-break I felt a bit tired but very satisfied with the efficiency of the visit. :)
See you next time!
R.C.
P.S.
The jokes about Big Ben:
a) luckily Big Ben wasn't named after his brother Richard
b) What did Big Ben say to the leaning tower of Pisa? "I've got the time if you've got the inclination"
