Com’e, Com’era: London Layover

Read Mary’s intro to her Blog series here and check out her photos here! 

The first leg of my journey starts in London for a layover in Florence, Italy for two weeks and some amazing day trips in between.  After this I will be headed to Rome for my main stay in the eternal city.  Sounds lofty, but it’s true.

I hope my blog captures my experiences so you can have a glimpse into my daily life and travels. I also want to share travel tips, the best food, my favorite going out stops, and anything else that I stumble upon that I think you should know about.  I’d like to first tell you about a place that I fell in love with upon arrival.

Although I was only here for two days it was the perfect way to start my European adventure, London.  Everyone speaks English and I can read all of the signs; even the ones on the street that tell you which way to look before crossing.  We stayed right in the center of London and this is where I first met most of the students in my study abroad program.  It’s a lot like freshman year so I had to dig deep to find that eager spirit that helped me gain many friends quickly.  Except this time we weren’t navigating classrooms in Dwinelle, we were trying to find our way around a foreign international city.

In two days I managed to pack in lots of sightseeing such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, London Bridge, National Gallery, and Shakespeare’s Globe theatre. Next time I go back I would definitely take the Harry Potter tour of London. A few places were pointed out from the filming spots of the movie, but I could for sure do the whole tour.  I would also visit Tate Modern, a beautiful world famous modern art museum.  Almost all art museums are free, by the way.  Something everyone should take advantage of.  I also was able to experience the city’s world famous transportation system, The Underground (locally know as ‘The Tube”).  It really is a tube. I will NEVER complain about BART again.

I really did fall in love with this city even if Americans are not loved and a burger is about $17. Another thing you won’t find in London is the best food in the world, but if you like fish and chips you are in the right place.  I will say that I think this stereotype is changing.  The city is obviously oriented towards the international businessman and woman and this means chic and upscale restaurants are popping up everywhere.  I found myself in a modern Italian restaurant enjoying a crispy flat bread pizza with a mix of other twenty-something year olds.  Also, finding this place only happened because I was lucky enough to be with a friend that knows someone who lives and works in London. Basically, it pays to know someone who knows the city. If you don’t know anyone and have not put in the research you will be in tourist land.  Tourist land isn’t the end of the world, but you won’t see the real people of the city.  Besides the little Italian restaurant, I went to Gordon’s wine bar.  This was my favorite place.  It was really just and old door with the name of the place on it.  Once you open the door you just see a stairwell going down what seems to be nothing.  Through another door you enter this wine cellar turned bar that is crowded with young English businessmen and women.  Great atmosphere, great wine, and good memories.  Everyone should see this city, not just sights, but the people and how different it really is, even if their language is the same, only sounding better (in my opinion).  

Until next time Londontown!

In the blink of an eye I was back on a plane.  Off to Florence!