London: Home Away from Home

London: Home away from Home

When most people think about visiting Europe the first destination that may come to mind is London, England. At least for me it was, 2nd to Paris, France of course. My lifelong dream has always been to travel across the seas to visit England one day. Lucky for me, I just so happen to have a relative living in England, giving me even more reason to plan a trip to one of my dream destinations. Outside of my deployment while serving in the military, traveling to England was the longest flight I have taken as a civilian. The stars were in alignment for me on your flight to England, as my husband snagged us business class seats, courtesy of his employment for the airline (although our luck ran out on our flight back, as we were mere commoners seated in the main cabin). What an experience to be treated like royalty as we traveled to the home of one of the most famous royal families in the world. Although we had the luxury of converting our seats into a bed position, sleep did not necessarily come easy for me. However, the food served was superb! By far the best airplane food I have ever tasted. Kudos to the culinary team that prepared the meals for premium dining.

Our first day in England, we traveled about an hour away from Heathrow International Airport to a quaint English town called Harlow. Harlow is a town located in the west of Essex, England. The major difference between Harlow and London, is the plethora of green space. The traffic was evident, yet, in my opinion not as overcrowded as some suburban cities in the United States. London, however compared significantly to the hustle and bustle of New York City. We only had the pleasure of staying in England for approximately 2 ½ days, but we took full advantage by exploring London for those days. Our 2 full days consisted of us taking the train system from Harlow to London to explore the different tourist attractions. The train system in London could be quite daunting if going at it for the first time, but we were fortunate enough to have my aunt accompany us on our journeys to and from London. We took both the overground and underground train systems (or tube stations as the local call it) from Harlow Town to London. Depending on the time of day the trains can become quite crowded, however, in comparison to the train system in New York, London and its citizens take pride in keeping the trains litter and urine free. I did not witness any littering or trash anywhere on the trains nor were we subjected to horrid smells of bodily fluids.

Moving on the sites of London, our first destination was to the Brixton Village Market. What a treat to witness and be surrounded by the sights, smells and sounds from African and Caribbean culture. I immediately transported back to the vibrant colors of fruits, vegetables, sounds of steel pans, smells of fresh fish and cooked foods that I am accustomed to back on the Islands. It felt like home! Brixton Village Market is home to over 100 independent vendors, all representing approximately 50 nationalities. We spent some time walking through the market and observing the many vendors on display. We could not bypass the delicious smells of the Jamaican patty shop, so of course we stopped in to grab a few to snack on while we walked through the market. After we had our share of walking through Brixton Village, we hopped back on the Victoria Line train to Green Park station leading to Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace was a site to see! If you are unfamiliar with or never heard of the Buckingham Palace, I urge you to remove yourself from under the rock you are currently living. Nevertheless, since I am a bit of a historian, let me school you on this historic site. Buckingham Palace is known around the world as the home of the English Monarch, since 1837. It is used for many official events, national and royal receptions, as well as the backdrop for the regular Changing of the Guard ceremony. The Buckingham Palace consists of 775 rooms, including 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices, and 78 bathrooms. The state rooms are open to the public each summer, and on selected dates for small guided tours during the winter and spring. Our first day of sightseeing, we missed the changing of the guards, however we made it back the following day to witness the spectacle. The guards stood like a literal statues! If you did not know better you would think they were toy soldiers! The crowd to witness the changing of the guard was extreme. If you are vertically challenged like myself, it may become a task to catch the action. My trusty selfie stick and tall hubby did the trick. My husband was able to catch the action on video. The changing of the guard begins around 11am, so if you want a great view right up front make sure you are by the gates well before 11. We made it right on time, so we did not get the best view, but we made it work.

Westminster Abbey and The Big Ben was our next stop on our self-guided walking tour on day one of our London sightseeing. Westminster Abbey is a breathtaking Anglican Church famous for its many coronations and royal weddings. Westminster Abbey opened its doors in 1269, and still holds regular worship services. An architectural masterpiece, the royal church houses the shrine of St Edward the Confessor, the tombs of kings and queens, and countless memorials to the famous and the great. Located a few steps away from the Westminster Abbey, Big Ben which is a nickname for the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster is housed in the Palace of Westminster. Opened in 1859, Big Ben is recognizably one of the world’s most famous clocks. Following sighting Big Ben, we crossed the Westminster Bridge where we saw the London Eye located on the South Bank of the River Thames. My children kept referred to this popular tourist attraction as a Ferris Wheel. The London Eye is the most famous paid tourist attraction in the United Kingdom having over three million visitors each year.

Moving on, we then visited the London Bridge in Central London, crossing the Thames River. There was not much to see at the London Bridge, in my opinion, but it served as a stunning backdrop for pictures. We then made our way to Regents Street, which is a major shopping street in the West End of London. We walked until the sun took its rest, then made our way back to Harlow. We made our return to London the next full day to explore again, this time making our way to Piccadilly circus after witnessing the Changing of the Guards. Much like Times Square in New York City, you can find a plethora of shops, restaurants, vendors and of course the huge video displays and neon signs on corner buildings at Piccadilly Circus. Ending our day in London, we walked through Chinatown. Chinatown borders Soho to its north and west, located in the city of Westminster. Chinatown is a vibrant enclave home to many flavors of Asia. There are 78 restaurants, 53 shops and 12 bars and pubs currently in Chinatown.

Overall, our time in London was remarkable. I wish we had a few more days to explore, but I am already planning our return. Next time I plan to say a bit longer, so we could have the opportunity to take the 2-hour train ride to Paris! Until then, England will be an incredible experience forever engraved in my core memories!

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London Sites