London Part One- Happy at the Holidays

            This past week I popped on down to London for Thanksgiving with family and friends. I really enjoyed the chance to revisit a city I had come to adore this past summer. Similar to some of my other trips, I have decided to break my experience in London into three separate blogs. It was a full and filling week in London and I cannot imagine forsaking to write about some of the wonderful times I had with family, friends and on my own little adventures. Where my view usually included a sunny day on the streets of London I now saw Christmas trees and dazzling lights. Cheery and full of joy, I hopped off the train and on to enjoy a jolly week in London.

On this adventure to London, I vowed to see absolutely everything I had hoped to and did not have a chance to this summer. I planned visits to The Tate Modern, but also a necessary return to Borough Market and Westminster Abbey. Being a student this summer, I was preoccupied with school rather than the sites of London. I was the casual tourist indulging in every museum London had to offer, never to forsake a wander down curious streets.

Excited to be back in London. Buckingham Palace was a perfect place to stop on our first walk through London.

            Thursday morning rolled around and it was time for me to head to the trains and make my way down to London. The trains are absolutely wonderful and such an easy and flexible way to commute throughout the UK and Europe. Being that it was Thanksgiving and I am far from home, I really enjoyed still being able to celebrate the holiday with my sister and longtime friend. I couldn’t really think of a better year to which I had so much to be thankful for. I thankful for my experience studying abroad and the chance to travel freely throughout Europe. Moreover, it is in these travel delights that I’ve been able to reunite with one of my best friends from home and this I know we will share all the way back to the USA. I met Grace at the train station and we checked into our very cozy hotel. This was a sweet treat to the hostels we had been staying in.We took off on our very own walking tour of London. Grace has never been to London, so it was wonderful for me to share my experiences in the city all the way  from Big Ben to Harrods. I noticed her amazement at London to which I shared the same expression on my first visit and hold to today. We saw so much of the city and worked ourselves up to a very delicious Thanksgiving dinner.

Harrods Christmas cupcakes!

Christmas Gingerbread cookies at Harrods!        

Grace and I taking a walk by Big Ben, Parliament and Westminster Abbey. It's mesmerizing to visit so many sites at once!

Thanksgiving meal! Turkey,
sweet potato, green beans delights!

Celebrating the holiday traditionally with family in London is very special. My sister and I gazed at each other in a bit of amazement that our holiday took us all the way across the pond and better yet together. We dined at The Big Easy in South Kensington, on of my favorite areas. Some of Lauren’s friends from school joined us for the evening. It was truly a mosh of a Thanksgiving abroad accompanied by all the delicious delights of a meal at home plus a celebratory glass of champagne. It truly was what they call it “Friendsgiving.” We laughed our way from the stuffing to the Red Velvet Cake, yes not the traditional delight for the holiday but nonetheless delicious. After a late evening out in London indulging in home cooking comforts, it was time to head back home. Just as the holiday calls for, we all were joyously full and heavy with sleep. Turkey and cranberry sugar plumbs danced in our heads. 

Thanksgiving with family and friends. Lauren, Grace and I all enjoyed spending time together during the holiday.

Up the eye we go!

The next morning, Grace and I awoke to a very full schedule of site seeing in London. My friend Julie, who is studying abroad in Paris, joined us for a festive weekend in London. Our first stop took us to the London Eye. This is a most necessary stop for someone who has yet to spend time in London. It is a great way to both see the city and enjoy the London Skyline. Afterwards we made our way to Westminster Abbey. This is one of my favorite places in all of London and I was overjoyed with the opportunity to head back and visit again. Once again I was astounded by the significance of the abbey. It is symbolic for a place of power housing figures from royalty, poets and activists alike. I saw the grave markings for many individuals who I have studied in school and inspire my own academia. The careful carving and detail insignia form the overwhelming divine artwork that fills the memorials and the entire abbey. After experiencing so much beauty and long walks around London, we decided to head back to our hotel before our evening festivities. The Christmas movie in full play and we were ready for a jolly nap.

The abbey!

London form above. The eye is quiet an amazing view of the city.

Later in the evening we met up with Grace’s friends’, Julie and my sister Lauren for dinner. While our Thanksgiving feast the night before was delicious, our dinner tonight was just as savory! It was actually one of grace’s friends twenty-first birthdays so we celebrated the evening with a nice meal and a night out afterwards. Post dinner we made our way to the Christmas markets. Along the night sky sparkly lights and wood-pop-up cottages lined the market. The stalls were filled with Christmas treats and novelties. While our ice skating tickets were cancelled due to the “warm weather” we nonetheless enjoyed the evening posing in fashionable furry hats and eating a few sweet treats along the way. The market was ginormous, including everything from market stalls, bars and even a fire pit to toast marshmallows. Moreover, there were an outstanding amount of amusement rides, I almost forsook the event for Disney’s very own Christmas special park. We made our way through the markets and I felt like I needed so much time to swift through all of the wonders and Christmas curiosities that occupied Hyde Park. I certainly knew I would be back to the markets during my week here in London.

Lauren and I at the Christmas market! Jolly times.

Afterwards we decided to spend an evening out in London. We headed to one of the clubs and celebrated a night out together. The club played so many of our favorite songs to which we danced the night away. The “old school” songs were a musical memento timing-lining all the crazy wonderful and down right fun times we’ve had abroad and throughout the years. It was a great evening filled with our version of the classics and a dancing beat. Grace’s friend also had the chance to celebrate her birthday with a proper night out on the town. It was another wondrous evening abroad and we were so happy to be able to experience all that we have these past fews. After another full day, it was time for us to head back to the hotel and fall into the fluffiness of our very soft and cozy hotel bed. 

Grace and I enjoying a night out in London!

Borough Market at Christmas Time. Love the festive wreaths!

The London Bridge! A necessary stop on our excursion for the day!

Ethiopian food!

The next day Grace and I ventured off to one of my favorite spots in all of London. We made our way to Borough Market for a wonderful lunch and some tasty delights. Borough Market is full of seasonal fruits and vegetables, seasoned aromas and freshly baked breads and pastries. I love how I can always expect my favorite foods, such as the massively large chocolate chip cookies, but also seasonal traditions. Being that my last visit was in the summer, I was curious to taste what was in store this time around in the winter. Grace and I enjoyed some vegetarian Ethiopian food. It was delicious and cooked with so many different flavors and spices that married each other in a warm bowl of hearty and healthy happiness. We finished our visit properly with my all time favorite massively indulgent chocolate cookie. A slice of culinary perfection in hand, we ate the cookie and made our way to London Bridge and the Old Castle. We walked through almost the entire city on a beautiful sunny day and Grace had a chance to visit another part of London. Adventured-out we made our way back to the hotel to rest up and send Grace on the way to her family friends.

 Cookies the size of our face!

Cookie heaven!

Fresh baked breads

Borough market form above!

The afternoon rolled around and it was time for Grace and I to part ways once again. The familiar hello in a new city and the saddened goodbye come in a pair. Nonetheless each visit shares the promise with another one soon to come. We said our goodbyes and reminisced not only on our time in London, but all of the amazing experiences we’ve shared these past months abroad. It has truly been a chance to explore the world around us, but also to reconnect old friends. Our adventures abroad will be something we share on our next visit back in the states. I know that as we reconnect in our bliss abroad, this same virtue will hold true at home. No matter where we are, we fall back into our fun loving and quiet odd sense of humor. Shirley forever. We are friends in every country, every city and every home. We said our goodbyes and acknowledge the excitement of reconnecting in Boston at Christmas time. Our next visit at home would be very jolly and as adventurous as our travels abroad. My time in London this next week is left to all the things I hope to explore. With an understanding of the city and the independence of my own time, I felt free to delve into all corners of London. The week was already ringing with so many adventures, but I urged to see more. These excursions on a very marry note!