Back from London!

 When the only bad thing about a trans Atlantic journey was the terrible airplane food, you know it was a total success! 

From the plane ride to the train ride to the hotels, restaurants and sightseeing adventures, the trip to London was remarkably easy and fun. It is such a pleasure visiting a city with an intricate public transportation system.  Getting from the airport to downtown London took 40 minutes and cost a few dollars. Navigating London streets to my first hotel was easy with my phone and a question asked of a delivery guy I encountered on the sidewalk. (Always look for delivery people when you are uncertain of the area, they know all the streets!) In fact, I used the underground Tube several times during my stay because it, like the Metro in Paris, is easy to navigate, inexpensive and covers the city like a blanket. 

The first hotel I stayed at was in a touristy neighborhood, which was deliberate on my part. I wanted an old, English-style hotel with a lobby, a decent bar and centrally located. While my room was small, it was very clean, quiet and on the top floor. From the hotel, I could walk for miles and always find my way back because of its central location. (I am sometimes directionally challenged in a strange city and often veer off-course.)

London is a huge city with a lot of very old and stately buildings but those held little appeal to me other than to look at them from the outside. I didn't want to spend time in a lot of museums or in historic buildings, I wanted to see outdoor markets and old bookstores and walk across bridges, have lunch in a pub, eat fish and chips. The weather was cold but clear (mostly) and off I went, walking several miles each day, stopping for a coffee (a flat white) when necessary and a pastry. For a country known for its cup of tea tradition, it also has a bounty of good coffee spots. 

Over and over I was struck by the kindness of the British people. Every person we encountered was personable and friendly.  They looked you in the eye, paid attention to what was being discussed and if we needed help, they were on top of it. People said "excuse me" and "thank you."  To us, strangers! There was the feeling of comradery,  like we were all in this, whatever it was, together. It was such a remarkably human interaction that we commented on it over and over. Not like in the US, where everyone seems to be out for themselves. 

The second hotel I picked was in a totally different part of town, not a tourist mecca. In fact, there was a Mosque across the street from our hotel, so it was definitely a Muslim neighborhood. At one restaurant we were the only women and the only white people in the entire place! We were welcomed as if we lived there. In fact, the owner of the restaurant offered to buy us dinner if we returned!

We walked through food truck locations, many outdoor markets, vintage clothing shops, an amazing LP record shop, totally old-school. We saw live music, an amazing production of "Cabaret" that was as gritty and chill-inducing as it was brilliantly staged. I saw the play "Mousetrap" which has been running in London for over 70 years, making it the longest continuous run of any play in the world.  It was delightful.  There was a special photography exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery by Catherine Opie, a California photographer, that was emotionally moving, worth seeing twice. We ate really good fish and chips and pasta and amazing sandwiches, some from food carts, some in fine restaurants. We drank champagne at Harrod's department store which is an amazing adventure all on its own! 

Not only was my trip great fun and thought- provoking, it also renewed my love of travel. I talked to two gentlemen in a pub one afternoon, they encouraged me to come to Sweden.  Another couple described the north coast of Ireland and said it was lovely. People asked us where we were from and we were always hesitant to answer, but once they knew we were from Northern California, near San Francisco, all negative ideas about us were dispelled!  Bartenders, fellow diners, people on trains, everyone was chatty about traveling and eager to share stories.

Where will I go next?  I am not sure, but whether it is by car or train or plane, more adventures are in my future.