Strolling Through London

I made it! I am here in London. My flight was delayed and I did not get in until 10:50 last night and then the immigration line was super long and there was crazy traffic on the way back to Sara’s (my sister) flat. We did not get back here until around 1:50 am. It was rough, but at least I am here now.

Sara woke me up around 10:30 this morning because she said the earlier I get up and get going, the easier it is to beat jet lag. We took the DLR from her flat into central London and then literally walked around all day. It was beautiful. We saw the Tower of London first, but I am not sure why they call it a tower. Next, we walked over to the Tower of London Bridge. If you look at a picture of the bridge, you will notice there is an extra platform high above where the cars drive…Sara and I went up there. It was awesome. There is a section that had a glass floor so we could see all the way down–quite frightening, but still pretty cool to look.

After walking over the bridge, we strolled down (meaning walked on the street next to) the River Thames and eventually found ourselves at a Nando’s for lunch. For those of you who have never been to a Nando’s before, it is a delicious restaurant that serves all different Mozambican/Portuguese themed chicken dishes. I stuck to something simple to be safe and got chicken thighs with a side of coleslaw. It was absolutely delicious! The coleslaw was a bit creamy for my liking, but it still did taste good. I got my chicken plain so that it would not be spicy, but it still had a great flavor. If you are more of a spicy food lover, you can get your chicken mild all the way to super hot. When you are finished with your meal, you have a choice of getting dessert and/or coffee or finishing with your meal. Sara and I chose to skip the dessert today, but it all did sound good.

After lunch, we just walked around some more. We went over a bridge and walked over to the Big Ben, which (fun fact) is actually named Elizabeth Tower! It really is a beautiful clock. That might sound crazy, but you would have to see it to understand. By this time, Sara and I had walked well over 5 miles already so we decided to sit in a park and rest. It was very relaxing and a great choice on our part.

The last eventful thing we did today was we went to a Mexican restaurant called Wahaca for dinner. It is a chain, but it does not have that chain feel. It is a sit down restaurant that looks really cool inside and the food is delicious. I ordered a chicken burrito and it was great. I really enjoyed myself. The best part is that it was not too big so it did not overstuff me. It was the perfect portion and I am really happy about that.

All in all I really enjoyed my first day here in London. Sara and I are heading to Brussels tomorrow, but we will be back for more London adventures in about 10 days. Today was a good preview of what else I have coming. I am very excited for my Europe adventure!

Walking to Discovery

When someone is going on vacation to a city, they tend to ask people for advice on what not to miss. Sometimes these suggestions include going on bus tours or not missing certain restaurants or to make sure to check out all the museums. These are all great suggestions, but they are missing one key concept. The best way to explore a city is by foot. Skip the bus tours and stick to your own two feet.

Cities can be large and overwhelming; especially to small town people, but that cannot stop you. If you are on vacation in a city and want to discover as much as you can, then walking is the best option.

When you are walking throughout a city, you can find things that you would never find otherwise. You may walk past an adorable restaurant you would have never considered. Maybe you decide to eat at that restaurant because it just looks so cute and maybe just maybe it will become your new favorite place to eat. You might discover some beautiful buildings that a tour guide would never suggest you go check out or even a little art gallery that you never would have heard of otherwise.

I am not saying you should completely ignore all suggestions and guide books. Definitely check out some tourist spots and some historic areas of whatever city you are in. Go to that restaurant that your friend suggested or that you found on Zagat with a 5 star rating. But do not stop there! You need to keep your sense of adventure. You need to go to all of those places and then on top of that, wander off the beaten path. It is the only way to really grasp a city for what it is.

I grew up 25 minutes outside of New York City and to this day, my favorite thing to do is to go into the city without a plan. I just have a starting point and I go. I walk until my feet cannot take it anymore. I have found some of my favorite areas of the city this way. It is a great way to explore and I highly suggest it.