LDN 💷

Before going I did not realize how many things there are to do in London even in the winter. I was blown away by the number of food markets, sights, and museums there are in London. I can see why people flock here and fall in love with the city.

Tower Bridge

There are plenty of bridges in London and tower bridge was by far my favorite. It is a draw bridge but almost never is raised since shipping has reduced in London Docklands. Tower bridge connects the Boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Southwark. It was completed in 1894 originally the sidewalks were created to allow pedestrians to cross even when the bridge was raised but then prostitutes and thieves would hang out there and were closed for about 20 years.

The Borough Market

I went to Borough Market at peak rush hour and it was so crowded. The Borough Market has supposedly been around for about 1,000 years? It has been at this location since 1756, so hardly any time at all. The marketplace was buzzing, the lots of the things on the menus I was not very familiar with, but looked and smelt delicious. A strong commitment for things to be locally sourced and sustainable! Being wedged in such a popular area, there was plenty to see the area is worth a wander!

Wanderings Worth Mentioning

At times I felt a bit like a kid at a candy store. Everything just seemed so photogenic. Below are some famous sights worth mentioning!

The National Gallery

The National Gallery has a little bit of this and a little bit of that. With a fairly large variety of styles and artists, the National Gallery is a perfect option for those who want to get their feet wet. The sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh is one of his most famous works which hangs in the National Gallery. The landscape photo represents the post-impressionism period in art; and has several other post impressionism works. The crabs- well I just couldn’t resist adding them. The gallery is engaging without becoming overwhelming, I toured it for about an hour maybe an hour and a half. I also included photos of inside the gallery below so you can get a feel for the space.

Regents Canal Walk

Coal Drop Yard is along the Regent Canal walk. London has so diamonds in a coal mine- and Coal Drop Yard is one of them. It is a space that has been redesigned and repurposed in an eye-catching way. The photo below is from Coal Drop Yard facing the canal with the tube. Along Regents Canal, Christmas lights reflecting light onto the water really lite up the experience of the night walk. The walk is beautiful at night and is very peaceful I recommend it, although Im sure the space is equally amazing during the day.

Kings Cross

King’s Cross was a bit surprising to me it was huge and had a modern twist. I think that the photo below demonstrates how the old is blended with the new in creative ways. I went to King’s Cross to take the Eurostar train to Paris (stay tuned for that upcoming post) and it has plenty of restaurants and cafes in the station as well as loading platforms, the most famous being Platform 9 and 3/4.

Acton Town

Acton Town. Atown was an Ace. I was told that it has the most tube stations out of any town in London, and I found it very easy to get around on the tube. Well, once i got the hang of it. The town is also very charming with a brick downtown shopping area- lots of local little shops. Oh, and I had the best brownie of my life from a local bakery. Pretty shook that the Brits are making brownies better but I still dream about it from time to time.

Along the Thames

London is a nesting doll of a city; with each area having its own identity and city center yet all tethered to London as a larger whole. New York City has boroughs that are similar but London seemed to bring a new definition to cohesion. I was able to take a walk with a friend and capture the Thames at sunset… it is amazing how different this part of the city felt. I didn’t feel like I was in London at all!

The Shard

The Shard is the highest building in London coming in at 310 meters tall (1,016 feet). I found it surprising to know that it is the tallest building in Europe Union and the fourth tallest in Europe (the three taller buildings all being in Russia!) You can see the Shard in a few of the photos that I have taken, the most obvious ones being the ones below.

I- miss spending time together and can’t wait to see you and hang out again S- Still a Naughty Tour Guide Bud