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| House of Commons/Parliament |
So, on a whim back in September 2007, I decided to purchase a plane ticket to London for 2 weeks. This would mark the start of my romance with London. However, my motivation for this travel was somewhat of a despondent nature. My grandfather just died and I was feeling really lost, depressed and spent. I was looking for something to cheer me up and (for lack of a better term) to escape to. Cheesy as this may sound, I also just finished reading Eat, Pray, Love and I remembered how much it inspired me. So with my grief and inspiration (thanks Elizabeth Gilbert), I packed up and headed to London by myself.
I stayed at this little B&B in the heart of Central London called Hotel Meridiana. It’s not a Marriott by standards but they have clean rooms, affordable rates and full English breakfast every morning. I should also note that London is one of the most expensive cities in the world and to stay at a hotel/motel/B&B with free breakfast definitely helps a traveler financially.
My first trip to London definitely made an impact in me in more ways than I can deduce. I loved that it was an enormous, dirty city but so beautiful and historic at the same time. The architecture, transportation (very expensive), laid-back, nonchalant locals, pubs littering London and its diverse food scene cemented in me this yearning for wanting to relocate to London.
And to prove my love for this city, I have created a list of reasons why this is my favorite city in the world (not including San Francisco, of course).
Reasons why London is my #1 favorite city:
1. Harrod’s
2. Harry Potter (Platforms 9 & 3/4 – King’s Cross Station)
3. Black cabs
4. National Gallery
5. Friendly Brits
6. Pubs on every corner
7. Food (there is more to England than just fish and chips)
8. The Royal Park – Hyde Park, St. James’ Park and Green Park
9. Hatchard’s Bookshop
10. The best public transportation in the world – The Tube
11. Free entrance to museums (YEAH!!!)
12. The weather in autumn
13. West End plays – ie. Spamalot
14. How London is so close to Paris (1.5 hours through the Chunnel by way of Eurostar)
15. Plane ticket is dirt cheap compared to Italy
16. Fortnum and Mason
17. Borough Market
18. Walking along the South Bank
19. St. Paul’s Cathedral
20. It’s so green!