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| My hot mulled wine |
I was so excited when I woke up the next day because my family was going to join me and I couldn’t wait for my parents to experience London (my sister had been here in 2008). I decided to head back to Central London and hang out at the Winter Wonderland. I walked around and had some hot mulled wine. I also stopped by Hatchard’s Bookstore for some book-therapy. Hatchard’s is the oldest bookshop in London and 2nd in the UK. It was immaculate inside! Rows of classics and modern books were arranged thoughtfully all throughout the shop. My London trip wouldn’t be complete without popping by Fortnum & Mason. Coincidentally, it’s next door to Hatchard’s. I stocked up on the compulsory green tea with elderflower, clotted cream biscuits, bonbons and some chocolate. Aside from Hatchard’s and Fortnum & Mason, Wolseley, The Ritz, Burlington Arcade and the oddly-named Cilantro Cafe pepper the Picadilly.
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| Spare Oom (6 inches of snow all over) |
As much as I was enjoying that day in London, I was getting anxious to see my family. As I was walking back to the Green Park Station, I got a call from my sister. She and the parents were stuck in Amsterdam. Apparently, the UK’s airspace had been closed due to extreme weather conditions in Northern Europe. They were already in the air when the plane turned around and went back to Schipol. WTF? Now, all of our London plans were shot to hell. For the first time since I started traveling solo, I actually felt alone and sad (plus frustrated and upset). I was so hyped up on having my family with me in London for a change only to be dashed by 6 inches of snow.
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| Big reindeer in the middle of the piazza |
Instead of going back to my hotel to sulk, I made better use of my time and went to Covent Garden. Leicester Square is next to Covent Garden and both places share the West End dominion. It was busy, touristy and teeming with shops that sell everything from high street fashion, boudoir-inspired shoe shops (Poste Mistress, anyone?), knickknacks and everything else in between. Have I mentioned their new Ugg Store with velvet ropes outside? Yes, the tween Brits were obsessed with them. With plenty of time on my hands, I decided to have some Chinese food for lunch at Leicester and ended up chatting with a very nice New Yorker. I also went back to the Comedy Theater with the hopes of glimpsing Ben Barnes again (but my stalking efforts were in vain). There were also street performers in front of the Piazza that proved to be quite entertaining.