It has officially been a month since I waved goodbye to London in a plane over Heathrow Airport and Iāve missed it every single day. During this month London was the target of another terror attack killing eight people, at least 58 people lost their lives in an high-rise apartment fire last week and another incident is currently unfolding on Seven Sisters Road. These events struck me harder than I could have ever imagined. Even though London was only my home for four months, I took these losses personally because a place I associated with comfort and joy was attacked and repeatedly beaten down. However, I think I would have felt similarly if Philadelphia or Syracuse were struck with similar tragedies, because no matter where home is when something disrupts the positivity you associate with that place it simply sucks. It hurt to leave London and it hurts even more to not be there now, but I am beyond grateful that I had the opportunity in the first place to fall so deeply in love with this city.Ā
My final blog post about my study abroad experience is going to be all about what I did during my final week in London - the week my family visited and I got to show them everything I loved about it.Ā The places Iāve discovered on my countless adventures cannot be captured or explained by any amount of photos or words, but I hope you enjoy.Ā
The first stop when my family got here - my flat. I remember my third day in London, pulling up in a taxi to this flat and instantly falling in love. The street of white row homes was quintessentially London. For the last time, I closed the gate to the old rickety elevator and said goodbye to my tiny flat.
Once we were settled into the hotel I brought my parents and my brother to two of my favorite places in London - Camden Market and Primrose Hill. The easiest way to get there was via big red bus and my family found it extremely funny that they were actually riding on the top of a red double decker. Once in Camden, my brother and dad got lunch from the Mac Factory (the best mac&cheese EVER) while my mom and I got my favorite dish of Columbian food from a stall that I never remember the name - oops. After indulging in some more food we relaxed and enjoyed a fantastic view of the city from Primrose Hill.
That evening we did the most touristy thing ever and took a nightside open bus tour of the city. Although touristy, I loved every second of it. We got to see every major landmark of the city from Big Ben to the Victoria & Albert Museum, drove over Tower Bridge, saw Harrods all lit up and more. Every street and place we went I was able to connect to a memory from earlier in the semester. From the top of that bus I fell in love with the city all over again and realized it was possible to miss a place that you hadnāt even left yet.
The next two days were pleasantly filled with firsts for me. We visited the Maritime Museum, Cutty Sark, the Royal Observatory and Greenwich Park in the South of London where I learned about an aspect of the cityās history that I knew little about. We saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham palace, toured Westminster Abbey and spent hours in the Churchill war rooms. Of course, one evening we went up in the London eye where I got to take in the spectacular view of the city one last time. Ā All day, I hopped on and off the tube with joy and an extra pep in my step. As I reflect on my time here, I realized just how blissfully happy Iāve been these past for months.
The following day was an exciting one for me because I was FINALLY going to the Harry Potter studios - every wizard fanās dream. While there we got to tour several sets from the movies, examine the fine details of the thousands of props used, and admire the breathtaking model of Hogwarts. After leaving one room I truly didnāt think anything else on the tour would compare to what I just saw, but I was continually impressed and enjoyed every second of it. Every wand, costume and set I saw was picture worthy. I must have taken at least 200 photos. Ā
That evening ended with more fun and laughs at the Prince of Whales Theatre where we saw The Book of Mormon. I also took my family to my favorite pub for dinner, OāNeills. They found it hilarious that an Irish pub was located in Chinatown.
This day we slept in and spent the afternoon wandering around my favorite spots in London. I first took my family to my school and my favorite coffee shop across the street, Second Cup, where I had my last coffee EVER from there. It actually pained me to say goodbye to the baristas who had memorized my order and had become a regular part of my day. From there we visited the Sir John Soane museum, Denmark Street, and the National Gallery. The weather was so nice that we ended up sitting on the ledge of the fountains and watching all of the street artists. This was another one of those āpinch-meā moments because I didnāt know it was possible to be so genuinely happy and at peace with my life. This feeling lasted well into the evening when we ate at the Italian place around the corner of my flat, Bizzaros, grabbed ice cream from the corner store and watched the sun set while walking through Hyde Park. I realized that this was the last time I would get to go on a casual evening walk through the park and was overwhelmed with emotion. We werenāt doing anything tourists do, we were simply walking around and enjoying the mundane. I imagined spending my summer doing just this and felt a pang of sadness. I felt so comfortable and at home in this city and knew I would never be ready to say goodbye.
Today we did two things that I had been longing to do during my entire time in London. First, we had breakfast on the 38th floor at the Duck & Waffle where I watched the sun rise and fog lift over London while eating peanut butter for the first time in four months! The meal was rich and sweet but a perfect way to start the day. From there we moved onto the Tower of London where we spent hours learning about the early history of London and admiring the Crown Jewels. Afterwards, we visited Saint Paulās Cathedral, one of my favorite places in London simply because of its captivating beauty. Following the busy afternoon, we took a relaxing stroll along the Thames and I noticed buildings, people and my surroundings more than ever. We sat down at a pub in front of Tate Modern and admired the view over a pint. I was like a sponge trying to soak up every detail of London I possibly could. The relaxing evening allowed me to take in my surroundings and really appreciate everything.
With a train station nearby it would have been a sin for my family to spend all of their time in England just in the center of London so we took a day to visit Edinburgh, Scotland. I fell in love with this historic and homey city. We spent the day walking up hills, drinking scotch and exploring the old castle on the hill. The Harry Potter nerd inside of me was further satisfied when we had lunch at The Elephant House, where J.K. Rowling wrote her first few novels. The bathroom was a massive appreciation letter to Rowling with messages and quotes from the book written all over the walls. It was a busy and long day but I was so glad that I was able to fit in one more adventure before heading back to the States. It was bittersweet pulling into Victoria station after a trip for the last time because it was the last time that āgoing homeā meant going to London.
My last full day in London was absolute bliss from beginning to end. Iām not exaggerating when I say the weather was absolute perfection. Sunglasses were out and jackets were taken off. First, my family and I hopped on the tube to Westminster and took a tour of parliament. As a political science major I thoroughly enjoyed learning the insides and outs of the U.K.ās Ā political system. I had no idea why Charles I was beheaded, when the monarchy became symbolic or when women gained the right to vote (after the USA!). Beyond all the knowledge I gained, the Westminster Palace was an architectural masterpiece and every room was captivating.Ā
I said my final farewell to Big Ben and headed to Paddington. I just had to fit in one more walk from my flat through Hyde Park and it was an emotional one. From there we toured Kensington Palace, admired Princess Dianaās dresses and visited my favorite London museum, the Victoria & Albert. I visited the V&A 7 times during my semester (I KNOW CRAZY) so I was under a lot of pressure to show my family the highlights in just a single afternoon. It was surreal that I would never be able to spend a free afternoon exploring an exhibition followed by afternoon tea around the corner at Paul. I was once again grateful for the small life I had built in this city. I had my final glass of wine at a small cafe with dinner along Oxford Street where I made sure I had a seat facing the street so I could take in the hustle and bustle of the city one last time. Ā
This morning I did a final packing of my things and took my final tube ride to Paddington Station which was honestly the only fitting place for me to say my final farewells to my favorite city in the world. Thank you London for inspiring me, teaching me and opening my eyes to a whole new world. I am forever grateful.
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