London (2009)

In April 2009, three friends and I made a girlfriend getaway to London. The four of us have been best friends since elementary school, and when one of us was getting her Master's in London, we knew we should seize the opportunity for a reunion. We spent a week in London, with a day trip to Cambridge and it was the perfect amount of time to take advantage of all the city has to offer.

See

The British Museum - The British museum is one of my favorite museums. It has an incredible collection of art and artifacts from around the world, and it's free! The collection is somewhat controversial because most goods were 'collected' (aka stolen) during Britain's extensive exploits around the world during colonialism. Regardless, it's there, so enjoy it and decide where you stand on the Elgin Marbles debate.




Westminster Abbey - Westminster Abbey definitely merits a visit. The cathedral itself is gorgeous, but the history is just fascinating. Take the audio tour through the abbey, and spend some time working your way through the tombs and memorials of Britain's most accomplished writers, artists, politicians and scientists.



The Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms - I loved the Cabinet War Rooms. Being an international affairs dork, this was right up my alley. The underground rooms became Churchill's government headquarters during WWII, and when the war ended the rooms were simply deserted. The rooms have since been converted into the museum, and they offer a fascinating glimpse into Churchill's government during the war. For an American, the museum offers a unique exposure to the British experience during WWII. The audio tour was great and has actual recordings of Churchill conversations.

Harrod's - The famous department store was a fun little stop and a great place to pick up souvenirs. The beautifully appointed food halls are the main attraction, and the goods are mouthwatering!


Columbia Road flower market - The Columbia Road flower market is a traditional London flower market where vendors hawk you their flora and fauna in authentic Cockney accents. It's worth a stop if you're in the area.



Buckingham Palace - I've never done a tour of Buckingham palace, but on a previous trip to London I did see the changing of the guard. As they say (or as I say), once you've seen one changing of the guard, you've seen them all. Anyway, the palace is quite pretty from the outside and that sufficed for our purposes.


St. Paul's Cathedral- Okay, we didn't actually go inside...but we saw it and took pictures! Unfortunately, I did not feed the birds, tuppence a bag.



Do

Beefeater tour of the Tower of London - The Tower of London is awesome. You must go. The number one priority of your visit is doing a free hour-long tour with the Beefeaters, aka Queen's Yeomen. For one glorious hour you get an abridged version of English history from a witty soldier of the Queen's personal guard. The crown jewels are also pretty cool, but since I had seen them on a previous visit and the line for entry was hours (!) long, Jenny and I decided to pass. Tip: The queue (hey, we're in London now) for tickets can be ridiculous long, so buy tickets for the same price at the gift shop outside of the Tube entrance. I forget it's exact name, so please comment if you know what I'm talking about.

Jenny with our Beefeater

View of Tower Bridge from Tower of London

In front of Tower Bridge

London Walks - London Walks is an awesome group that gives free walking tours around London, which are usually guided by enthusiastic aspiring actors. We did the Jack the Ripper tour which was fun, and on a previous trip to London I did a historic pub crawl.

Spooky....

Day trip to Cambridge - Cambridge is a quick train ride from London, and it was a great side trip...particularly if you're looking for a break from the hustle and bustle.

Depending on the time and day of your visit you can tour various colleges, however, the best way to see the university is by punting! For just a few quid, a cute nomadic Aussie will whisk you away on the Cam river, while you relax and enjoy the sights.

Rainbow Cafe has cheap and tasty vegetarian in Cambridge town.

The best part about going to Cambridge is that you'll likely take the train from Kings Cross station, home of Platform 9 3/4!

Jenny and I are so cool

High Tea at the Orangery - The Orangery was a delightful spot for high tea. The restaurant is part of Kensington Palace and it offers scenic views of the palace gardens, as well as a great selection of teas and food. When you're done with tea, walk off all of that clotted cream through the neighboring parks and gardens.





Shop at Spitalfields Market - As you can see below, the market has a huge amount of artisan food, clothing and jewelry stalls. Great shopping!


Sleep
We stayed at the Arosfa Hotel, a bed and breakfast in Bloomsbury, and it worked out perfectly for us. The rooms were immaculate, the price was right, and the location was very convenient. My one caveat is that the bathrooms for the single and double rooms are miniscule. (Read: cruiseship-tiny). The bathrooms for the triple rooms were much bigger.



Eat

Masala Zone - Masala Zone had awesome and inexpensive Indian food. I ordered a gigantic thali sampler platter and it was well worth the resulting food coma. As you can see in the pictures, the ceilings are covered with puppets from the Rajasthan region of India, and the effect was breathtaking. I believe there are five Masala Zones in London, each with a different decor theme (the one we went to was in Covent Garden).


Wagamama - Okay, it's a chain, but I loved Wagamama. It's a Japanese noodle restaurant and everything is just so good! I hear they have opened up some stateside (finally), but alas, Wagamama has not yet come to NYC (why?).

Jenny and I <3 Soba noodles and Ramen

Rock & Sole Plaice - The Rock & Sole Plaice was a total hole in the wall, but had amazing fish and chips. Grab an outside table if for some reason it's nice weather!

Yum-0

Drink

Covent Garden is a great neighborhood, where we often went for food, drinks and shopping. The pub scene is fun, but keep in mind that most pubs and bars close early (around midnight) in London.


General Tips
If you're under 30...bring your student ID! Mine expired two years ago, but no one checked the expiration date and I really must have saved around $100.

Get an Oyster card. The 7 day pass was great for us. The Tube is very convenient and accessible. The only downside is that it closes some what early.

Assorted London pics:

Big Ben

The London Eye

City view with the Thames