Author: sylvia

God I miss pedestrian rights

Hate London road rules. Just had a narrow miss with a taxi and again with a delivery truck. The taxi looked like he was going straight, then did a u turn and then changed his mind again to turn. So basically he turned 270 degrees. Don’t worry he slowed down enough to glare at me who was mindfully crossing the street. Delivery truck? I’m at a bloody pedestrian crossing half way across, and the guy revs his engine moves up a bit and almost clips my heels. Seriously? This is a pedestrian cross walk, the only place where I have legitimate right of way. Stupid london drivers

Day 1 – Kings Cross & Regent’s Canal

Regent’s Canal, passes by us only a few blocks north of our flat. Its an old shipping canal built in the 1800’s. Now, it seems to be used by cyclists, pedestrians on a walk, and far too many old men sitting in a crap lawn chair with a fishing pole stuck in the water. It’s not pretty water, its mostly still sludge, so what sort of fish you’d want to catch i don’t know.

But it makes for a nice walk

Although this morning, it was about 15C cool, windy and I had to cut it short due to the fabulous British drizzle settling in. Very english.

Funny enough a friend popped in for a visit in the afternoon, and as the weather was better we went for a walk on the canal making our way to Camden and back. Notice the amazingly nicer weather??

house boat cat

2 days to go! – fitrovia

Love this neighbourhood! You’ll rarely find this as a top tourist site to see, but Fitzrovia is great. Amazing little hub of restaurants, cafes and bars. Its also home of Lantana (the best Aussie coffee cafe, their food is absolutely amazing) and this relatively new place, No.26

It’s also home to one of Jason’s favourites: Benito’s Hat

and lots of little pubs:

Day 4 – Tacos & Portobello Road Mkt

There’s no way Jason would let us leave London without one last stop to Taqueria. Amazing authentic tacos:

And since its just around the corner form Portobello Rd, and it was a Saturday, I couldn’t leave London without one last trip to the famous market. It was one of the first things we did when we moved here, and in my first year here I spent so much time in this area:

Day 5 – British library

Ok, not technically one of my London favourites – i’ve only actually been in here once before and that was to check out the Magna Carta. Today it was ridiculously cold, i had to dig a sweater out of one of my storage boxes to wear today! After some time in St. Pancras station having lunch and coffee I decided to pop into here and check out the exhibit on maps. Really cool exhibit by the way.

Image c/o urban75.org (my camera phone took crap photos)

While inside i took a bit of a wonder. The library may not look like much from the outside but from the inside its really nice!

This shot here is the enormous book collection behind glass running several storeys. A cafe surrounds it (makes me sad i didn’t discover this sooner because its a really nice place to enjoy a coffee and a read):

Day 6 – Covent garden market + British Museum

I love walking through Covent Garden market. Not for the buskers, and definitely not for the piles of tourists with their maps, but for the carless streets, cobblestone and good shops.

Also while i was there i got to check out the giant new Apple store – the biggest in the world now:

Its in a gorgeous old restored building – beautifully done.

Then a walk through the back shopping streets (plus coffee from Manmouth Coffee):

And finally a stop at the British Museum on my walk home. I think i’ll miss the British Museum most of all:

Day 7 – Harrods, Knightsbridge and Belgravia

Today a trip to Harrods to pick up a gift. I wouldn’t call Harrods a favourite of mine. I find it dark, hard to get around inside and way too full of tourists! But, its a London institution.

After my stop there I took a walk down Sloane Street and into Belgravia. I haven’t been here in ages! 3 years ago i worked in this area, and i spent many a lunch hour wandering the streets. Belgravia is one of the nicest looking neighbourhoods, but the emptiest. Hardly anyone actually seems to LIVE there. Oh, and its always under construction. Someone is always renovating a wing, or gutting one of the huge homes.

Like the Rolls parked out front?

Day 9 – soho

Working so close to Soho has given me plenty of time to explore the area and really love it. Sure its a bit seedy in some parts but overall its a compact little area full of interesting restaurants bars and cafes.

Some of my best memories of London are from here. Trying to salsa dance at La Floridita with Jason, my brother and Rachel. Endless cups of coffees at the 3 of the best coffee shops in London (f&w, flat white and milk bar). Karaoke with coworkers and actually far too many after work pints with coworkers too.

Today i just a nice wander through the neighbourhood, a bit of shopping and of course stopped for a coffee.

10 days part 2: Sunday Roast

Definitely one of our favourites! The tradition of a Sunday lunch/dinner at the pub is one we’ll definitely miss. Even though its a heavy meal (i find the vegetarian nut roast much lighter), its just so delicious with a fresh pint of ale and on a day like today even nicer to sit outside in the sun.


As enjoyed at the Harrison at Kings Cross

10 days to go! Coffee at Exmouth market

Its come up quickly I’m leaving london in only 10 days. So, as the count down is on its time for our last favourites.

Day 10 – exmouth market on a sunday. Sleepy, quiet (accept the few cafes that are open) , and completely untouristy this is london for londoners (and immigrants in the know). Huge leafy trees, outdoor patios and great coffee. Oh and within walking distance too!

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Last weeks in london (for now)

As we’re wrapping things up in london getting ready for our short term assignment in taiwanb its time to do some last things in london. Today was a busy day, afternoon coffee with a friend in soho, a quick chat with another friend in mayfair then a trip to primark to pick up some baby clothes. Finally, a walk half way home including a trip up marleybone high street, london’s prettiest high street.

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Chivalry in British men is dead

So I’m in my 35th week of pregnancy. Commuting to work has given me a nice guage on London chivalry.

Bus this morning? One middle seat between two men both late 30’s. One obese one fairly fit (for British people). Tried to sit down between the 2 of them they’d seeped onto my potential seat leaving me maybe 2/3 of the seat free. I made a motion to sit, but realising i’d end up on both their laps I stood up and looked at them both. Obese guy looked asleep. Thinner guy had sunglasses and preceded to ignore me. A sigh of disgust at these 2 and I stop down the bus to the middle where within seconds a young woman offers my pergant self a seat.

Women 1 Men 0

Tube this evening.

Crowded platform, crowded tube. I squeeze in and stand in the middle, all seats taken proceed to casually scroll through my blackberry. Minute oases and the only woman sitting immediately offers me a seat. The men? All under 50 all in visual decent health, most staring off blankly. A few look up to their surprise that the seat exchange happened at all.

Women 2 Men 0

Based on my one day scientific analysis, I can safely conclude that the sterotype of the kind proper chivalrous English gentleman no long exists.

Or he doesn’t ride public transport.

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