A short but fun trip

We were in London this past week, enjoying a break from the mundane.

The typical English weather of rain, wind and chill got the better of us the first two days. But it stopped the following day. The rest of the days, although not quite bright (the sun played hide and seek with the clouds) the temperatures were much more comfortable. And more importantly, it wasn’t soggy!

London is similar to New York in a lot of ways but it has a unique charm to it. It is as bustling and throbbing as any other cosmopolitan city but because of its history, it seems majestic. The city’s architecture reminded me of Washington DC's-big, regal, archaic buildings with lots and lots of character. The mix of the old and new was stark yet somewhat complimentary.

This is my third trip to London(I was 13 the last time I visited) and for the first time I noticed a few characteristics that make the city what it is. The zillion road side cafes serving coffee, tea, sandwiches, paninis and pastries, quaint looking pubs boasting of English and Irish beers, the colorful taxis (my favorite was hot pink!), the cobbled streets, the red double-decker buses, the fashionable European women (I felt like a pauper!), fish and chips, the locals love for Indian food. This is one place where there is no dearth of our cuisine. There was a restaurant or a deli serving chicken tikkas and samosas at almost every nook and corner of the city. And it was authentic Indian food – not some random version to satisfy the local palette!

We walked a lot and rode on trains. Someone once told me that London's Underground could get a bit complicated and I wonder why because we didn’t find it difficult at all- as long as you know where you going. It is very well connected and is by far the best way to discover the city. Driving in the city is a complete nuisance. To discourage residents from driving into the city, some areas charge a congestion fee which can go upto a 1000 pounds if not followed. And according to one of our tour guides, the city's pollution has decreased for the first time in 500 years! What a strategy, ha?

Our apartment was in Clerkenwell, a commercial spot in Central London. Conveniently located with the tube station a minute away, it is a busy locality with many resturants and stores, mostly supermarkets. The apartment was quite lovely-fully furnished with all the necessary amenities. The whole place looked like an IKEA commercial with sleek furniture and accessories. The kids loved it the most. D specially enjoyed the hand held showers in the bathrooms and was quite upset about leaving them behind!

We took in a lot of sights just as we had planned. Buckingham Palace, The London Eye, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral (simply breathtaking), Madame Tussuad's, National Art Gallery, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus. We also took an out- of- city tour and visited the beautiful Windsor Castle, historic Bath (an ancient city near Bristol known for its Roman hot springs) and Stonehenge (a prehistoric monument located in the English County of Wilt shire).

The kids were manageable despite their occasional tantrums. They struggled a bit to get accustomed to the changes in schedules, time zones etc. But they handled it well-troopers, I must say! D enjoyed being photographed with Spider man and Superman at Madam Tussuad's. However, the 'big ferrous wheel' a.k.a London Eye and the Palace guards, were his favorites. He also loved riding on the trains. A was in her element- always wanting to charge off. So she basically enjoyed the open spaces where she could run around in circles! She was almost hired to be a sales clerk at the London Tourist office where, to our utter chagrin, she kept going behind the reservation desk, pulling out pamphlets and brochures from kiosks. She also teased the playful female attendant and wanted to stand beside her as she helped other customers. Thankfully, the office agents were nice, tolerant and understanding. They let her be and at the end asked us what we thought about her being an employee. "She will entertain our customers, aye", remarked the sales lady in her lovely english accent. I bet she will!

All in all, it was a whirlwind trip with loads of excitement, fun and wonderful memories. I wish we were there for a few more days to have experienced the real English summer and had our share of strawberries and cream.

Maybe next time!