Last But Not Least: London

The last stop on our trio was London. Before we even got to London, I knew I would love it (and I did!). We rented a flat in Camden Town, which turned out to be pretty perfect. We were right next to a tube station, and Camden Town is such a cool, quirky neighborhood with lots to see. 

The night we arrived, we settled in and checked out the neighborhood. It was so great to be able to go to an English-speaking grocery store and load up on all the goodies we don't have in Spain (Good beer! Dr. Pepper! Diam!)

Our first day we walked around a bit and saw the sights. I am a huge history nerd, and have been reading books about Tudor and Elizabethan history since I can remember. I think my grandma got me a "Wives of Henry VIII" coloring book when I was little, so that may have sparked my interest in the period. Because of this fascination, going to the Tower of London was one of my favorite things to see. Yes, I know it's über-touristy, but it was a beautiful day (almost 65F!), and I was more than happy to run around the grounds and be immersed in history. 

Tower of London

That night, we managed to score tickets to see Wicked, the musical, (thanks to my wonderful boyfriend) at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. This was possibly the highlight of the whole trip for me! I had read the book, and owned the soundtrack, but kept missing it every time it came through Minneapolis/St. Paul. My mind was blown, let me tell you. We were in the front row, and could see every facial expression, e bead of sweat...I swear that flying monkey was looking right at me. It was an incredible show, and to be able to see it in London was a dream come true. 

SO much excitement!

Our last full day in London was Harrods, the British Museums, and just walking around enjoying the city. That night, we headed to the Camden Market, which was an experience in and of itself. It reminded me of the medina in Marrakech, except with vintage clothes instead of leather slippers, and people trying to sell you tattoos instead of henna. However, it was almost just as overwhelming! I could have wandered around the market for a lot longer, but we had to get back to the flat to celebrate Amy's birthday. 

Just a peek at some of the wares at the Camden Market

My time in London was way, way too short, and it made me realize there are so many more parts of it I need to explore! The sunshine and nice weather helped, but the city really intrigued and fascinated me in a wonderful way. I'm definitely going to try and make it back before my stint in Europe is up.

Originally posted 3.12.12