London and York (Day 1 Part 1)

The Clock Tower containing Big Ben

I haven't had the time to reflect on this trip yet, but sometimes it comes out when you get started right?

So over spring break of 2011 I went to visit Becky in York, England.
I had been to York once before when I was about 8 and had vague memories of different buildings and things (most vividly of the Jorvik Viking Center). I also got to check out London for a day and enjoyed it more than the last few times there, perhaps because I was not only not alone, but with my best friend.

Jorvik Viking Center sign

Unfortunately due to the way I have this blog set up, much of this is in reverse order... (click below to read more from Day 1)



London:

I got into London on 3-19-2011 after a long day at work the previous day and heading almost straight for the airport (after dinner with friends).
England is a place I sort of love and loath. I have wonderful memories of being there at 8 and some bipolar memories at 18 and 22. At 8 it was a fantasy world made real by my Mom and my Grandma who put up with 3 small boys and took them all over the country to find castles and fast food.
At 18 it was an adventure, questioned through depression and confusion and longing. At 22 it was mostly a stop over on the way home to see loved ones, not exactly welcomed, but still enjoyed.

I don't mind Heathrow, even though half the time I am there or at the train station immediately following there are bomb threats, Heathrow always seems nice to me. This time though I got a good laugh at the airport customs lady who seemed irked that I had not brought any cash to exchange and was relying entirely on cards. She thought that was stupid... but I was convinced that if there was a problem I could just beg for a few pounds or for some cash to get into the city. Then when I tried to buy a ticket -it briefly didn't work and I felt like maybe the lady was punishing me.  I always hate the train ride into London.  Its so dreary and monotonous. Full of people not talking, full of the roofs of similarly looking buildings, 30 minutes to an hour of settling into the madness of England. The dry and gray kind of madness, left to your own thoughts. Once off that awful train it is bustling and busy and depending on what part of town you arrive in -London can be exotic and enticing but that train ride is like slow death *I swear to God I am not being overly dramatic...

My first time traveling alone in England at 18 I stayed near Earls Court in the Kensington neighborhood, which is a nice enough area -near several museums but it is not bustling like other areas and I found it rather depressing.
This time we stayed near Bayswater (an area I have stayed before, that I really like because it is very international feeling. There is a high Arab population and a bunch of Chinese restaurants and it generally just feels very exciting. The only other place in town I have stayed was well in the north of the city (zone 4) and I found that to be a huge hassle and can't recall the area at all. .

When I got into London I immediately went to the hostel we were staying at. They wouldn't let me into the room without Becky since she made the reservation so I waited on the steps outside.

I was looking at a map of the city and planning what to do with our one day in London.  I decided it would be nice to do a walking tour of the city starting from the Eastern side near Tower Hill and then follow the river to the Houses of Parliament -up through the parks and back to the hostel.


When Becky arrived she agreed and we set out for the Tower of London.

The Tower is one of those must see monuments of England, and hadn't enjoyed the interior since I was 8 because on other trips I was always afraid to spend my money. Now with a job and the recognition that I might not be back for awhile I decided it was my vacation and I should enjoy it.

The Tower has some serious history (link to the wiki) so I was sad that we missed one of the last official tours of the day, but it was a charming visit nonetheless. Carvings in walls, metal statue guards-with battle sounds, crown jewels and some armory rooms we ushered in and out of quite quickly. 

After that we strolled along the Thames Path, probably seeing several monuments we weren't really aware of and 50 new buildings and boats and I  imagined living in Europe again... because everything felt exciting and adventurous and lovely.

It was a long walk back to the Hostel, we stopped and had dinner at a Chinese Buffet. 
Walked past the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, all these places I had seen before and recalled in different light.  It felt really nice to be able to share stories of almost 10 years ago with someone... I remember when I was 18 part of what felt so insane was that I was constantly talking to myself- mostly due to lack of company and feeling lonely, I pretended to have conversations sometimes in my head sometimes out loud with my friends and family and now at 27 I was recalling these memories left and right, while walking with my best friend.  It felt right, special.