This is my London entry–a city I will probably post about again and again. London is the reason I came to the U.K., the city that makes me feel at home despite its foreignness, and somewhere I could possibly see myself living one day. This is dramatic, I know, but true. (Ask my friends, they will tell you how true it is.) Since I’m living in Canterbury, London is a mere 50 miles away: an hour by high-speed train or a two-hour bus ride. This makes it possible to spend weekends or even just one day in London, and I fully plan to zip over there as much as possible. So far, I’ve gone two times, both with a group of my friends who helped with details such as booking the hostel, buying bus tickets, riding the tube, and finding bars or restaurants.  I highly recommend doing this first–it’s nice to have a support group when you’re getting to know a city…or staying in a super-sketch hostel.  (Which did happen–but hey, it was only 13 pounds a night!)

One of the first places we visited was, of course, Westminster.  It’s one of my favorite places on earth: you turn a street corner and suddenly, this regal clock tower is in front of you. It’s a symbol of the western world, but really, I just love the way the subtle gold glistens and stretches in the sky–with the backdrop of the grey Thames, the usually clear but misty (musty? sea-like?) air, and red buses whizzing by on the bridge. You can never have too many pictures of Big Ben:

The London Eye, a giant Ferris wheel offering breathtaking views of the city, was built in 2000, but at least in my mind, it’s already iconic. It’s rather pricey (19 pounds), but it’s worth it. Besides a hilarious 4-D (4-D! complete with goggles) movie beforehand, the ride above London lasts about 25 minutes. We actually rode it at night, and seeing the city lit up and expanding to every horizon was amazing.

Other historic sites (which are basically everything in the city) such as Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London are scattered throughout the city, and although I’ve visited both before, I truly enjoyed seeing both again. The Abbey is impressive and sobering, but my favorite part is Poet’s corner–where there are plaques and often tombs of famous poets and novelists, such as Shakespeare, T.S. Eliot, the Bronte sisters, and Dryden (to name merely a few). Many of the kings and queens are also buried in the abbey. You’ve also got to love the oh-so-cheesy gift shop next door. We also visited Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace,the British Museum, and rode the famous London Underground.

So, those are the touristy things. The less obvious gems, however, are the pubs on every corner, the football (American soccer) matches going on in those pubs, the double-decker buses everywhere, and the streets full of old shops, gorgeous architecture, and past and not-so-past history. There’s honestly nothing I’d rather do than sit in a pub, sip some cider, and devour fish and chips–with mushy peas! Get a window seat, snuggle up with your coat and scarf (that’s a must) and watch the people walking by, while also keeping an eye on the football match on television. (Although I usually abhor sports, I’ve found a friend in British football. It’s so interesting. Go Tottenham! And Liverpool!) I’ve yet to go shopping on Oxford Street, but I’ll get there eventually, along with The Globe Theatre, Baker Street, and countless other places. London is one of those places that I doubt I will ever exhaust.