London, UK, continued, part 2
In typical London-weather fashion, after the rain, the sun came out and we continued our “Royal walk” towards Kensington Palace. We decided to walk there through the famous Hyde Park and were so glad we did, as it’s a must-visit when in London.
The park is immense, with a perfect mix of wild and well-maintained landscapes and a delight to walk through. Apart from the breathtaking rose bushes abundant with blooms in the Rose Garden, the squirrels, the swans, and their adorable babies were also out. In fact, as I was going through my notes from that day, I found that I wrote “Hyde Park is amazing for wildlife viewing”, and as the photo below demonstrates- it really is (is there a meaning behind running into squirrels all the time? Cause I definitely am a lot 😂).
We walked along The Serpentine into the Kensington Gardens through the linden trees; I was sad to see that they were not in bloom yet (tip: linden trees smell AMAZING and their flowers make insanely good herbal tea).
However, once at the Kensington Palace, we didn’t spend much time there; Princess Diana Memorial Garden (she loved spending time in this garden) was closed for maintenance, and since we had so much more to see, we decided against visiting the Palace (I don’t follow the Royals or their lives so it wasn't of much interest to me). After snapping a few photos, we moved on.
Princess Diana Memorial Garden, Kensington Palace, London
Just around the corner, we saw the Albert Memorial, one of the most ornate monuments in London, commissioned by Queen Victoria in memory of her beloved husband. Steps away is the Royal Albert Hall, an iconic theater and concert hall in London.
We made our way through The Household Cavalry Museum, towards the Thames to find the famous London Eye right in front of us. Yes, there were lines and frankly, I had no desire to wait; maybe some other time we’ll make our way there.
My phone recorded a total of 35,762 steps that day and almost 16 miles walked (very proud of this). This was the day we walked the most on during our entire trip through Europe (it beat the very following day by barely a mile, haha) - yes, we love to push ourselves. We refused to take taxis; unless really lacking time, I firmly believe that the best way to see a city is by walking. While we saw many of the tourist attractions, we also managed to see a lot of daily life in the city, and frankly, that’s what’s most interesting to me.
The Coca-Cola London Eye
Blackfriars Bridge, London
We were super tired at this point and hungry. Wanting to stop for food somewhere closer to our hotel, we continued towards The Tower of London, admiring the view along the Thames.
We arrived at Tower Bridge to this view. To this day we have no idea who is the person filming a music video, we believe.
Being hungry, we headed to Comptoir Libanais, a Lebanese restaurant that I was eyeing the night before. The decor was cute, the restaurant was BUZZING and the food was delicious. I remember this restaurant, in particular, charging 12.5% service charge on top of the prices indicated on the menu, so be aware of that, if you decide to eat there.
Since I’m on this topic, I’ll address the eating in London, from our experience (it seems to be a norm in Europe though, so read on). Cafes and smaller restaurants charge an eat-in fee; you will notice that the takeout price is lower than the price charged if you choose to seat down (usually advertised; if in doubt, better ask).
Another thing we found confusing was that some restaurants already include the VAT (Value Added Tax) and/or a service charge in the menu prices, while others don’t, and add it to your bill at the end; they don’t always make it clear, so be prepared or ask.
Another frustration was that there are places that only take cash, and others that only take Credit Card; make sure you have the appropriate payment type (ask or watch the signs before you seat down). Since we decided to only use cash during our trip, this was a bit disappointing.
Anyone knows who we saw filming here?
We planned to visit the museums the next day as it was supposed to be rainy, so after our meal, we headed to the hotel, to rest up. To be continued…
Until next time.
xoxo,
Em
Our London trip continues and ends here.
