Mileposts: Mile 16: London Calling!

Still suffering from bouts of jetlag, I woke up early and made a plan to head into London city for the day. Kaka dropped me off at the nearest train station and I took the 9:30 express into Euston Station and then transferred to Victoria Station (the metro was much easier to maneuver than I had imagined – also, asking people helped a lot). I decided the best way to see the most of the city in one day was to purchase a hop-on hop-off pass where I could spend as much time as I wanted in each location but still have readily available transportation to the next stop. I had been given Pounds by my mom to spend in London but it turns out that the notes she had were at least 20 years old and the currency had changed multiple times since then (I had no idea notes changed so quickly). So, I went to pay for my bus tour and the conductor wouldn’t accept my 50 pound note. She said she had never seen that note in her life. Hmm. I went to the bank, and the teller took a picture of it, repeating the sentiments on the conductor. Hmm again. Apparently I had a relic on my hands, literally.

The tour began with a round about way of getting to Regent’s Park, so as to let the tourists see the designer streets and sites of London. We passed by Kensington Gardens and the Tata House. I felt completely alive as we were driving around, exhilarated by the people, urgency, pace of the city. We passed the Marble Arch and I noted a couple of shopping spots on Oxford Street (Primark!).

I got off the bus at Trafalgar Square, a spot I had missed the last time I was in London. The square was filled with people, artists and a blue cock. Yeah, you read that right. A blue rooster the size of a car was set atop a stand at one end of the square. It was so outlandishly audacious and out of place, I stared at it for a good 10 mins. What was it doing there? What statement was being made by it? Why blue? I found out later, from my friend Sarah, that it is a statement against all of the patriarchal statues in London. The people watching was inspiring. After spying a café across from the square, I went on a hunt for coffee and some wifi. I called my parents and then drank two cups of warm coffee overlooking the square. Then, I meandered into a couple of stores, bought some postcards and made my way back to the bus. I didn’t feel lost, alone or even scared in the city – instead, it was a feeling of calm and familiarity. I rode the tour bus around for a while, sitting in the open air top level and clicking one picture after another. The air was a bit chilly, thank goodness for scarves.

We passed the Royal Courts of Justice building, St. Paul’s Cathedral and made our way to the London Bridge. A lot had changed since I had last been to London. The London Eye and the millennium bridge were new, but so were the people. I saw tourists of all ethnicities and loads of young people on cell phones and tablets. There were fewer books in people’s hands and almost all men wore suits (very nice for the eye candy!). We drove past the Thames and the river seemed to have grown up too – elongated and widened by years of ware on the city somehow. When we drove past city hall and across the iconic Tower Bridge, the sun decided to make a brilliant appearance and every corner, waterway and window glistened.

I jumped off the bus again at the Tower of London monument and enjoy some time by the river. I snacked on some nuts I had thrown in my bag and stared out at the pier’s edge. Loads of people were walking around the area. I overheard one talking about a boat tour and I realized that my hop-on hop-off came with a few ride down the Thames! The River tour was on an open-air barge with ample seating and drinks for sale. The view of the Tower bridge and city were spectacular. The 20 minute ride took us past the Globe Theatre, children waving, the Tate Modern, a random spa under a bridge, and the Arts center to the London Eye. I walked around Big Ben and caught the bus again to Westminster Abbey. On my way to the Abbey, about 10 mins from the bus stop, I passed through some residential areas leading to the Parliament buildings (man the intricate architecture!) and saw lots of coppers (policemen) and students. The Abbey was full of tourists, souvenir sellers and artists. Although so many sites in London are large, the size of the Abbey really struck me. Its tall face refused to be captured in one camera frame. I stood outside it for a while, admiring the craftsman ship and the casual atmosphere around it. Younger kids had gathered on the lawns of the Abbey to soak up the sun and hang out with friends. On my walk back to the bus, I started humming Aloe Blacc’s “Wake me Up.” Is this a dream?

My last stop was the majestic Buckingham Palace. I had been there before and I knew that that there wasn’t much to see, besides the outside of the building, but I went anyway. I snapped some pics, stole a glance at the marching guard and then got drenched by a random downpour! I ran back to the bus stop but the bus hadn’t arrived. The conductor of a different bus tour saw a few of us waiting in the rain and he handed us free rain jacket bags. So nice! The rain stopped as I boarded our bus and headed back to Victoria Station for the ride home.