Less than 48 hours in London

On Friday, I took the late night flight with Ryanair from Frankfurt Hahn to London Stansted and just got on the bus I booked to the city a minute before it left. I got off at Marble Arch and walked down Oxford Street to St Giles Hotel where I met EJ. The last time, I had been here in 1998 with my English Major Class.

Breakfast

The next day, we started exploring Notting Hill and Portobello Road Market and our breakfast there. I started with cake as that looked better than the ready-made sandwiches in cooling. We then continued with a hot dog and cheese burger outside at a street stall. The market caters for antiques’ lovers, fashionistas, souvenir hunters and everyday life objects.

Portobello Road Market

Some hours later, we parted and headed to Victoria &Albert Museum that houses the vast collection started by the Queen and Prince after the 1852 World Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in Kensington Park. The museum was several times extended and still only a part of the collection is on display. 

Voluntary guides offer different tours - about 60 per week. I participated in the Introductory and British collection tour. Both guides had a great knowledge of the items and shared their knowledge of and love for art. 

V&A

V&A Café

After so much culture I checked into Harrod’s to buy some tea & chocolates. It was very crowded and as it was Eid Mubarak (the end of Ramadan) a lot of Muslims very carrying big packages away.

Harrods

New Double Deck Bus

Selfridges

 I took a red double-deck bus back to Oxford Street and did some book hunting on Charing Cross Road - that I already knew from the book „82, Charing Cross Road“ - a conversation in letters between an American author and a British bookseller. Obviously, I could not leave without buying books (yes, plural) - „Peter Rabbit“ by Beatrix Potter (a kids’ favorite) and „Not that kind of girl“ by Lena Dunham (creator and star of HBO’s Girls.

In the evening, I went with another friend to the South Bank, took a picture of the London Eye and had Italian dinner at Strada. EJ joined us later and we finished the night at Maison Touareg in Soho.

My feet hurt quite a lot from all the walking.

Maison Touareg

On Sunday, we started slower and after check-out headed to Shoreditch where we the Sunday Roast at „The Princess of Shoreditch“. The restaurant is very known for their roast and the reputation is well deserved. We enjoyed it very much.

Sunday Roast

In the afternoon, we took buses first to the Tower and Tower Bridge, then to Trafalgar Square. We walked from Piccadilly Circus through Soho and looked for a nice cafe to have dessert. 

Tower Bridge

Old Double Deck Bus

We ended up at Muriel’s Kitchen that served us Strawberry Sundae and Brownies - mouth watering.

Time to say goodbye to EJ and London - probably the next time will not take so long.

Getting home proofed to be difficult: the bus to the airport came late and broke down a Golders’ Green. I arrived at Stansted with 10 minutes to Boarding and ran through the hall, security and the shopping area before realizing that the flight was delayed. Nonetheless, I made it home by midnight.