Calling all London Travelers: End up somewhere magical you never expected
this is an old post I am updating
the first time i ventured across the pond was with my family 10 years ago. we did a family euro trip that only began in london, ending in germany. on this particular trip, we did every touristy thing possible: from m & m world (a must go if you love chocolate as much as i do) to visiting london tower.
What I love the most about visiting the same place multiple times is there is ALWAYS something new to discover. Around every corner, in every nook and cranny, you will find something new. Whether it’s a cute market, a new pop-up doughnut shop, a container market, or just a relaxing coffee shop, getting out there on foot always leads to new adventures.
for those of you who don't know, my brother, pictured above, moved to london on and off for about two years. my family is very very close and i don't like going more than a few months (more like a few weeks) without seeing everyone. so while he was living over there, i was able to visit him 3 times, where each time, we would go out and explore the beautiful city for all it has to offer.
here's something a lot of you may not know: robert (my brother) has this innate ability to find the most interesting and exciting places in a city that tourists may not be aware of. i always know we are going somewhere amazing when he says "okay, don't be scared, but...just trust me". The first few times he said this, let me be clear, I was terrified, but I learned to let go and really trust where he was taking me. Let me be clear, this always leads to walking through some questionable areas but in the end, we would find the most beautiful, interesting places i never would have found on my own.
one of my favorite places robert took me to was in the picture below: a container market. i had never been to one of these before, as i'm sure many of you are in the same boat (boat? get it? container?) but these container markets are made out of the containers that are shipped all around the world.
what looked like a winding road to nowhere, ends up being a giant market with so many different shops: anything from donuts to beer to southern food (woop woop!)
if you ever get the chance to find one of these while in london and explore it, i highly recommend it.
seriously though, if you can find you doughnut in london, drop everything and get there as quickly as possible.
have you ever walked through a refrigerator to a downstairs hidden room? Me neither, until this trip. try to find the breakfast club I’m referring to where the passcode is "we'd like to see the mayor please". that's the only way you'll get to find the hidden underground restaurant.
my next not so top secret secret is called gordon's wine bar. i don't know how I had never heard about this place before my most recent trip, but it is thought to be the oldest wine bar in all of london having been established in 1890. they have kept the decor the same which makes you feel like you’re taking a step back in time. On top of serving wine, they also have some of the best cheese (can you tell i like food?) you will ever have.
with the candle lit room and noise of the trains running underneath, you can't go wrong coming here for any occasion.
whether you're getting caught in a torrential downpour, popping into different coffee shops, ending up in beautiful gardens, or being the typical tourist and taking a picture in the old-school phone booths, london is one of the most magical and exciting cities i have ever been too. every trip you will find something new, so travelers, here is my advice:
wander, get lost, explore new places, don't be afraid, because in this beautiful place you will end up somewhere you never expected and have the most amazing time.
here are links to some of my other favorite places in london that i highly recommend visiting but i didn't have pictures of:
