When Kalie and I arrived at Heathrow after our long flight from Hyderabad, it was hard to believe that our time in India was over. However, once we emerged from the London Bridge Tube Station to meet up with my childhood friend Alex and discovered how chilly it was in London, it wasn’t hard to believe that we weren’t in India anymore.
After dropping our bags off at Alex’s apartment and grabbing a small lunch, we spent some time walking around the city and taking in the spectacular Christmas decorations. We were definitely missing the Christmas spirit in India, and although we knew that Christmas was coming, it was exciting to actually feel it in the air and see it in the lights and trees that could be found in some of London’s most well-known paces.
The evening quickly became chilly, and we made our way to the restaurant Alex had chosen for our dinner. We settled in for drinks and an appetizer before we were met by Alex’s other friend Emily!
We all enjoyed a traditional English dinner of pie, and Kalie and I shared many stories of our time in India. After dinner in an attempt to fight off my jetlag, I joined Alex and Emily at one of their friends’ apartments in my old South Kensington neighborhood for a Christmas party. It certainly felt like a scene from Love Actually, and I was even able to reconnect with some of Alex’s friends from the University of Bath whom I had met the previous year when I visited Alex. Finally, I started to get tired and Alex and I went back to her place for a great night of sleep!
The next morning, we set out with Kalie to get the full English Breakfast experience! Alex chose an excellent place that I’ll need to remember for the next time I visit my favorite city! Filled up and energized for the day, Alex went back to her apartment to prepare for a work assessment while I showed Kalie around all the iconic spots of London.
We walked from the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben to Westminster Abbey, before heading over to Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace. Although it was drizzling, the weather held up for us until we got the tube back to Alex’s. Kalie grabbed her bag and headed back to Heathrow to catch her plane to go to Germany with Jon, Katie and Stephanie.
We walked from the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben to Westminster Abbey, before heading over to Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace. Although it was drizzling, the weather held up for us until we got the tube back to Alex’s. Kalie grabbed her bag and headed back to Heathrow to catch her plane to go to Germany with Jon, Katie and Stephanie.
The Palace of Westminster,
commonly known as the Houses of Parliament.
commonly known as the Houses of Parliament.
Clock Tower, now officially Elizabeth Tower, renamed in 2012
to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II.
Admiralty Arch near Trafalgar Square
Sculpture of Eros in Piccadilly Circus
Tower Bridge, not London Bridge, is in the distance.
After her departure, Alex and I had a quick lunch at Pret a Manger, one of my favorites, before setting out on our journey to see Liverpool play Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
As a Liverpool fan sitting in the Tottenham section, I was sure to wear my jersey underneath my other clothing! Getting to the stadium was a piece of cake, and we took our seats in anticipation for the afternoon’s match. The crowds filed in and before we knew it, the match was on!
The English are just as serious about football as I had thought they would be, and there was much cheering and chanting as the players took the field. Our seats couldn’t have been much better, offering us a great view of the field (we were right in corner-kick territory) while still protecting us from the chilly wind and rain!
As the match progressed, it did not look as though things were going to go well for Tottenham. Liverpool led 2-0 at the half, and we found ourselves surrounded by some very disgruntled Tottenham fans. Liverpool seized on its success in the second half and finished with a strong 5-0 score by the final whistle. The stands had steadily cleared out with each ensuing Liverpool goal, and by the end of the game there weren’t nearly as many people in our section of the stands.
Liverpool 5 - Tottenham 0
"Liverpool have pounced with savagery!"
I just love being here! The Brits have such a way with words.
Despite the disappointment of the home-team fans, Alex and I had a great time and made our way back through the crowds and on to the tube to spend the evening eating and watching movies at her apartment. I was thrilled to be able to check "attend a Premier League match" off of my bucket list!
