During the first week of orientation, the school treated new staff to a sunset felucca (sailboat) ride on the Nile River.
From our hotel in Zamalek, we crossed the 6th of October Bridge and followed the east bank of the Nile River, the longest river in the world. We passed the historic Tahrir Square, the place where the 2011 revolution demonstrations were held. Near the square is the American Embassy.
We started the ride during the sunset, which provided gorgeous views. Our group divided between two boats and began a slow float.
The owner of the school pointed out some landmarks to us. On the other side, we could see the narrow Cairo Tower, which was just starting to light up for the evening. Next to it, was the Sofitel Hotel and the Cairo Opera House. Many boats were out because it was the weekend. It seems common to rent a party boat for a wedding or special occasion.
The land on both sides of the Nile is very green and lush, unlike the rest of Egypt. Take a look at Egypt on a satellite map; there’s a green ribbon snaking its way down the desert.
For that reason, farmers and landowners have always relied on the Nile as a source of water, especially during the season when it floods and leaves behind fertile land. In fact, ancient Egyptians thought that the god Hapy and the pharaoh could control the flooding. Additionally, the ancient people believed the river was a path from life to death and thereafter. It’s interesting how many civilizations connected their observations of nature to religion or spirituality.
Now, the river is still one of Egypt’s gems and symbols. Thank you to the school for a relaxing river float and introduction to life in Cairo.
What do you imagine when you think of the Nile? Head to the comments sectionbelow to take part in the conversation!
The captain at the stern (back) of the boat. The other group’s sailboat is behind us.Our boat on the right with a view of the sunset across the Nile.Our boat, another party yacht and a view of the Sofitel Hotel in the Cairo skyline.View from the bow (front) of the boat.Sails dancing in the water as the sun sets.Dusk on the River Nile.
Above: A peek of the pyramids in Giza from the international school.
I have a few photos and thoughts to share from this week. I flew in on Wednesday; redeye from PDX to JFK, nine-hour layover then a 10-hour flight to Cairo. At the airport, I met some Cascadians who will be teaching at my school! A teaching couple with two children from Seattle. I also met another teacher from Texas, a recent college grad from Chicago and a businessman from Virginia. On the flight, I talked to a band of brothers from NY who were vacationing in Cairo. Their mother was Egyptian and father was Syrian.
We were picked up in Cairo by a representative of the school. The drive into Cairo was fascinating. There are millions of things I want to take a picture of. Wednesday was a mixture of “what the hell did I get myself into?” and “I got this!” Thankfully our travels to India, Nepal, Vietnam and Cambodia were good preparation.
Walkway along the Nile.
People say that the drivers here are crazy, but I’ve yet to see anything shockingly bad. There are mostly cars, taxis and mini buses with a smattering of motorbikes and donkey carts. The honking is noisy.
Some “cool kids” in the streets of Cairo. Most women do not show their shoulders or arms.
The majority of people out and about are men. It’s a little different to see women so covered up—a mixture of head, body, and/or face. Some are in colorful headscarves (hijab). Some are in black robes with only the eyes showing. Some women don’t cover their head at all.
A mosque in Cairo
I’ve learned that Egypt is 90 percent Sunni Muslims and 10 percent Coptic Orthodox Christian. This is seen in the skyline; minarets with both crescent/half-moons and crosses, relatively.
Cairo
I’m jet lagged so I keep hearing call to prayers at 3:30 or 4 a.m. The first time I heard it, I was a little shocked. It is loud. And unfamiliar. But by day three, I am used to it.
View of the city
Cairo is shades of green and gray in the middle of the desert. The buildings outside of town are brick, concrete, brown and every shade of yellow sand. Rows of apartment buildings, many abandoned, with window AC units and satellites line the roads.
Fresh produce at a Cairo grocery store. The red fruit in the middle row is fresh dates.
All of the fruit is organic; no sprays or pesticides. Agriculture is an important business. Farmers bring it into the city by donkey cart. I saw fresh dates red in color. Fresh dates, who knew such a thing existed. Don’t mind me, I get excited about fresh fruit and produce that tastes like it’s supposed to.
The orientation at my school is really well organized and I feel supported by the teaching and admin staff. There are about 20 new teachers here from New Zealand, all over the UK and the U.S. Everyone is really nice, has taught abroad before and is open minded. No one is scared by the political or religious climate and I’m learning there really isn’t any reason to be. It’s business as usual after the Revolution.
More to come later about the apartment search and the felucca ride on the Nile River!
Pastries at one of the many sweet shops in CairoA small shop in CairoA felucca boat on the banks of the Nile RiverAn apartment complex in CairoDaily life in CairoTwo young boys in CairoThe Satellite Transmission Station in Maadi.One of the ubiquitous street snack stands
Portlandia strikes an imposing form over SW 5th Ave. in Downtown Portland. The statue is the second-largest copper relief status in the U.S. after the New York’s Statue of Liberty.
Based on the seal of the City of Portland, she’s dressed in classic clothing and holds a trident in her left hand while reaching down with her right. Portlandia has been perched atop the entrance of the Portland Building since 1985.
Sculptor Raymond Kaskey maintained intellectual property rights over the statue. As a result, the image of Portlandia has been rarely used for commercial purposes. Most famously, you can see the statue in two shots during the opening credits of the Portlandia television show on IFC.
On our last day in Vienna, we followed a walking tour through Wieden, the city’s fourth district. A little less touristy, the area shows the side of Vienna that sprouted up after 1900 vs. the older historic city center.
After filling up on apple pancakes at Heindl’s Schmarren and Palatschinkenkuchl, a classic Viennese diner, we walked through Stadtpark. The 28-acre park opened in 1862, becoming Vienna’s first public park. A few locals spent a lazy Saturday morning sitting around the pond reading newspapers and feeding the pigeons. We did a loop, then headed north toward the Danube River.
The Kunst Haus features some of the graphic works of 20th-century artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. But the outside with its funky curves, patterns and colors are really where Hundertwasser shines. Often compared to Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí (whose works we saw in Barcelona), his masterpiece is located just down the street.
Hundertwasserhaus was built using designs suggested by the artist and contains 53 apartments as well as four office spaces. The floors are undulating, providing what Hudertwasser called a “divine melody to the feet.” The roofs are covered in soil and grass. Some of the homes have trees growing inside with limbs winding out of the windows.
We ate lunch in Arenbergpark under the shadow of a flak tower. The concrete anti-aircraft towers were built by the Third Reich during Germany’s World War II occupation of Vienna. Russian forces attempted to demolish the towers following the war, but the potential damage to nearby residences forced them to abandon the plan. Today they’re considered historic monuments. Kids played soccer on a small field nearby, the towers absorbed into the background of the park.
We grabbed a quick dessert at Cafe Neunteufl, a very local konditorei, then continued into Schwarzenbergplatz. The public square has a large monument celebrating the 17,000 Soviet soldiers who were killed in the liberation of Vienna at the end of World War II. The monument is still divisive as the post-war occupation of the Soviets was difficult for many Viennese. Yet, as recently as 2011, the city has paid for major refurbishments to the memorial.
Just up the street from the memorial, we entered the gates of the Belvedere palace complex (pictured above). Built during the Habsburg dynasty around the same time as Schönbrunn Palace, the grounds feature a long courtyard with two impressive Baroque palaces—the Lower Belvedere and Upper Belvedere—at either end.
That evening, we boarded an overnight train bound for Rome. A young man and three Italian high school girls joined us in our six-bunk compartment. The bumpy ride made for a long night, but while unable to sleep, I watched the Austrian countryside roll by. A floodlit castle sat majestically upon a hill bidding a fond farewell to our time in Vienna.
A man relaxes in Stadtpark with the morning newspaper. It was refreshing to see people still reading actual newspapers all over Vienna.The funky facade of Kunst Haus, a museum dedicated to the works of Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.Hundertwasserhaus, a crooked, nature-filled apartment complex based on the eccentric architectural ideas of Friedensreich Hundertwasser.The flak towers in Arenbergpark were built by the Nazis as anti-aircraft defense during the German occupation of Austria during World War II.Looking south toward the Upper Belvedere Palace.
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Our last day in Prague started early—although not London early—as we caught a bus for Vienna. The four-hour bus ride to the Austrian capital was much less eventful than our last bus from Amsterdam to Prague as we had our own seats and Czech language versions of 70s AM radio hits played over the bus speakers.
Our apartment was just over the Danube River from Vienna’s historic city center. Established by the Celts in 500 BC, the city has seen the Romans, Hungarians, Ottomans and Germans control the area over the last two millennia. As a result, Vienna is a rich mix of culture and architecture and the Historic Centre of Vienna was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 2001.
Just looking for a place to have lunch, we found ourselves in the courtyard of one of the city’s oldest churches. Built in 790, the small St. Rupert’s Church in the old Roman quarter of Vindobona was once the center of Vienna. It still hosts services for an active membership every weekend.
One of the best ways to get a quick overview of Vienna is a tour of the Ringstrasse. The Ring Road replaced the medieval city walls in the late 19th century and runs in a circle around the inner part of the city center. Many of Vienna’s most popular tourist sights are found here, including the State Opera house, the University of Vienna and the Hofburg Palace complex.
The Ring Tram makes the loop in about 30 minutes, but we decided to walk the circumference to get a feel for the city. It also allowed us to pop into one of Vienna’s many cafes for some of its famous cake and coffee! Hanging out in a cafe isn’t just a cool thing to do, it’s actually a UNESCO-listed intangible cultural heritage.
In the 19th century, homes were often overcrowded, so coffee houses offered an opportunity for some personal space. The coffee—always served on a tray with a glass of water—comes in a dozen preparations, but typical Viennese style is called Melange. It’s similar to a cappuccino, but made with a milder blend of coffee. The cakes are beautiful, plentiful and delicious.
The Votive Church, a 19th century neo-Gothic cathedral, is currently undergoing refurbishments. The advertisements of the companies supporting the remodel are plasted across the front, including a giant banner of a woman holding a box of juice that covers much of the facade. Fortunately we’ve already seen some great Gothic churches.
Vienna’s City Hall, the Rathaus, was hosting a Special Olympics ice skating event in its courtyard. The skating rink was epic, beginning with a large corral in the front with a lane leading to a winding maze on the left. Those who found their way through the maze arrived in the main rink near the front of the building. We watched the kids, decked out in neon yellow safety vests, whiz by.
After a short rest, we took the metro to the Margareten district for dinner. Rupp’s touts itself as an Irish pub, but unofficially it’s one of Vienna’s most popular vegetarian restaurants. The menu is full of meat-free versions of Viennese classics. We went with the goulash and wiener schnitzel and were not disappointed.
Historic St. Rupert’s Church in Vienna’s Vindobona district.The Votivkirche (Votive Church) is currently under renovation.Partaking in Vienna’s favorite pastime, hanging out in a cafe with some cake, coffee and a newspaper.Skating rink in front of the Rathaus, Vienna’s City Hall.This statue of two men on the Rathaus grounds caught my eye as they appeared to be discussing what to do with the giant pile of snow in front of them.The Austrian Parliament Building (das Parlament) and the glorious Pallas Athene Fountain statue.Our apartment was in Leopoldstadt, Vienna’s old Jewish neighborhood. The community was destroyed during World War II with many sent to concentration camps. The neighborhood began to revitalize in the 1990s and is once again a vibrant Jewish community.
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On our last day in Prague, we crossed the Vltava River once more to visit the picturesque Prague Castle. The iconic view is from the Charles Bridge with the red roofed buildings framing the Basilica of St. Vitus (pictured above), but the castle grounds reveal much more from up close.
Construction on the world’s largest ancient castle first began in 870. During the Nazi occupation of Prague, Adolf Hitler once spent a night in the castle “proudly surveying his new possession.” Later it would serve as the head of Czechoslovakia’s post-war government as well as the Czech Republic’s first seat of the Head of State.
Views of the Mala Strana district below are stunning and got even better as we moved west toward Strahov Monastery. The 870-year-old abbey has survived centuries of war and 40 years of Communist occupation to still function as home to the Premonstratensian Order that founded it in the 12th century.
In the center of the grounds, the Pivo Sv. Norbert brewery has restored the tradition of monastic brewing that dates back to the 13th century. Built on the site of the original brewery, Sv. Norbert has expanded beyond the typical Czech pils to make some quality craft beers. We enjoyed a couple of them with some apple strudel.
We walked back toward the Old Square via the streets of Mala Strana. The neighborhood is mostly set up to snag the tourists walking from the castle, but still holds its old world charm. It’s also where we had to dodge most of the falling piles of snow as they melted off the roofs! We escaped dry despite some close calls.
Back in the city, we embarked on a mini Franz Kafka tour. The author, most famous for his sometimes-bizarre, always provocative works, was born and raised in Prague. We skipped the detailed walking tour, which includes places like the insurance company where he worked after college, and caught two of the statues created in his honor.
The most impressive is the mechanical statue of Kafka’s head, created by David Cerny. Every few seconds, different layers of the statue twist in opposite directions, invoking the idea of one of Kafka’s most famous works, Metamorphosis.
View of Prague from near the castle’s west gates.St. Vitus Cathedral. The tower was the original church, built in the 10th century, while the gothic addition was built in the 13th century.The gargoyles at St. Vitus were working overtime thanks to all the melting snow.One of the two guards at the west gate of Prague Castle. Who would want to try and attack this place?!The old neighborhood of Mala Strana.View of Prague, including Prague Castle, from Strahov Monastery.A statue of a river ogre on the Devil’s Stream sits next to an old wooden water mill.A much clearer view of Prague Castle from the Charles Bridge than our first day inspired by a screenshot my brother sent us from the television show Grimm.Prague’s official Franz Kafka monument shows the author sitting on the shoulders of a headless man, inspired by his short story Description of a Struggle.The rotating Kafka Head statue in various states of rotation. Eventually it became unrecognizable as the different layers spun away from one another.
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I peeked out our window on the morning of day 36 to see a light dusting of snow on top of the car parked outside. The ground in the courtyard seemed clear, so we bundled up and set out for a day of sightseeing. We opened the front door to quite a surprise…
Several inches of snow had fallen overnight, covering Prague in a beautiful blanket of white. The sidewalks and streets had mostly turned to slush, but everything else had become props in a winter wonderland.
We took a shortcut through the National Museum park where the snow stacked tall on the narrow tree branches before stopping for a morning coffee. In a moment of serendipity, the specialty at Cafedu was a marshmallow cappuccino, a grown-up version of the marshmallow hot chocolate mandatory on a snow day in the States. Perfect!
The cafe is at the beginning of the old Vinohrady neighborhood with its Art Noveau apartments. We climbed the steps into Riegrovy Sady, one of Prague’s many sprawling parks. In the summertime, the large beer garden in the center of the park would draw visitors in droves. On this snowy day, it was mostly full of kids who’d brought their sleds out to make the speedy runs down the steep slopes, only to make the slow climb back to the top to repeat the thrill once more.
Just outside the park’s northeast exit, a small pub simply named The Tavern offered the famous Czech pilsners alongside a wildly creative American-style burger menu. We ordered The two veggie burgers on the menu, split a beer and enjoyed the warmth.
After lunch, we walked through Vinohrady. Named for the wine vineyards that covered the hills from the 14th-19th centuries, the neighborhood experienced an Art Nouveau revolution in the early 1900s, creating the unique residential area that still exists today. Its bright, multicolored buildings were made more vibrant by the white curtain that surrounded them. Only a few people bothered to wander the streets, none of them appeared to be our fellow tourists… a sign we’d gotten off the beaten path.
In the center of the neighborhood, the Žižkov Television Tower sprouts up like an unsightly weed. Built in the late 1980s, the architecture is somewhere between Soviet and sci-fi. Locals, dismayed by the way it soared above Prague’s medieval skyline, used more colorful names for it. At the end of the Cold War, it was believed to have been used to block Western broadcast signals, including the Radio Free Europe anti-Communist radio network.
We ended our walk in Prague’s Peace Square on Americka Street. A branch of the popular Prague Beer Museum (not an actual museum, just an awesome pub with a huge tap selection) gave us a taste of the Czech Republic’s craft brewing movement via their custom sampler tray. From fruit lagers to complex IPAs, it’s definitely worth Czeching out!
Having warmed up like the locals do, we set our sights on the top of Vitkov Hill, a park promising the city’s best views. The steep stairs and long, winding ramps to the top are worth it—probably more so on a clear summer day—as you can see over much of the Bohemian Basin to Prague Castle in the west and the red rooftops of Žižkov and Vinohrady to the south.
Back at the bottom, we crossed the river into the up-and-coming Karlín neighborhood to visit the small, but highly recommended, Simply Good bakery. We took a few classic Czech pastries to go, most of which made it all the way back to the apartment.
The dome of the Prague National Museum from snow-covered Čelakovského Sady.Footprints in the snow at Čelakovského Sady.Prague Main Railway Station.The bright apartments of Vinohrady.
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New friends enjoying the snow in Riegrovy Sady.
A young boy puts the finishing touches on a snowman in Riegrovy Sady.
Kids sliding down the slopes of Riegrovy Sady.
The Žižkov Television Tower at right, toned down by the Sacred Heart Church in Vinohrady.A technicolor neighborhood in Vinohrady.The Grotta in Havlíčkovy Sady.Merlin, a black lager, at the Prague Beer Museum. Na zdravi! To your health!The steps up to Vitkov Hill.Looking out over Žižkov and Vinohrady from the top of Vitkov Hill.Looking north into the Karlín district from Vitkov Hill.
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We started our last day in London before the city itself had really woken up. Arriving at Camden High Street before 9 a.m., the alternative neighborhood had just started to stir on the hazy Sunday morning. The vendors at the Camden Market and neighboring shops were slowly setting up their booths for the rush of tourists that would be arriving shortly.
The hour of peace was refreshing after the Saturday crowds on South Bank. We wandered into Camden Locks Market where local craft vendors and food stalls were getting ready for the day. A small local coffee shop was the only thing open, so we stopped in for coffee and listened as the barista relayed his house-moving story multiple times to his regular customers.
We escaped just as the people started to pour in and boarded a bus toward Hyde Park. London is filled with open-roof double decker tour buses that let you hop on and off all day for €40-50. But for just a couple quid*, you can ride the city buses which will take you on a similar route. From the front seat of the second deck, it’s just as good an experience.
We exited at Paddington Station, mostly to snap a photo of the tube sign. A kind station employee let Viktoria past the gate to get the shot, which was a blessing in disguise as the architecture of the station has an old-London charm. Paddington was the first underground station, built in 1863. The brick archways on the platform beckon another era, even as the modern trains speed through.
A short walk from the station we found the northeast entrance to Kensington Gardens. The former hunting grounds of Henry VIII are now a large public park. Two man-made ponds—the Serpentine and The Long Water—separate it from the popular Hyde Park. We sat where the two ponds connect and watched as locals and tourists hustled by.
The south exit led through the sports fields, filled with weekend soccer games, horse riding and even quidditch practice! The once-fictional game featured in the Harry Potter books is now an internationally-recognized sport with a commissioner, rule book and official tournaments.
We cut through the quiet residential Rutledge Gate neighborhood with its prim and proper homes on our way to Knightsbridge, home of the world-famous Harrod’s department store. But shopping was low on the agenda and we set out for a place to eat our picnic lunch instead.
The area has several small neighborhoods and each neighborhood has beautiful gardens and parks. Unfortunately, every single one of them was locked, access restricted to residents only. After the fourth locked garden, we found ourselves back at Hyde Park and a cozy park bench facing the sun.
After lunch, we took the double-decker to Fleet Steet, one of London’s oldest thoroughfares dating back to the third century. It was right up our alley as it has both a long history as a home to the newspaper industry (London’s first daily started on Fleet Street in 1702) and as the site of some of London’s longest-running pubs.
The pubs in London have some really wonderful names… Olde Cock Tavern, Monkey Puzzle, The Walrus and the Carpenter. We chose Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese—established in 1538 and rebuilt in 1667 after the Great Fire in 1666—for a couple pints. The ground floor has no windows, giving the pub a gloomy feel. It continues underground into what used to be the stone cellars of a 13th century monastery. Dickens and Twain were among the pubs most famous regulars.
Nearby, St. Paul’s Cathedral offers an opportunity to repent for any sins that may have occurred in the pubs. Another victim of the Great Fire, the current church was built between 1675-1720. As we visited on a Sunday, a service was in session. Visitors are invited to sit quietly in the back of the massive nave. The voices of the choir echoed with deep and full resonance under the domed cathedral.
After a brief rest, we made one last trip into the city for a little theater. Austentacious is a comedy improv wherein the audience submits suggestions for the title of a fictional novel on slips of paper before the show. The cast draws a few at random, making up stories about failed Jane Austen novels with the titles, before selecting the evening’s subject. The entire show is improvised in the style of Austen.
We suggested “Proud and Prejudiced: The Donald Trump Story.” While ours wasn’t selected, we weren’t the only ones who thought the current presidential candidate might make a good topic. The winning slip was titled “Why America Needs Donald Trump.” Hilarity ensued.
*Earlier in the day, we began to notice that bus fare hadn’t been deducted from our transit cards. After some research, we figured we’d blown through our balance and would be charged when we turned our cards in, but we actually received a refund! I don’t know why our bus fare was free all day, but it made getting around town both awesome and exceptionally affordable! Ideas? Leave a comment below!
Camden High Street offers a tourist-friendly experience of London’s alternative scene.Get your London punk gear here!Escape the souvenir stands and visit the Camden Locks Market, featuring food and crafts from local vendors.The Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens.The sports fields at Kensington Garden are surrounded by a dirt trail for horse riders. I assume the horses came into the city on the tube…A quidditch team practices in Kensington Gardens. The once-fictional sport, a creation of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, now has teams around the world playing competitive tournaments.The famous Harrod’s department store in London’s Knightsbridge neighborhood.Signs of spring in Hyde Park.Having a pint at Ye Old Cheshire Cheese, one of London’s oldest pubs dating back to 1667.
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London was a city that really surprised us. It wasn’t on our original agenda, but thanks to all of its airports, it became the piece that allowed us to work in Porto. But with just two full days to explore, we had to buckle down to fit in a representative sampling of Europe’s largest city.
We woke up early and hopped on the red double-decker bus toward Soho to have a proper English breakfast. The Breakfast Club is one of those greasy-spoon places that always have the best breakfast in town. By 9 a.m., the queue was already a dozen people deep, but it was worth the wait. Just a few minutes after we were seated, a hot plate of beans, toast, potatoes, poached eggs and a vegetarian sausage was delivered to our table.
With the freshly-laid brick of a meal firmly lodged inside, we began the long walk through the theater district toward Picaddilly Circus. We came upon a small market at tiny St. James Church. The only permanent craft market in the city, Picaddilly Market run from Tuesday-Saturday and the rent paid by vendors helps with the maintenance of the 330-year-old church.
We veered toward Buckingham Palace, entering via Marlborough Street where a small crowd was gathered. We rarely find ourselves happening upon something at just the right time, but this was our lucky day. Every other day, the palace’s Household Troops perform an elaborate changing of the guard ceremony (Guard Mounting) beginning at Friary Court in St. James Palace and the party was just about to begin.
Soldiers known as the New Guard assembled in the square, beginning with a good-sized marching band followed by the guards armed with bayoneted rifles. As the conductor tuned them up, we slid in behind a tour group to listen in on the explanation of what would happen. The group moved quickly to get ahead of the band and we stayed in their heels.
The New Guard, led by a cheerful tune from the band, marched down Marlborough Street while we waited with the tour group at the intersection with the Mall. As they turned the corner, the tour leader ordered her group to go and we followed along, marching alongside the band to Buckingham Palace. It was a bit of a surreal moment…
Once we reached the palace, the New Guard entered the gates where they would take over as the Queen’s Guard. A few minutes later, the sound of the band picked up again as the former Queen’s Guard regiment marched back toward Wellington Barracks and the end of their duty.
With a newly-found bounce in our step, we walked through St. James Park, arriving at Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Crossing the Thames, we entered the South Bank district and followed the Queen’s Walk along the river.
Just behind the Southbank Centre shopping mall, the excellent Southbank Centre Food Market was in full swing. Full of local food and sweets, we’d come for the spicy peppers requested by Cascadian Pugs who has supported our adventures in Japan with copious care packages over the past two years. The cookie and tea were just for us though.
We continued northeast along the river, passing the bridges, shops and cafes. A tourist-trap museum denoted the former location of London’s notorious medieval prison known as The Clink.
We finally arrived at Borough Market in the Southwark neighborhood. One of London’s largest and oldest food markets, it claims to have begun in 1014 and has a documented history dating to 1276. Packed tight with tourists, we waded through the crowds from one end to the other before circling back for lunch. The punny Pie Minister served up traditional pot pies, creamy mashed potatoes and smashed peas mixed with mint. Not much to look at, but it dispelled the myth of British food being bland.
Powered up for one final push, we took the tube to Notting Hill. The charming and funky neighborhood popularized by the movie of the same name has a small, colorful residential area followed by a very long shopping street. Portobello Road begins with typical souvenir shops, most of which prominently feature Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts on t-shirts. But the further you go, the more the tourists drop off, more placed by locals taking advantage of the various food tents set up on the road.
At the far end of the road, the Acklan Village Market appears like an alternate universe. Flush with vegetarian food carts, live music and craftier vendors than its neighboring market, it’s a Bohemian bubble all its own.
With a large part of our London list taken care of, we returned to Baker Street to investigate a little rest and relaxation. We’d have another big day ahead of us…
London’s signature double-decker bus and hackney carriage (taxi) compete for space near Piccadilly Circus.The Buckingham Palace Household Troops assemble in Friary Court at St. James Palace in preparation for the changing of the guard ceremony.Buckingham Palace and the memorial to Queen Victoria.Westminster Palace’s Victoria Tower from Parliament Square.Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) from Parliament Square.From left to right: Big Ben, Westminster Palace, Victoria Tower and Westminster Abbey.The lively South Bank entertainment district.417 years later, the Globe Theater is still home to Shakespeare’s best works. The current version however is just 19 years old.The historic Borough Market.The colorful houses on Portobello Road in the funky Notting Hill neighborhood.
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We left lovely Porto in the rain, arriving in London during the late afternoon. By the time we arrived at our Airbnb near Baker Street—the home of Sherlock Holmes—the sun had set on day 32. But that wouldn’t stop us from doing a little sightseeing.
We exited Westminster Station directly into the massive shadow of Elizabeth Tower, better known as Big Ben. Other than a few people wandering the neighborhood and the evening commuters dashing by, we more or less had the area to ourselves.
Around the corner, the Palace of Westminster, home to the UK’s infamous Parliament, lay quiet. Big Ben anchors the gothic-style building at one end, while Victoria Tower—once the world’s tallest non-religious building—proudly flies the Union Flag at the other.
Across the street, the famous Westminster Abbey was equally quiet as flood lights highlighted the rose window on the north entrance. The abbey was founded in the 10th century and the current structure was built from 1245 forward. The neo-gothic western facade was a late addition in the 18th century. Royal weddings have been held in the abbey since 1100; most recently the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Back near the station, the only crowd we’d seen all night lined the Westminster Bridge to take photos of the London Eye. Marking the unofficial beginning of the South Bank entertainment district, Europe’s largest Ferris wheel cast a colorful light upon the River Thames.
We hopped back on the tube toward London Bridge. Although it’s the subject of a famous song, London Bridge itself isn’t much more than a concert slab spanning the Thames. Its neighbor, the Tower Bridge, is the real star.
The 120-year-old suspension bridge connects the South Bank to the Tower of London. A four-year restoration project was finished in time for the 2012 Summer Olympics, adding a blue and white color scheme and LED lights that make the bridge a must-see on a London evening.
The north facade of Westminster Abbey.The London Eye reflecting on the River Thames.The Tower of London.The Tower Bridge.The Tower Bridge.
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