Date: March 29, 2019
For years and years I thought of moving to Europe. I had never really considered London to be honest and not because I didn't like the city or country but my mind was always more focused on France or Italy. I did finally move here in Oct 2017, so in total I've been living in Europe for 18 months - although during that period I spent around 4 months in Toronto. Looks like I'm leaving Europe though now possibly for good.
Even though I'm leaving London most likely for good and hate so badly that I won't be able to have the lifestyle I wanted here I at least tried to make the most of things, especially this time back. I've had to do a lot on my own as I don't have much of a social circle here. It's funny how at a young at you have loads of friends and time and now I'm entering the stage where I have lots of money but not lots of time and friends. Oh to be a rich privileged kid.
Anyway... things I've seen a done in the last month or so (basically between Ireland and Brexit).
I went to the Casual Dinning Show at ExCeL London - TouchBistro was there.
I went to The Ned again, this time with Henry Long and got to see the vault.
I walked around a lot and will do so all the time still. I saw a fox one day in the heart of London and walked past The Charterhouse which I visited as well - it's free to see a small portion of it, but you must join a paid tour if you want to see all of it..
I went to the Barbican Conservatory which is brilliant but only open Sundays noon - 5pm. Followed by the London Mithraeum (also known as the Temple of Mithas) which was an old Roman temple dedicated to the god Mithras
I also visited by friend Thea - one of my only friends or maybe my only friend in London at the minute. She's a homeless house sitter and animal sitter, forever looking for a good stable job.
A cat she was sitting, the peaceful train stop at 11PM, passing London Bridge (wow I love the train here) and a photo of me being upset about being lonely and on a train in a place I will have to leave soon.
I visited the British Museum again - it's free and it is great. I could spend days there.
I also dropped by the Charles Dickens Museum which was his former house. He wrote some of his books there.
I also did more walking around including dropping by my first even flat at 20 Vawdrey Close which I stayed in for a few weeks before I moved in with Courtney for a year.
The Gherken, my first even flat and the Brewery Event Venue.
I did manage to see another Gunners Game - Europa League - a first for me. I've really seen it all save for Champions League.
Gunners win again v Stade Rennais FC - who had great rowdy fans with flares and crazy cheers.
The Friday (15th) I took off and wandered around London a bit ending up at the Tate Modern. I do love the Tate Modern, I've been 4-5 times now including with The Girls, on my own a couple times and with a gal called Megan who I quite liked but it didn't last.
View from the Tate, sign out the south entrance which I love for some reason (sorry it's square here), walking from St Paul's towards the Tate over the Millennium Bridge and some motley art statues!
From there I walked around a bit more heading back by my favorite London building St. Paul's Cathedral! (Best in Europe? Who knows...)
St Paul's and the tennis courts outside the crappy flat I've been in the last couple months.
A little more walking around and call it a day.
My favorite stop, Embankment, a painting in the portrait gallery which looks like a former colleague Jeff and the Thames again...
The following weekend I went to Liverpool and Manchester, read about it here.
Post L&M I was into my last week at work, so I couldn't do much that week but sneaked in a few things.
My walk to work the last 2 months - via Liverpool Street Station, Devonshire Square (the WeWork I was at), Benji - Haircutter Chris' dog, my last drink at TouchBistro.
==== AT THIS POINT I AM ON GARDEN LEAVE ====
Saturday the 23rd I did my favorite thing again - I walked around London!
First the Portrait Gallery which I love. E7, G3(or 4), Darwin
Then.
Trafalgar Square / Canada House. No-Brexit demonstrations, a building I love near Westminster Palace (British Group Inter-Parliamentary Union), Victoria Tower, more Trafalgar Square.
I then continued down Millbank to the Tate Britain - which I like more than the Modern I've decided.
Some lovely Tate Britain Art, and the building itself is stunning.
I then walked across to the south, across Vauxhall Bridge and almost got lost but used my phone to point north and ended up in the Imperial War Museum, another great one. It's location along with the Tate Britain make them less busy.
Ze walk over - birds with MI6 in the background, some bridge crossing views and the imperial war museum!
Bloody hell what a long Saturday.
On to Sunday... I walked out to a cool but sunny morning. I passed by St. Paul's with its bells ringing and stood there for a while to take it all in. I stumbled upon the marathon afterwards and then onwards to Kew to see Kew Gardens.
The London Marathon and arriving at Kew
Photos from Kew Gardens. No words needed aside from 1) it's a beautiful space worth a day's visit with picnic et all. 2) lots of kids! 3) it was sunny and warmish, 4) there is a ton to see.
Temperate House from ground level and above in the treetop walkway.
Inside the Temperate House
The Great Pagoda and the Hive Art Piece
I wandered a suggested path with a few variations and eventually ended up near the entry I came in at which has a lot over there, which I just slipped past when I first arrived.
For some reason I didn't take as many photos on this side, but here are some from the Princess of Wales Conservatory.
I left Kew after a few hours and took the train back to Earls court, my stop for a year while I was at 24 Westgate Terrace. Below are photos of Earls court station, the Pret outside the station where I first met Court (not first ever, but while we were looking for flats), inside The Bolton - my first home area pub, for some Sunday roast! And a view of Westgate Terrace, my walk for many months.
And finally (tear, tear, cry) a final photo of 24 Westgate Terrace, my only real home in London.
I put those stickers in the window - English Heritage and National Trust.
And home I went to call it a day...
But took some sunset photos. The big ugly and somehow nice building just outside my current crappy flat and one of my main Pret in the neighbourhood.
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