EuroTips: London

Of all our destinations, I was most nervous about London. I was afraid I would hate it after the paradise that is Santorini. Funny how I was proven wrong.

Maybe it's because the cloudy 70-degree weather was a huge relief after the unrelenting heat and sunshine of Italy and Greece. Maybe it's because TONS of my most favorite, beloved books take place here. Maybe it's because I've always loved New York, and London is basically its classier big sister. Maybe it was all the warm pubs (I love cozy old-world pubs). Maybe it was because everyone was friendly and cheerful to the point that I suspected the entire population of London was on methamphetamines. Whatever the reason, I really, really loved London.

Due to time constraints and the sheer size of London, we didn't get to see nearly as much as we wanted. I could have stayed here for weeks exploring stuff. Of all the places we visited, this is the one that I desperately want to re-visit. Luckily, it's probably the closest to Tours, and there are flights from the Tours airport to London Stansted nearly every day. It made a huge impression on me. Want to learn how to fall in love with London like a Stevenson (ahem...like the female half)? Keep reading.

Where to Stay

1 // The Holiday Inn Kensington Forum // I have never in my life been so happy to be in a hotel than after our stint in Airbnbs in Santorini, so maybe that's why I loved this hotel so much. It was fabulous. It was clean and modern, and whatever perfume they use in the lobby smelled divine. The staff was friendly, the AC worked, and the bed was so wildly comfortable I nearly cried. I had three phenomenal and much-needed nights' sleep here. And although it might be because B is a platinum IHG member, we got a chunky KitKat and two bottled waters in our room every day. The location was also perfect for our itinerary. We were not in the main touristy areas (blech), but we were approximately two minutes from the Gloucester Road tube stop, which made getting around very easy. We would definitely stay here again.

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What to Do/See

1 // Platform 9 3/4 // They say "There's nothing like the zeal of a new convert." I was late to the Harry Potter game, only getting into it at age 22 (thank you, Jacque & Bill!), but no less obsessed because of that. If anything, I'm now more obsessed than most of my friends, so Platform 9 3/4 was a non-negotiable for our London trip.

The train station re-created Platform 9 3/4 away from the actual train platforms because HP fans were blocking the way for people trying to catch their trains. Now there's a setup with scarves for each of the Hogwarts houses, a person to arrange/throw your chosen scarf, and a photographer who takes your picture (although you're more than welcome to take as many of your own as you want!). They don't rush you through - the people who work there understand that it's an important experience, which I appreciated.

I think my favorite part of it all was how the line was not filled with children, but instead mostly with people our age. Further proof that J.K. Rowling had it right when she said, "The stories we love best do live in us forever." And the HP fans say AMEN.

"Just a small-town girl, living in a Muggle world..."

He WOULD pick the Slythern scarf...

British Museum library

2 // The British Museum // We're not big museum or art people, but several friends had told us the BM was worth a look. When we found out entry was free, we had no excuse. We spent a lovely few hours there and thoroughly enjoyed it. My favorite part, by far, was the library, although I was also a big fan of the ancient jewels and jewelry. B though the clock/watch room and the coin/money room were nice, because they were "practical" (he's an engineer). We even grabbed lunch at the snack bar there, and it was surprisingly delicious and reasonable. Just know that because it's free, you'll be fighting lots of tourists. You've been warned.

3 // Hyde Park // London has a bad reputation for bad weather. But even if it's a little cloudy, Hyde Park is a great place to visit. It's no secret we love being outside, and I especially love pretty flowers. Hyde Park is essentially London's answer to Central Park, and it's a great escape from the bustle of city life. We didn't stay there too long, but we checked out the rose garden and walked along the Serpentine. If we go back to London (and I dearly hope we do), Hyde Park would be a great place to spend more time with a book on a nice afternoon.

The Serpentine

Tower Bridge stare

4 // Tower Bridge // The Tower Bridge is the bridge many people mistakenly call London Bridge. We did not go in it, unfortunately, but that will be put on the next-trip list for sure. I want to climb to the top and look down from the glass floor, and then I want to get off of it and watch it be raised. I'm a sucker for high-altitude city views, and this seems like a fantastic place to get one of the London Tower and the River Thames. Just be careful dodging both tourists and traffic - one is going the opposite way you expect it to, and the other is generally wielding selfie sticks (have we mentioned how much we HATE them?).

5 // Big Ben/Houses of Parliament // We didn't get to go in, but we did enjoy a nice walk around and view of the outside. Big Ben is what people think of when they think of London, but it's not what they have in mind. Big Ben is actually the name of one of the bells in the tower, not the bell tower itself. Both the parliament building and the tower we well-known fixtures on the London skyline. They look especially pretty against a cloudy afternoon sky.

6 // The Eye/Jubilee Gardens // The Eye is London's giant Ferris wheel. We didn't go on it due to the outrageous cost and even more outrageous line. Instead, we wandered around nearby Jubilee Gardens and watched the street performers. B liked two guys who were doing tricks on special bicycles, while I enjoyed the lady creating giant bubbles that would go sailing out over the River Thames. We spent a good half-hour just walking around and watching the street performers. It's a great outdoor area very near tourist attractions, and it's a lot of fun.

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Where to Shop

1 // Harrods // If you've recently robbed a bank and/or sold a kidney, then Harrods is the place for you. Or, if, like us, you're normal and just slightly sadistic, go in and take a look around. It really is impressive: huge, sprawling, and very fancy. There's a swanky food court with a ton of upscale restaurants and foodie shops, including a Laduree (be still, my heart).

I wanted a Burberry clutch so badly my heart hurt, but 345 pounds is roughly the equivalent of a mortgage payment, so clearly that was a no-go. Although the gift shop is much more affordable, we didn't buy anything there either. I wanted a Christmas ornament, but we couldn't find one we liked that would make it back to Tours in one piece. Our only takeaway from the experience was this photo. Still, it's fun to look around, and I bet it would be amazing at Christmas.

2 // Slightly Foxed // I fell in love on Gloucester Street in London. On our way to a late lunch one day, we passed by this bookstore. I insisted on going back after we ate, and because my husband is used to my crazy by now, he obliged. And Slightly Foxed is the cutest little new/used bookshop you could imagine. I die. I love bookstores, but in America it's hard to find much of anything except Barnes & Noble. Not so in England - yet another reason I fell in love with London. Cutesy bookshops were all over the place. And because I could actually afford it, I bought a book at this one - The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.

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Where to Eat

1 // For a cozy dinner // I found out about this from a high school friend who recently posted pictures of her trip to London. I saw this (cozy) pub and immediately knew we had to go there. It's so intimate and warm - we both could easily imagine having a few pints here on a blustery winter's night. I had the fish and chips, which were wonderful, and B got the bangers and mash, which were also good. It goes without saying that we had sticky toffee pudding for dessert. If we make it back to London, we will definitely be making it back here, without a doubt.

2 // For tea // Old Bombay meets modern London at this amazing restaurant. You can't go to London and not have high tea at least once, but, well, I had a man in tow. Cucumber sandwiches just weren't going to cut it. So I Googled "best high tea in London," and this was one of the results. We both love Indian food, so Daawat was a no-brainer.

We started with masala chai tea with hot milk. We were then brought a tower of food. The top layer held our savouries: a chicken pav, naan tikki, a paneer kathi roll, and a samosa each. The middle tray was Indian sweets, including a chocolate samosa with mango puree for dipping (YUM). The bottom tray was my favorite - two English scones apiece with Devonshire clotted cream and strawberry jam. It. Was. Delicious. You may dismiss tea as a girly meal, but even my strong 6'0" husband was stuffed to the gills. We finished with a pot of hot peppermint tea to aid in our digestion after all that. Keep in mind that tea is typically only served from 3 - 5 in the afternoon, so don't eat a big lunch (or lunch at all!) before heading here!

3 // For a pub meal // We needed a late lunch/early dinner on our last day in London since we had a 10:00 flight to Dublin. This restaurant was in our neighborhood, and I'm so glad. I again got fish and chips one last time before we left London, and theirs was crispy and light. The batter was done well. B got the Dorset leg of lamb salad with feta and pomegranate, and although lighter and less traditional, it was unique and delicious. We split some white wine and a sticky toffee pudding to say one last "Cheers!" to this delightful city. This is a don't-miss, and it's very near the Holiday Inn at which we stayed.

4 // For quick and tasty late-night dinner // By the time we landed in London, made it through border patrol, took the hour-long bus to the city, found the metro to our hotel, checked in and B undertook an hour-long conference call for work (with the Americans), it was 10:00 p.m. and our bodies, which had until recently been in Greece, thought it was midnight. We needed a quick but delicious bite to eat, and the concierge at our hotel helped immensely. He recommended an area with three restaurants on the corners, and Nando's was one of them. We were big fans. For starters, it was spicy - something we don't get much of in France. The chicken was great, but as per normal I preferred the side dishes I got: spicy mushy peas and spicy chips (what the British call fries). Nando's is a chain restaurant, but it's the best kind of chain I could imagine. There are plenty of locations, so if you need a quick bite anywhere in the city check them out.

5 // For a delicious lunch // After "flying" through the barrier at Platform 9 3/4, we had worked up quite an appetite. B found Pompidou Cafe, so we popped in for a quick bite. I had a tuna melt, which tasted amazing (although possibly because I haven't had one in so long). He got some kind of southwest chicken sandwich. It was inexpensive and tasty, and the service was quick. You can also get food to-go there, if you desire.

6 // For the best brownie in London // After lunch at Pompidou Cafe, we came across a food market. We wound up grabbing lunch elsewhere but coming back for dessert. B got some sort of cookie-dough blondie, but I got the gooiest, most delicious salted caramel brownie that just happened to win #1 brownie in London in 2014. Even planning can't beat dumb luck. And I can clearly see why it won - rich chocolate, and drippy, gooey salted caramel. I wanted to try them all (especially bacon and maple syrup!), but I had to try the big winner. I highly recommend you do, too.

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Tips and Tricks

1 // Don't just bring an umbrella to London - take it around with you. Every day. You never know when it's going to start raining. We got drenched leaving the British Museum because it wasn't "supposed" to start raining until later and we hadn't brought an umbrella or a jacket. Don't overestimate British weather. It truly can turn on a dime.

2 // Brace yourself. London is expensive. Because of the strength of their pound, things may not be priced expensively but once you do the conversion your wallet will be hurting. Everything we bought (be it food, subway tickets, books, etc) seemed to be the exact same prices we would pay at home...until we realized thanks to the conversion rate that the dollar cost is almost double the pound cost. Just know that going into it, and plan your trip accordingly.

3 // Go for the Oyster. The Oyster Card is a re-fillable pre-paid Tube card that you can get for any number of days. There is a 5 pound deposit on the card (which you get back), and you pre-pay 6 pounds per day worth of Tube fare. We paid 18 pounds for three days. Using the card, you can ride the Tube as many times as you want. Until you reach your daily maximum of 6 pounds, you'll be charged the standard price for fare, depending on your destination. After you have spent 6 pounds in tube fare for the day, all rides for the rest of that day are free. We easily exceeded our 6 pound daily maximum - usually by mid-afternoon our rides had started being free. We would have spent a lot more money buying individual Tube tickets for each of our rides, so this is a great way to save.

Sadly, that's all from Jolly Olde England. Only one more stop on our Eurotour to share with you: Dublin. Stay tuned!

xoxo and cheers!
E & B