All good things must come to an end. I am back from England and although I will keep up this blog for all the amazing things I am sure I will experience in England, it just isn't sufficient for my plans anymore.
To continue with my story (and I would love you too, we had such a great time together), please visit my new blog floatingtheboat.weebly.com where I will continue to share experiences, stories and the little disasters which make out my life. I hope I will hear from you soon and try to live with the change. I hate change, too, believe me, but sometimes it is for the best!
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Fourth and final installment of England A-Z. Enjoy!
S St. Christopher's Inn The St. Christopher's Inn is a youth hostel in Edinburgh where I stayed when visiting Edinburgh. It is located in the city centre and facing the Balmoral Hotel (so you don't forget how close and yet far away from it you are). It is a decent hostel and for everybody wanting to save money, I can warmly recommend it. The staff is really nice, the breakfast good and the have an adjacent pub where you can sit in the evening, chatting, drinking and listening to folk music. It is also opposite the Edinburgh Dungeons, for all the fans of horror among you. https://www.st-christophers.co.uk/edinburgh-hostels?gclid=CjwKEAjws5zABRDqkoOniLqfywESJACjdoiGrWh8bsq5p1zQFOm4MQOOJvR2cYeSCyYfGi8yks6YhhoC_GHw_wcB Shard, The I think it is hardly necessary to explain what the Shard is, but for all the people who have lived on the moon in the past years: it is the tallest building in London, England, United Kingdom and the fourth tallest building in Europe. When my man visited, he insisted on going, so we went up and had a look. Honestly, I have to say, I was pretty disappointed. I didn't feel THE difference everyone was talking about and thirty pounds for walking around for twenty minutes and then leave again is really overpriced. Rather use your money for attractions like Madame Tussaud's, Sea Life, London Dungeon or the Harry Potter Studios (my personal favourite). T Tintern Abbey Tintern Abbey is a monastery ruin in Tintern Abbey in Wales from the 12th century. My man and I visited it when we went to Wales and Gloucestershire. It is a majestic ruin in the middle of the valley and looks pretty creepy and imposing. From Chepstow, you can take a bus there (which runs like three times a day, honestly, not much more often, so inform yourself well), or you can wander there on a three-hour-hike, as my man and I did. When hiking, you walk over the crest of the hill and first see it from the top before wandering down to the valley and being able to take a closer look. You can also go inside, but there is an entry fee. But even if you decide not to go in, it is pretty grand from the outside, too. Definitely a must for fans of architecture, history and a creepy atmosphere. Two-Screen-Cinema Located at Leicester Square, this cinema regularly shows sing-a-long-as where you can sing along to movies like Frozen, Pitch Perfect, etc. N and I went there once to see Frozen and it was one of the most entertaining evenings of my life. It is not only singing along but a full event of cheering, booing, shouting obscenities out and gesticulating wildly. A nightmare for every introverted person, but fun with no limits. U Urban Lifestyle Living in London means living in an urban and cosmopolitan surrounding. Everything there is, you can find in London, which makes it so awesome. You can see all shows your heart could desire, eat food from every corner of the world and meet people from all around the globe. When in London, stop for a moment, take a deep breath and take in the smell of urbanity, variation, multiculturalism and then smile. Smile broadly. V Variety Also mentioned in the post above (what am I supposed to do? there isn't much with V...), variety and diversity are definitely one of the things I liked best in London. People are more open-minded, diversity is embraced and variety welcomed. You can find all sorts of events in London, from elegant to casual to absolutely freaking crazy - AND, you will always find nice people on the way. W Wales It is my goal to visit all of the countries belonging to the UK. This year I made good progress. After my trip to Scotland in autumn, I managed to travel to Wales in spring. Admittedly, it was just across the border from Gloucestershire, but Wales is Wales. I know I talked about Wales dismissively in one of my early entries, but you should know, I never mean this things. EVERYONE makes jokes about Wales being a gigantic sheep meadow and, funnily enough, the first thing we saw when we crossed the border to Wales, was a field with sheep grazing on it. But honestly, Wales is beautiful and I enjoyed hiking there with my man (yes, you read right). It is a soft green, the people are nice and the food is hearty. Not for fans interested in the big city experience, but a must for everyone else. Waterstones If you have been following my blog, you already read my entry about the bookstore Waterstones and how much I love it. Well, here I go again. I ABSOLUTELY love it! It is not only a bookstore, for me it is THE bookstore. You might feel different, but once you have sipped your tea at the top of Waterstones in one of their lovely cafés and read a book or written something on your laptop, I am sure you will agree with me. Y Yummy/Yucky First, thank you to N who brought this idea for Y to me (I was desperate at this point and had already lost X, I didn't want to lose Y, too, so thank you). Yummy/Yucky is about the British food. It has most likely the worst reputation of all countries and, in my opinion, most people are profoundly mistaken about British food - well, to some extent. First of all, British people don't sit at home and eat eel pie and chips on a buttered bread everyday. In fact, they have a the same basic edibles we have: a lot of meat spiced up with rice, potatoes and pasta. Most people I met ate similar meals than do Austrians - though, I would say their obsession with meat outperforms the Austrians slightly. They eat meat with everything. Also, the sandwich. If soup was able to be consumed in a sandwich, the British people would have soup sandwich, trust me. They love their sandwiches, but, honestly, their is nothing wrong with a little sandwich snack in the afternoon. However, there are some weird food choices the British do make and which I can neither understand nor support. I can sum this up in one word. Marmite. Whose sick joke was Marmite? It is a yeast extract, black paste which smells like vomit and tastes even worse. Also, their definition of bread is just wrong. Toast is not bread and just because you don't toast it, doesn't make it not toast, OK. Z I wanted to end with Z, as it says A-Z, but actually there is nothing to say to Z, so I want to use the letter to say thank you to you all and what a wonderful year I had. I want to thank all the people who supported me, gave me a chance and read my blog, particularly N, for always being there and generally making this year the year of my life! Also thanks to my bosses at the entertainment party service and Haymarket and to host and host's friend who took me in in the beginning and let me stay with them. And, finally, of course, thank you to the great family which took me in and trusted me with their children, who welcomed me and let me stay with them for all these wonderful months. Thanks to all of you! Without any of you, my year wouldn't have been so great and I really will bear it in mind and appreciate it. I just hope to see you all soon in London - the greatest city in the world! First of all, today I launched my new blog. As you know with the looming last part of my England A-Z, the year in Britain has sadly come to a close. Here I also want to thank my loyal readers and I hope you have enjoyed the year as much as I have by reading my blog. Tasteofbritain will continue but as I am not in Britain at the moment, there will be not much "fodder" to feed, so I am launching my new blog which you will be able to access here as well, but more to that later. I also uploaded three more videos on my Youtube Channel, so you might want to check them out, too. It is Saturday night and I am sitting on my sofa, writing these lines, disastrous FOMO constantly knocking at my mind.
I just had a drink with my sister and her lovely boyfriend and at nine we conceded that we were all really tired and wanted home. I had a tummy ache, she a headache and he was awfully tired (what a pathetic bunch of people we are). Anyway, when I wandered to the bus and saw all the people chatting, dolled up for their exciting nights, I felt I was missing out by going home but the alternatives were just not acceptable. My man is out, too, but his idea of fun is just wrong (standing in a club too loud to talk, but not dancing and tapping your feet to the sound of the electric music is just not a good idea of fun, honestly), so I headed home, made a cup of tea and curled up on the sofa. Now I am thinking. Why are people - especially my age - permanently required to party? Why are we and the world constantly told that EVERY twenty-something person wants to party and enjoys standing in a club with drumming music, wedged between to idiots who are squeezing your butt in turns? Why are you boring if you choose a Saturday night environment which allows enough space and oxygen? Even as a teenager the idea of clubbing and getting wasted didn't appeal to me and I always preferred a book and a cup of tea to a cup of tea. Don't get me wrong, I like socialising and also dancing. When there is a house party with a bunch of people I know and like, count me in. When I went to Meltdown back in London and drank with funny people or went out with the people from Haymarket, I had a lot of fun, I am not saying it is impossible to have fun going out per se, but I don't understand why it is indoctrinated into people my age that something is wrong with you if you don't like it. About twice a year, I convince myself that I have to go out more often and when I find myself squeezed between drunk people, can hardly move an inch and have to shout everything I want to communicate, I wonder whether it was really worth trading my sofa and cup of tea for this... Additionally, the idea of going out, I would say, ultimately serves the purpose to find someone to spend the Saturday nights with on the sofa, right? If you want to find a partner and don't like the idea of internet dating, there is not much choice. I, however, have already found my sofa-mate, so the purpose of going out in a slutty dress have become quite unnecessary. I remember when my man and I were freshly together we went out quite a lot with his friends and mine. Back then, we were like THE annoying couple. You know, the couple which makes everyone say "Get a room" because we were more or less having sex in front of everyone. We were so madly in love that we didn't talk to others, we just looked doe-eyed into each other's eyes and snogged until our lips were sore. At some point, I thought it would be so much more comfortable to do this horizontally on the bed or sofa instead of amidst people we knew and who had phones to take pictures of us. So, we stopped going out for a while and spent more time naked in bed, which, I think, everyone was grateful for. So, ultimately, I want to say that although I know it is ridiculous to be talked into going out if you don't enjoy it, FOMO sets in whenever I am not watchful enough to fend it off, but it is ok, I think. Probably sometimes it is even needed to get out more often. However, not today. Tonight will be dedicated to listening to Kate Rusby, sipping hot tea, writing and reading, and there is nothing wrong with that...I hope... Two days after my meltdown, so it's time to come clean again.
The negativity of this entry was pulling me (and presumably others) down and so I decided to write a cheerful note for myself and leave my negativity behind. Thanks, by the way, for the concerned people who called me afterwards, that was very helpful - and made me reread the entry again...goodness, new low point. Of course nothing is back to perfect again but as with most things in life, it is about a change of perspective. Admittedly, the interviews weren't great and some people I applied for were a little bit weird (whether this is an understatement or not shall be open for interpretation), but it will eventually all work out. After all, I have only returned four weeks ago and will do my theoretical driving exam next week and my man and family are a great support. I must say I miss England every day because of the possibilities and opportunities but, as I said, a new perspective. Cheerio! Part 3 of England A-Z. Enjoy!
M Meltdown The Meltdown is a bar dedicated to gaming in London (Caledonian Road). I, personally, don't like playing computer games, but the people there are really cool, relaxed and nice. They serve drinks and although they do not serve food themselves, you can bring your own food and consume it in the bar, which is really nice. I played many funny rounds of "Fingers in!" (believe me, it is not as promising as it sounds) and N and I had lots of fun going there a couple of times. For game addicts, it is definitely a must to visit when in London, they also hold tournaments and so on, so check it out. https://www.meltdown.bar/london Musicals The musical scene in London is fantastic. Everything you want, will want, or have wanted to see is on stage there. I managed to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Guys and Dolls, Cats and Wicked - which were all really worth seeing. Of course, an affinity to for musicals should be given but who doesn't like musicals? (Don't answer). N 9 3/4 Shop, King's Cross For every Harry Potter fan, this is a must! In K/King's Cross I have already written about it, but here we go again. The shop is in King's Cross next to the half inside the wall trolley where you can take pictures. The shop is not extremely big but it has many things a Harry Potter fan dreams of: shirts, hair bands, wands, books, satchels, etc. I got a hair band, the marauder's map and a book. Admittedly, the shop in the Studios is much, much (much, much, much, much) better, but for anyone with less time or money, this is a great alternative. O Oxford Now to my most favourite city in the world. I love Oxford! The old town, the size, the people (a wonderful mix of old and young people) and the permanent reminder that Alice in Wonderland was written there and parts of Harry Potter filmed there. It is the perfect city for me: quirky, old, historic and still modern because of the incessant flow of young people coming to the city to study there. Additionally, they have a wonderful Waterstones café in which I spent some wonderful hours writing, reading and eating delicious scones. P Pottermania The major reason why living in the UK is my life-long dream is the close connection to anything related to Harry Potter. I was extremely lucky to move to London for the year in which Harry Potter and the Cursed Child was released and will be grateful forever for that. There is also the studio tour, the shop and of course the fact that Jo Rowling lives in the UK. So one day I will return and be able to enjoy the Pottermania whenever I want and will probably find a place where I feel I belong. Q Quirky Cemeteries England has the best cemeteries in the world! When you have seen them, you know why Black Romance and Goth come from there. Cracked tomb stones, coffins jutting out of the ground and significantly funny inscriptions ("Better an epic failure than a benign success" - I mean how awesome is that?). If you have time in London, visit Highgate Cemetery, it is a huge, quirky and worth seeing attraction for those attracted to the darker and yet strangely calm places of London. Queues I know, I know. Cliché. But what can you do? Queues are ever-present in London and dare of you do not obey the rule of queuing (actually, nothing happens, they are far too polite to say anything). But for the sake of not being obviously spotted as a tourist, stand in line and wait patiently until it is your turn. Everyone will be relieved. R Richmond Richmond is a beautiful city which I discovered only shortly before I left. Well, not that I literally "discovered" it as in Columbus discovered America. My dad actually went to school in Richmond once, but I could only appreciate it fully shortly before I left. Strictly speaking, I could see its beauty only when I discovered their Waterstones has a great café on top. Also the promenade along the river is really beautiful and worth walking. Richmond, as the name suggests, is a city where the rich mingle and live so it is quite exclusive and posh. Nevertheless, it has a nice inner city and plenty of cafés which are easily affordable for the everyday person. This is the second part of the A-Z of my England year. Enjoy!
G Gloucestershire, Tutshill When my man came, we travelled up to Gloucestershire to visit Jo Rowling's childhood house in Tutshill. The funny thing was, when we arrived I didn't yet know where it was but as we were wandering up the road to our hotel, I stopped dead suddenly and, hysterically, pointing out a house at the side of the road next to the church. I recognised it from the documentary A Year in the Life. Awestruck, I stood there and, in the middle of the night, my man and I even broke little bit of mortar out of the wall as a souvenir. Yes, we Harry Potter fans are really people to run away from... Galaxie Hotel The Galaxie Hotel was the hotel where I stayed when I visited Oxford. If you want to see the hotel from the inside, visit my youtube channel WhateverFloatsYourBoat where you can also see other sights of Oxford. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXI1G_4VVUs The hotel room, tough quite small, was really nice but the outdoor area was just amazing. They had this gigantic back garden with terrace in which I could have spent hours if it hadn't rained (oh, England). I did, however, net a good bargain, so the usual price is quite expensive and someone who wants to save money should probably do Air BnB instead. H Harry Potter Studios The Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour is, of course, a must for all Harry Potter fans. They are in Leavsden, only thirty minutes or so by train and I would recommend to take the train out there instead of hiring this insanely overpriced bus which takes you from Victoria Coach Station there. If you take the bus, you can only be in the studios a limited time because your arrival and departure time are scheduled and cannot be altered whereas if you travel by train, you can take all the time you want and stay there up to thirteen hours if you have the endurance. So, getting there is as easy as this: 1) Take a Midland train (often to Tring) from Euston Station which stops at Watford Junction. This will take about twenty minutes. 2) Take the Harry Potter Shuttle Bus (311) up to the studios, which takes about ten minutes. And that is it. All you need. Trains back to London go at least every half an hour and, as I said, you have all the time you need at the studios if you go by train. And you will need the time! Ah, the studios are AMAZING! To be honest, even if you are not a Harry Potter fan, the studios are great because you can see how such a blockbuster is designed, staged, how the props are made, what a set looks like, etc, etc, etc... You can see the Hogwarts Express, Diagon Alley, the Dursley's house and many more wonderful sets from the movies. Additionally, you can see puppets they used, animated creatures, sketches and so much more. But the shop must not be forgotten either. I could live in this shop, honestly. Although painfully overpriced, the shop sells everything from wands to shirts to Quidditch balls and uniforms to chocolate frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. So my advice, bring a lot of money when you go or you will cry if you enter the shop and realise you will not be able to buy much. Silver lining, though, the entry ticket price is really ok. About 30 pounds for adults but for more information visit their website. https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/ Also, click here to see my impressions of the Studio Tour on my Youtube Channel WhateverFloatsYourBoat https://youtu.be/O5C-PDWG-ao Hop on/Hop off busses They are touristy, you can find it in most bigger cities in the world and, in my humble opinion, they are great! Of course I am talking about hop on/hop off busses here. I know some people would rather be found dead than participating in such a touristy activity, but the bus tours really help me to get a better picture of a city and you can conveniently reach every destination which is worth seeing. The bus tour in London is great, though really expensive. In Edinburgh you get four bus tours for a good price and the one in Oxford is considerably short, but really worth trying out. I really like them and if I should come across them in another city, I am sure I will do it again! I Irregular Choice Irregular Choice is a shoe shop at Camden Market which I fell in love with. It sells crazy shoes with weird heels and are good for any crazy occasion. I wanted to treat myself to a pair for my birthday but then decided to go the HP tour instead, but as soon as I come across any money, I will definitely buy a pair of those and anyone who loves crazy and innovative fashion, should buy one, too. http://www.irregularchoice.com/eu/ J Joanne Rowling People who know me (or have been following this blog) know that I absolutely love Jo Rowling. Not only because she wrote Harry Potter but also because she is a remarkable and wonderful woman. I was very lucky to come to London when it was the year of the Harry Potter revival and I actually got to SEE her on the red carpet! Unfortunately, I didn't get an autograph (stupid children on the other side), but I will get one on day and I saw her walking right in front of me, which I will never forget! K King's Cross To be honest, King's Cross as such is not really worth visiting. It is not one of the better stations, but, of course, if you love Harry Potter you must visit it when on a trip to London. I was there on the first of September this year and I got to sign one of the huge doodle boards they had there. I also saw the platform on which they filmed parts of the film (between platform 3 and 4, by the way, not 9 and 10). The highlight, though, is the shop (see N) and the cart half inside the wall and half outside. I always wonder when Jo Rowling wanders by, how awkward it must feel for her to realise that all these things, all these people, are only there because of her...I hope I can have a similar feeling with one of my books one day... Kingston upon Thames Kingston is a town south-west of London and it has become my favourite town to shop and spend time in. When I first moved to the UK, I lived in Surbiton, which hadn't much to offer, so I would go to Kingston to do my shopping there. In Kingston there is Bentall's, a huge shopping centre with all sorts of shops (H&M, Apple Store, HMV, New Look, etc, etc, etc...and of course Bentalls). Kingston is also really beautiful. It has a really old city nucleus and there is a market there where you can buy food and drinks. It also has a Cath Kidston (see C) in which I spent most of my better time there. With the train you can be there in about 30-40 minutes from London Waterloo and I think it is really nice to shop there, go to the cinema or just roam the streets and the market. L LegoLand When one of my proteges had his birthday, the family invited me to LegoLand in Windsor. I think it is really expensive but the entertainment is great. They have various, child-friendly roller coasters, rides, a show and food stalls. Additionally, there is little Lego Town in which famous buildings are copied completely in Lego. I have to say, however, that most rides somehow include water, so if you don't want to get wet, you should probably avoid going there because water squirts are everywhere and you never know when they will attack! The train through LegoLand is also really cool (but also here, squirts, be warned) and you can see life-sized animals made out of Lego, so it's pretty cool. Leicester Square (pronunciation: Lester Sqäää) Leicester Square is where all the theatres, casinos and cinemas are. I spent a lot of time there, waiting around the Palace Theatre, hoping to net a ticket for HPCC (which I eventually did) and seeing other shows with N. I must say, I really love the atmosphere around Leicester Square and you should definitely hang out there and see a show if you are in London. If you get hungry, there are innumerable restaurants and fast food chains around there, but I always went to Garfunkel's, a pub at Leicester Square with great burgers and an outdoor area to sit and watch the people at Leicester Square and their street shows (which are often really good and worth seeing). http://www.garfunkels.co.uk/leicester-square Goodness, it's been some time. Moving back to Austria has been very exhausting - emotionally as well as physically.
Now I am sitting on my new sofa (thank God, the old one was so awful, but more about that in one of my next entries) and have finally found the time to write this entry. Before continuing to write about the experiences of the past weeks, I want to sum up my England experience by giving you an A-Z of my experiences in the UK. I have written about many places I visited which you might want to visit, too, so here is a wrap-up with my favourite experiences and places. For some letters there is more than one, for some, there is nothing and if you can think of something you loved in the UK (or other places), please comment here or on Facebook. A Abercrombie and Fitch I am normally not a brand person, but I really like A&F. I am also aware of the fact that A&F is nothing British, but the shop in London was my first one to visit and I really like the experience. It is wonderfully bizarre to go in there - as if entering a new world. The dimmed light, the naked sexy men, the gorgeous people and the smell...oh god, I LOVE the smell. When I was in Dublin, I just sensed this whiff of smell in the air and my nose led me to A&F Dublin. A&F in London is in Burlington Gardens close to Regent Street. It is easy to miss as there is only a little, elegant sign, so watch out! Arthur's Seat Arthur's Seat is the biggest hill (mountain?) in Edinburgh. I wandered up on my last day and on the top you have a wonderful view over the city. It is definitely worth the hike! B Balmoral Hotel The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh is a five-star hotel over Waverley Train Station. The reason why I mention it here is because it is the hotel in which JK Rowling finished the last Harry Potter book. One day I want to stay there and then I will let you know whether it's worth its price. Brick Lane Brick Lane is in Shoreditch in East London which is quite funky and different. You can find 50s stores there, the Cereal Killer Café, a great chocolate store and many other funny and cool shops. It is not high profile, but if you like crazy shops and people, east London is where you should go. It is very like Camden Market, though I have to say that if given the choice, I would prefer Camden Market to Brick Lane. Barmy Arms Pub The Barmy Arms is a pub in Twickenham at the embankment. You can overview the river at it is a wonderful and cosy atmosphere there and the burger is really good. Twickenham is not generally a hotspot (sorry, Twickenham), but the Barmy Arms was always a wonderful retreat to have a bite. Broadrock Hotel The Broadrock Accomodation was the hotel where my man and I stayed when we visited Wales. It is in Woodcroft and it was one of the best hotels I ever stayed in. If you ever want to visit the Forest of Dean, Tintern Abbey or see the house in which JK Rowling lived for some years of her childhood. The hotel is amazing! The owner, Richard, is a wonderful bloke, there is a kitchen which can be used and we had a wonderful bath tub and there were great outside areas - a terrace, a garden, another terrace. So, again, thank you Richard for the wonderful time and anyone who wants to go there, give my regards to Richard. http://www.broadrock.co.uk/ C Camden Market Camden Market is a market in east London at Camden Lock. It is an array of retail shops, outdoor markets, and food stalls. My man absolutely loved it and loved going there, too. The shops there are - like in Brick Lane - quite peculiar and you can buy wonderful dresses in various price categories. One of the most peculiar shops is CyberDog, a shop full of robotic and rave inspired clothes and gadgets. T-shirts with screens on them, Lego brick lamps and a really bizarre sex department with alien sex pics and dildos so big that you wonder who could shove them up their...well, holes. I wouldn't buy there - definitely no fashion - but it is definitely worth a visit and a story to tell when back home. Another great shop in Camden Market is Collectif. There you can buy clothes of the 50s which are just wonderful to wear and look at. They are slightly expensive but worth every p. and if you're lucky you might get one much cheaper during sale. Cursed Child The biggest highlight of this year was, of course, the publication and opening of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The whole journey to reading the script and watching the play was amazing and I feel so blessed that it was exactly the year that I was in the UK. It made my year perfect because I saw JK Rowling, learnt more about the Potter World and fell in love with a Malfoy. Thank you, Jo and Jack, for making my special year even more special. For anyone - Potter fan or not - make sure you see this play, as it is absolutely mind-blowing and will launch a completely new understanding of theatre for young generations - of that, I am convinced. Cambridge I also managed to visit Cambridge when I visited my former university tutor there. I was lucky enough to be accomodated in one of the colleges, which was amazing. The room was so cosy and my trip there great. The colleges are really impressive and anyone who likes old buildings, history and literature should definitely visit Cambridge once. They have a great Cath Kidston store there as well, for all the Cath fans Cath Kidston The first time I laid eyes on a Cath Kidston store I knew I was in love. It is the prefect shop for me even though it looks like the inside of Tinkerbell's vagina (or probably because it looks like the inside of Tinkerbell's vagina). It is romantic, flowery, and just 100% my style. When I moved to London I was so happy that I could go shopping there whenever I wanted. If you like the girly, flowery style, you should definitely shop there. D Dynamic Earth Exhibition In Edinburgh you can visit the Dynamic Earth Exhibition in which you learn about earth, can see what it feels like in an earthquake, volcano and rain forest weather. It was not mind-blowing but pretty entertaining and informative and especially when you visit Edinburgh with children it is worth a visit and you can visit it on foot or with the hop on/hop off bus. http://www.dynamicearth.co.uk/ E Edinburgh Shortly after I arrived in England, I took the bus up to Edinburgh, which has become one of my most favourite cities. Admittedly, taking the bus wasn't one of my cleverest ideas and if you can spare some quid, take the train or plane. Still, the city is an absolute must for fans of old cities, history lovers and people with a sense for city asthetics. And, of course, for Harry Potter fans. After all, Jo Rowling lives in Edinburgh and wrote most of the books there. This was also one of my most favourite hot spots, the Elephant House in the old town of Edinburgh. It is not only the café in which Jo Rowling wrote many parts of the first book, but it is also a great place to be, write and enjoy coffee. It is a cosy, snug place with a great back area in which anyone could imagine to find inspiration. http://www.elephanthouse.biz/ Ed's Diner Alright, there are many places in London where you can get a wonderful burger, any many where you most likely get a better burger than in the American Diner. Nevertheless, I want to list it here because I really enjoyed the American Diner atmosphere with 50s music, the funky colours and the friendly staff. There are various Ed's Diners but I went to the one close to Euston Station and it is definitely a better place to wait for your train than Nando's. In my humble opinion. F Fire The Fire is a nightclub close Vauxhall Station in which N and I went for the children entertainment inspired party. It is a really cool in which N and I took a bath in the ball pit, jumped on the bouncy castle and got balloon crowns. I don't know whether these activities are on every weekend, but the atmosphere and area in there were pretty cool, so if you like nightclubbing, it is definitely worth a visit. For the rest of the alphabet, you will soon be rewarded! |
AuthorIn September 2015 I started a new chapter of my life by moving (temporarily or permanently, not yet decided) to England where I work and socialise now. Archives
December 2017
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