London · Day 4
The theme of the day is being a tourist and a Londoner:
London Eye, the iconic Ferris wheel offering stunning views of the city
Big Ben, the famous clock tower and an iconic symbol of London
Buckingham Palace, where the ceremonial Changing of the Guard takes place with the iconic guards
Harrods, a renowned luxury department store offering a wide range of exquisite goods (but we were there for their food court)
British Museum, a world-famous museum showcasing a vast collection of historical artifacts
Burberry store, a high-end fashion boutique known for its British heritage (accompanying my friend to get his trench coat)
Beast London, a trendy restaurant known for its delicious food and stylish ambiance
Good morning, London!
Despite the slightly cloudy sky, the temperature is hovering around 18-19 degrees Celsius, which is not too cold. For our first breakfast, we went to Gail's and ordered a bacon and cheese croissant and a latte coffee. Our stomachs were delighted and satisfied. I wonder if the milk in London is different from Canada's. My friend and I experienced some discomfort in our stomachs when we had coffee with dairy products in the first few days. Gail's was recommended by a UK couple we met on the first day, and it seems to be a beloved spot among locals too, as there were already office workers buying breakfast here around 9 o'clock in the morning.
𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡: 𝔹𝕚𝕘 𝔹𝕖𝕟, 𝕃𝕠𝕟𝕕𝕠𝕟 𝔼𝕪𝕖
When we arrived at Big Ben and the London Eye, it was around 10 o'clock in the morning. Perhaps due to it being a weekday, there were fewer people by the river. I highly recommend taking a stroll by the river on a workday morning. London is incredibly peaceful during the early hours, and if you're lucky, you may even hear the chirping of birds!
The London Eye
To be honest, the London Eye didn't give me a stunning impression, perhaps because I had experienced something similar in Las Vegas before. Instead of being on the London Eye and overlooking the city, I would rather be the tiny ant being looked down upon, wandering through the streets and alleys. It's more recommended for families with children!
Seeing Big Ben with my own eyes, I was deeply fascinated by its construction and craftsmanship. From one side of Westminster Bridge, I could admire the intricate details of the entire clock tower, and it was truly exquisite. Big Ben had been covered for repairs for quite some time, so I felt fortunate that it was mostly uncovered during my visit this time.
Continuing to walk down from the bridge, you can directly reach Buckingham Palace. Along the way, there are many photo-worthy spots! Often, I felt like I was back in Shanghai. Whenever I mentioned this, my friend would reply, "Of course, Shanghai was previously ruled by Britain." Well, I admit, the resemblance is striking indeed!
We walked all the way to the entrance of Buckingham Palace. The entire palace was truly magnificent, and if you have the opportunity, I highly recommend booking a tour inside, especially during the summer. Initially, I didn't know about the Changing of the Guard ceremony, but my friend suggested we wait here for a while, and that's when we discovered it. If you want to get a good view, I recommend arriving about 20 minutes early and positioning yourself closer to the front. We stood towards the back, so we had to wait for quite a while to see the guards, the mounted troops, and the band.
There were many young children standing by the fences, seemingly on a school outing. Each child was dressed in British-style school uniforms, and they looked absolutely adorable.
𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡: ℍ𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕠𝕕𝕤
It took us about 20 minutes to walk from Buckingham Palace to Harrods. Harrods is considered one of the oldest department stores in the UK, housing many luxury brand shops. However, we didn't come here for shopping; we were actually interested in their renowned food section. We did some research on Little Red Book in advance and heard that their lobster thermidor is especially delicious, so we decided to try it.
The food hall of Harrods is located on the ground floor and is quite spacious. It is divided into several sections: food, desserts, fresh produce, and dining areas. In addition to their signature lobster thermidor, we also bought a Japanese wagyu beef sandwich and a Peking duck wrap.
After buying all the food, we eagerly looked for a place to sit down and enjoy our meal, only to realize that the store didn't provide seating for dining... If you want to experience Harrods' food hall, I recommend visiting on a sunny day so that after purchasing your food, you can head to a nearby park for a picnic.
𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡: 𝔹𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕤𝕙 𝕄𝕦𝕤𝕖𝕦𝕞
The British Museum in London was established in 1753 and is a highly popular attraction in the area. It houses over 800 collections from around the world. Admission to the museum is free, but visitors have the option to make a donation to support it. Since my friend had visited the museum before, we didn't spend too much time there. Nevertheless, we still explored the museum for over an hour! If you want to see the entire museum, I recommend arriving in the morning and allowing 3 to 4 hours for your visit.
The museum is divided into three floors, with different areas dedicated to various countries. Each area has a unique atmosphere when you enter. I particularly enjoyed exploring the section dedicated to Ancient Greece, where the sculptures were truly awe-inspiring, making me feel as if I were transported back to ancient Greece.
𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡: 𝔹𝕦𝕣𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕪
After exploring the museum, we hurriedly made our way to the Burberry store because my friend wanted to buy a trench coat.
The Burberry store we visited is located at 121 Regent Street, near Liberty London. The interior of the store was stunning. The saleswoman who assisted us mentioned that the building used to be a theater and was later rented by Burberry to be transformed into a flagship store. She even took us discreetly to see the antique Wurlitzer organ hidden behind a door.
My friend tried on several trench coats and spent over an hour deciding which one to buy. After comparing the prices, we realized that buying in London was nearly $1k cheaper than in Vancouver.
𝕆𝕦𝕣 𝕊𝕥𝕠𝕡: 𝔹𝔼𝔸𝕊𝕋
In charming London, how can one miss out on a delicious Western meal? Beast restaurant is nestled in a hidden alleyway of London. Even passing by the entrance, one might not realize it's a restaurant. Once inside, we informed the staff of our reservation and descended a staircase from the ground floor.
Always go for the tasting menu!
My friend and I opted for the Tasting Menu at BEAST restaurant. To truly experience a restaurant, the best way is to go for their tasting menu. The complete tasting menu consisted of seven dishes (with seafood and steak as their specialties) and cost £120. We also opted for wine pairing and champagne, which added up to around £200 per person.
Every dish on the tasting menu delighted our palates! As we savored each bite, my friend couldn't help but exclaim that BEAST deserved a Michelin star. Although I haven't personally dined at a Michelin-starred restaurant, my friend is quite the experienced Michelin restaurant connoisseur, and I fully agreed with his opinion.
PS. BEAST has a sommelier dedicated to selecting the perfect red and white wines to accompany each dish. Though we aren't professional wine tasters, we were extremely satisfied with the wine pairing this time. On another note, being a sommelier is truly a cool profession, and it feels like something I could pursue after retirement. Laughing~
We spent several hours in the restaurant, discussing various work-related and amusing anecdotes from our personal lives. It had been a long time since I had traveled alone with a friend, especially since getting married and having children. The opportunity for solo trips has become scarce. The friend I traveled with this time was the emcee at my wedding and a wonderful mentor in my previous job, making our journey even more special.
He has always lived a carefree and extraordinary life, with a deep understanding of what he wants. I consider him a truly artistic and insightful young man. I hope that one day I can reach his level of enlightenment as well, lol!!
