La Ciudad de Madrid

Madrid is probably my favorite city in Europe from the few cities I have seen. It's a cute little city, with cozy cobblestone streets, lots of street performers, thousands of fountains and lots of sun! The best part is that everything is within walking distance if you are living in the city center. It takes at most 30 minutes to get from one end of the city to the other and walking is a great way to get to see the real city instead of just tourist attractions.

I stayed by Puerta del Sol, which is actually a historical building rather than a gate or a door. The plaza is always flooded with people trying to get to the metro station or taking in the sights. Madrid really loves its fountains, and the first fountain I saw was at Puerta del Sol. The plaza also has a statue of a bear climbing a tree, which I didn't understand but is all over the souvenirs. Apparently, it is the symbol of Madrid, in Spanish known as El Oso y El Madrono (the bear and the strawberry tree), which is linked to the city's name.

La Calle Arenal is the main road that connects Puerta del Sol to the Opera House and Palacio Real (Royal Palace). I tried churros and chocolate from one of the many cafes on this street, and they were different from what I expected but delicious. In NYC churros are sweet with cinnamon, but in Madrid they were salty with sweet hot chocolate, yum!

Plaza de Oriente has a beautiful garden and of course many fountains. El Palacio Real does not look very grand but the inside is gorgeous. It's not as pompous as Versailles but its decor shines with elegance. It even has a pharmacy where you can see the original chemicals still in their bottles that were used to treat people back in the day.

Plaza Mayor is also full of street performers (they are big on cartoon characters) and many cute outdoor restaurants. They may seem expensive but actually are decently priced for sitting outside in the sun, watching people trying to earn a buck for their talents (or lack of) and enjoying delicious paella with a glass of sangria.

Right next to the plaza, is El Mercado de San Miguel, an indoor food market. It's a great place to try the different foods Madrid has to offer. It's full of people eating tapas and enjoying a cold drink, and it's also a great way to meet locals and learn about the cuisine. The best part is that this market is open every day! I liked the food here so much that I went twice in one weekend.

El Retiro is a huge park in the eastern part of the city, that is almost comparable to Central Park. It has many fountains, lakes, a place to row boat and Palacio de Cristal. They say it's a crystal palace, but it is more like an empty room or greenhouse looking building. It is gorgeous however, and the inside gives a great view of the landscape of the park.

Museo del Prado is right next to El Retiro. I was really looking forward to seeing it but I don't think it was a museum for me. I like art museums that have all types of art, paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, jewelry, etc. Museo del Prado mostly just has paintings. Most of the paintings I found to be very dark and gloomy but they were interesting to see.

Madrid was a great experience and reminded me a lot of NYC. There were people selling fake DVDs, hand bags and watches everywhere. People were even selling water bottle for 1 Euro. And the street food was excellent. I really want to go back!

Tower of London

A few weeks ago I went to go see the Tower of London. It's a little bit pricey if you're on a budget, but I think it's definitely worth it! The Crown Jewels themselves are enough, I mean who wouldn't want to see one of the largest diamonds in the world?

I first took a guided tour led by a Yeoman Warder, who actually live in the Tower of London site. He told us stories about the King's scandals, conspiracies, history of the tower, and of course, the beheadings. He even showed us the cathedral where the prisoners were buried once they were executed. Anne Boleyn, one of the wives of Henry VIII, was also beheaded and buried on this site. Only private executions actually took place in  the Tower of London. Public executions were held on Tower Hill, which is just a 5 minute walk from there. He also showed us the Bloody Tower, which originally had a different name but was changed after Shakespeare referred to it as "the tower of blood."

The Crown Jewels were probably my favorite part. You can see all the coat of arms that were used during each King's rein. And of course, you get to see the decorated crowns that have been worn over the centuries and are still worn today at any special occasion. The coronation robes are also on display. I guess they will have to be taken out soon, once Prince William is made King. You can also see the different gold plated utensils that are used at the coronation ceremonies.

There is also an exhibition of royal armour. It becomes a bit redundant, but it is interesting to see the different designs etched on each piece. It's also odd to see armour made for young children. Children in battle? A little bit scary.

Strangely, the Tower also has pet ravens. Legend has it that if the ravens were to ever leave the Tower, the kingdom would fall and never rise again. (Dramatic isn't it?)




Definitely a place worth checking out. And it is a great opportunity to take pictures by Tower Bridge!

Eclectic Camden

I had only ever been to Camden Town at night, but seeing it during the day made me really appreciate all the different shops it has to offer.

On Sundays, Camden is home to many little markets running along Camden High Street. It's a great place to buy souvenirs for friends and family at home or even a little something for yourself. One of my favorite stalls sold different types of incense sticks, some of which I had never heard of before.

The stables are the biggest of the markets. Back in the day, they used to keep horses there (hence the name stables) and now houses vendors during the day and dance clubs at night. You can literally buy all types of gifts there. From clothing to jewelry to records to candles to fancy chocolates, Camden market has everything!

The markets are also known for their street food. There's tons and tons of vendors selling chinese food, indian food, burgers, fish and chips, donuts, pizza and anything else you can imagine. However, you should be prepared to get harassed and yelled at by these people because they will not take no for an answer. You're only hope is to not look too interested in the food or runaway (seriously).

But once you get over the shock, it's great to enjoy your meal sitting by the water when the weather is nice. You can watch people haggling with the vendors and the boat cruises going up and down the river.

Camden Town was definitely a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

London's Ideal Home Show

The Earls Court Exhibition Hall is currently home of the Ideal Home Show, running from March 11-27. The show features many foods, gadgets, furniture and inventions that can make your home, well, ideal.

The show was first started in 1908 as a way for newspapers to raise revenue and for brands to advertise themselves. As the British middle class was growing, more and more brands came to showcase themselves and entice the population with a growing disposable income. Now the show features goods from all over the world and gives people a way to experience their ideal homes.

The circular exhibition hall takes up many floors, with a view of the main floor in the middle. Right in the center is a restaurant which appears to be floating on water. There's a "lake house" on the water as well, and two other houses that people can look around in to get ideas on how to decorate their own homes. It's the strangest site to see 3 houses inside another building!

The show has exhibitions such as the Ideal Woman and Ideal Food. The first has many brands displaying jewellery, scarves, handbags, sunglasses and clothing. There are stations to get your make-up done and hair straightened. You can even get a message while enjoying the view.

The Ideal Food exhibition showcases foods from around the world and many kitchen gadgets. You can walk around the various stalls and try samples of cheese and wine. There's even a stall selling macaroons and gourmet cupcakes. The different smells are so overwhelming, I'm sure you won't be able to choose just one type of food to try.

The Ideal Home Show has something for everyone and is a must see attraction!

Afternoon Tea at Caffe Concerto

I came to London expecting to find afternoon tea places on every other block. I've walked into many shops but not many of them had the afternoon tea atmosphere I was looking for. Caffe Concerto lured me in with its display of the most decorative cakes I've ever seen (and I watch a lot of Food Network) and it's my favorite tea place in London!

Some may complain that the cafe only has a limited selection of teas, but the ones it does have are delicious. The Bombay Chai and Marrakesh Mint are two of my favorites. There are also options with jasmine, citrus, and of course, English Breakfast tea. For those who don't like tea, the cafe also has a selection of coffees, soft drinks and wine, but I would definitely recommend trying their tea. Mastering the art of pouring tea without spilling is an experience on its own!

The cakes are just to die for. Some of them are so pretty, I almost feel bad eating them but the deliciousness helps me get over it quick. I love anything with chocolate and coffee so the Giotto is my personal favorite, but there are so many other options with vanilla and fruits such as strawberry. We bought two of my friends their birthday cakes from there and both were delicious!

I'd definitely recommending going there for an afternoon snack or even dessert after dinner. Check out the menu here: Caffe Concerto

Welcome to Peak District

One of the most gorgeous places in northern England is Peak District. It is a huge national park that is perhaps most well known for Lyme Hall which served as Mr. Darcy's house in Pride and Prejudice. Right in the middle of the park is Buxton, a cute little town with a shopping centre, museum and opera house. It's a spa town known for its mineral waters which run in St. Anne's Well, where people come to collect water.

The town is overflowing with cozy little B&B's that serve a full English breakfast which is absolutely delicious!
True to England's reputation, the pub food in Buxton is inexpensive but really good. I had a platter of chicken tikka masala at The King's Head, which was much better than what I had at an Indian restaurant in London. The pub is known for its Millionaire Ice Cream Sundae: heaps of chocolate, vanilla and caramel ice cream on top of a layer of shortbread, topped with toffee and chocolate syrup and whipped cream. The dessert comes to share but anyone with a sweet tooth could definitely eat it by herself.

 
Lyme Hall is located on a hill in the northern part of Peak District. Visitors are greeted with samples of wine and reminded to not take pictures inside the house. The dining table is laid out exactly as it was in the movie and the family room is just as grand. The gardens have beautiful flowers and even a lake surrounded by trees!
Outside of the hall is a path leading up a hill. Although the path looks tiring it is definitely worth walking to the top. The hill gives a gorgeous view of the green hills of Peak District, a sight that is absolutely break taking!

Peak District was a great break from the busy city and an absolutely gorgeous place to see in sunny northern England!

Hyde Park and The Orangery

Hyde Park is absolutely gorgeous when the weather is nice. It's so green and there are so many pretty swans (did you know all of the swans are property of the Queen?) to distract you from the gloomy London weather. And Hyde Park is huge. I walked around for about 3 hours and still don't think I saw everything. It almost reminds me of Central Park. It's huge, it has ponds, and there's a road for cars.

The Serpentine Gallery was closed so I couldn't see it, and some of the exhibits in Kensington Palace were closed so I didn't go inside that either. (Why is everything always closed in London? The Eye, Leicester Square, Kensington Palace, etc.) I did see the Albert Memorial; a huge structure of gold and purple (colors of the monarchy going back to Julius Caesar's day) and of course a gold statue of Albert himself. I also saw the Italian Gardens, which are gorgeous of course, but more fountains than gardens. There's also the statue of the Peter Pan which looks nothing like the Disney version. But somehow, the statue seemed to represent Peter's childlike nature much better. The Princess Diana Memorial had closed by the time I got there so I'll have to go back to see it. And I never found the playground in her honor either but it's supposed to be a really fun place so I'll have to see that at the same time. The coolest Hyde Park attraction are the weird shaped mirrors. Some of them make you look really skin and in others you look very disappointed. One cone shaped mirror only shows the sky and its tip but as you get closer to see the tip, it disappears!

What I had really wanted to do in Hyde Park, was go to The Orangery. It's an afternoon tea place that everyone keeps talking about and is a must see London attraction. The food is pretty good, they have a nice selection of teas and cakes. But the setting can be a little dull. The interior is all white except for the flowers on each table. I definitely like Cafe Concerto better, that has a really cute interior and better selection of cakes at a lower price.

Can't wait till the weather gets nicer and I can have picnics in Hyde Park!