I'm in London Baby!

I know I have been a little lax in updating my blog but there was just so much going on that I couldn't post any earlier.

So here we were, in February and it was cold and I kinda was missing my love! Earlier plans had her coming to Metz but due to some delay in the visa it meant she wouldn't come till later. Well some of you might be familiar with the holiday that makes you wanna gag, but for us lovers it's a nice excuse to rekindle the love and exchange some gifts. Yes I am talking about Valentines Day!

So I booked my tickets to London on a Eurostar. The train goes from Paris Gare Du Nord to London St Pancras in little under 2 and a half hours. After a full day of classes, I made it just in time for my train from Metz to Paris. Before I came to France, my only memory of trains as such was the overnight trains I used to take as a child with my family up to the mountains in India to visit my grandfather. We used to take a lot of food and me and my sister you used to fight for the top bunk. As it would start moving, the food would be brought out, and the compartments would be filled with myriad aroma's.
Riding on trains here sort of makes me nostalgic and think of those younger times.. I still feel giddy when a train starts moving from the station, and slowly starts to pull away, as friends and family wave goodbye to their loved ones. In a way I think I love observing people. Behaviors, antics or emotions!
I got to Paris around 6:20 and had about 3 hours to kill before my train to London. As I roamed the streets of Paris, I could see people filling up the local brasseries and getting ready for a wonderful night in a wonderful city. (look out for an article on my day trip to Paris)
I looked around, saw the life go about and then went and plodded myself at Gare du Nord. Gare Du Nord is a marvelous station. With hoards of people, from locals to out of towners to even foreigners scampering around to find their train, that would take them to their destination. When I see people transit through airports and stations I always wonder, where they might be heading, what they might do there and what they might see there!

The Eurostar pulled out of Paris at 10:20, an hour later due to bad weather conditions in the North of France and England. I could feel the excitement rising as I would soon be in England and with my love. And for the first time I was going to live in London for 5 days. I was also curious to see if I could feel/hear or sense being under the channel, but unfortunately the tunnel ride took about 15 minutes and didn't feel anything different than the rest of the journey.

Arriving at St. Pancras, I remembered the first time I had come here and the memories attached. The same ceiling, the same corners, the same stores.
I was staying at a Friend's place in London and it turns out that he stays in one of the most central locations of London. On Bond street. At first when I arrived around midnight there seemed to be something going on, as the streets were blocked and the riot police was around. As it turns out the house next to where I was staying, had a facebook publicized party which went out of control, and there were about 2000 people in a very small space overlooking the marble arch. Kids climbed the house and were trashing the street. The situation was very volatile as British cops cannot touch students, despite what they might do until they are not breaking the law. And since this party was on public premises, they couldn't do anything about the drinking either. It was an interesting welcome to London. The first night passed.

The next day was typical British weather; Spitting rain and low temperatures. We wandered about town, still not being able to digest the fact that we were bang opposite Hyde park. We had dinner at a Trinidadian friends Aunt's house. She had the most charming house on Finchley road. Its a very nice part of town, with lovely British homes. After a great night of good food, vine and conversations we managed our way back home.

The next day we headed to Camden town. Camden is basically a large open market, with people selling a bunch of stuff. From witty t-shirts, to Abercrombie clothes from seized shipments, tatoos and goth stores to hats and even a store selling stuff made out of hemp! One thing that I love about England, and especially London, since it's such a multicultural pot of people, is that be it British, Asian, European, Trinidadian or Indian, every one has that British accent. For some it accentuates their original accent and for some it makes for one very interesting concoction.
Walking around, watching people walk around, we ate a little at the outdoor eateries, selling everything from Burritos and Nachos to India curry.

At night was the Valentines day Dinner. Dressed to impress, walking on the streets dressed in a sharp suit, I felt like quite a Londoner. It was a nice feeling, I think I won't mind working there if possible. For dinner we went to a restaurant called Giraffe, specializing in an around the world menu, that included a lamb burger with honeyed onions, a duck stir fry, ribs and much more. The ambiance was great and the food was as impressive. It was a wonderful evening, one that I will cherish for a long time.

The next few days we spent without much activity. I met a few friends from college studying abroad in England and met a few friends from back home in India studying/visiting England. It was fun catching up with them and it gave them a chance to meet my Love. Yes the mysterious woman I am so in love with.

Funnily enough, my only wish was to visit Nandos, and old favorite of mine, and as luck would have it, as we were walking around to search for a place for dinner one night, we saw Nando's at a corner and proceeded to eat there. Nando's is this chicken place, where they grill the chicken in their famous peri peri sauce and you get a variety of flavored peri peri sauces like the herb peri peri, the hot peri peri etc. to eat it with. It is absolutely lipsmacking.

It was one of the most perfect 5 days I spent. Wonderful place, wonderful food and most importantly the most wonderful person! Saying goodbye was hard as usual, and I sat on that Eurostar bound for Paris, I hoped that soon my love could come visit me in Metz. (If all goes well, March it shall be)

I was back to Metz and back to school, but the next week, or days from then was Spring break. Which meant another packed bag, another train, another city!

To Spain we go next!