London

It seems rather absurd to be writing about a vacation that transgressed ages ago. Then again, a far greater crime would be to let the transgression wane away. So here I am trying to relive the magic of the past.

As I had envisaged in my dreams, reality was more demystifying than the actual.  From the moment I set foot in London, my whole concept of realism was transformed. Greeted by small London cabs, the American dream seemed larger than real.

Narrow old world roads lead to beautiful minion houses in atypical English neighborhood.  As I looked outside the window of my swerving cab, I couldn’t help but notice the Asian influence in the air.  For a moment my mind drifted to the galis of India. I was entranced by the eastern influence. It seemed like the English Raj was still much in awe of its colonies.

The cost misty air also took me by surprise.  June was by no means a scorcher in this European terrain.  Dark clouds were looming by, and colorful umbrellas were beginning to spruce up the air. This made the city more ethereal. Walking by the streets and watching the famed red London double Decker bus roll around the street corners, I couldn’t help but smile. Of course, the boutiques stocked up in the latest European trends priced at oh la la pounds made me gasp for cover. Coming from a country of deals, this was a tad above my expectation.  Just, as I was about to loose my balance, the quintessential London pubs made my smile once again. Brit accent emanating from the pubs mixed with the smell of beer lightened by spirits.

We began our traverse in Greenwich Village.  Making our way through the maze of colorful London tubes, we reached our first stop. Grabbing our umbrellas in a typical English fashion, we undertook a walking tour of the city. There were Fish and chips eat outs in every corner. And the old fashioned telephone booths beckoned us. This felt like renaissance. 

Having tasted the old country feel, we made our way to another extinguished landmark, “ The London Eye”. A mammoth glass enclosed giant wheel encircling London city seemed like the perfect end to our day. As I soaked in the famed landmarks like “Big Ben” and “Buckingham palace”, I was ready for an adventure.

And thus began our Big Bus London tour. Starting at Buckingham Palace, we made our way through the crowded London streets. Past the Victorian cathedrals, svelte apartments, sprawling parks, trendiest shopping districts, and streets owned by the queen, we were treated to the most luxurious and eye candy sights.  Standing in Trafalgar Square, surrounded by the history and ethnicities, we were lost in time. As time lost travelers we made our way to the penultimate stop, the “Tower of London”.  The day marked to a close with a boat ride past the London Bridge. And all I could think of was my daughter’s favorite rhyme

London to the naked eye is a city of thoroughbreds. High fashion and culinary finesse is second nature to the locals. On the one hand, the hopeless romantic can get lost in the cathedrals and the Victorian landmarks. On the other end, a hopeless nomad can revel in the street arts, rustic English countryside, beer and strawberries. That to me is the brilliance of London.