Hello, Blog! I can’t believe we’re already nearly halfway through November! You know what they say: time flies when you’re in another country. This was another special week because I got to spend some more time with my friend from Wellesley, Adriana! She’s currently studying in Bath and took the train over so I could show her a little around London.
Royal Ballet and Opera House interior
Adriana’s train got into Covent Garden, which is now becoming my most frequented neighborhood, and I can’t complain. I briefly showed her around the area, which was buzzing with crowds and lit with string lights. We went to the Seven Dials Market, where we got Bad Boy Pizza. While this was definitely a respectable slice, we both agreed it wasn’t quite up to par with the Northeastern U.S. I’m still on the hunt for a true New York slice!
Amorino Gelato
After the food, we made our way to the Royal Ballet and Opera House to see The Magic Flute. This was my very first opera, and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, partially because it was all in German, and because the music was so stunning. The Mozart opera was dramatic, touching, and at times, pretty funny, which I wasn’t expecting. Overall, this was a great experience, so shout out to Adriana for finding this opportunity! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for operas I can see in the future.
Once the show was over, we got some Amorino gelato, which was absolutely delectable, and hopped on a bus back to my flat to rest up for our exciting day we had planned.
The British Museum sign
Adriana reading about artifacts in the British Museum
In the morning, we headed over to the British Museum in Bloomsbury and walked around for a couple of hours, learning about Medieval Europe, the Islamic world, and Ancient Greece and Rome. There was definitely too much to cover in one visit, but it’s a great, free way to learn some history, so I could certainly see myself going back!
Halloween decorations in Hampstead
Thai food
After the museum, we got some pastries from Gail’s Bakery and took a few buses from Bloomsbury to Hampstead. Since this was right after Halloween, we saw so many amazing decorations that put us in the perfect fall mood. This neighbourhood was so beautiful and peaceful that even just walking around is a great activity in itself. After all that walking, though, we built up an appetite, and I’m so glad we did, because we had such delicious food from Meekhun Thai Bistro. I’m a huge fan of Thai green curry and even writing about it right now is making me consider the hour-long trek to Hampstead.
Houses in Hampstead at sunset
The Hill Garden and Pergola exterior
We walked around some more after our late lunch and headed over to Hampstead Heath, a gorgeous park in the neighbourhood, perfect for an autumn stroll. The sun was setting when we arrived, so it got dark pretty quickly, but we saw some beautiful sights on our walk (especially the Hill Garden and Pergola) and enjoyed the crisp air. We ended our walk at King William IV, where we got some drinks, enjoyed the spooky Halloween decorations, and chatted for a while before we had to part ways.
We took our buses home, and I spent the rest of the night watching more Halloween movies, so to me, this was a pretty perfect day! It was great seeing another Wellesley face, and I can’t wait to exchange more stories about our adventures in England as soon as we’re both back on campus.
Thanks for reading, and I’ll be writing again soon!
Cheers! xx