London – Part I:
London made me feel back in São Paulo (my hometown in Brazil). At least when I used to live there – about 10 years ago – I used to walk everywhere, take the subway and the buses. London is the same, especially because if people want to drive around the Central region they need to pay the ‘congestion tax’, a tax that was implemented to try to reduce the number of vehicles on the streets, but in reality the pollution and traffic are still terrible.
My first experience in the ‘tube’ – the ‘British’ name for the subway – was interesting. Tons of foreigners, many languages that I was unable of identifying, the whole experience made me feel like if I were in Babel. After one day taking the tube I became accustomed to the warnings ‘Please Mind the Gap’, referring to the gap in between the train and the train platform. Why am I mentioning this? It is so peculiar that it became one of the tube’s trademarks, as well as t-shirts for tourists.
One of the best things about London is that nobody depends on a car like here in Los Angeles where, even though gas prices are over U$ 5 a gallon, you do not have options, either you drive or you move somewhere else.
Back to London, I stayed in Notting Hill, a very ‘hip’ neighborhood with lots of bars, pubs and clubs. One of the clubs I went to, “Cherry Jam” belongs to the people from the band ‘Everything but the Girl’. The deco is very modern, red walls with stamped black and white pictures, and the music and schedule is diversified. There is something for all tastes going from Brazilian music to local and international DJs; the place is a mandatory stop for people visiting London.
The city offers many museums as well. The museum’s admittance is free in its majority and there is always something for everybody. My favorite was the Courtald Gallery (inside the Somerset House) that has a vast collection of the Impressionists, including Van Gogh – my favorite. Outside the Somerset House is already impressive with water fountains that are already a sculpture itself.
The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square is just as remarkable. Besides of more Impressionists paintings, the gallery owns one of the largest Rembrandt – who was born 400 years ago! – Collections in the world. Talking about Trafalgar Square let me explain what I am talking about: it is a square in the heart of London. It has fountains and a 46 meter high with Horatio Nelson’s 5.5 meters high on top. This monument called ‘Nelson’s Column’ was made between 1840 and 1843 to honor Admiral Nelson (who died in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805).
In another part of town, Holborn, I found the British Museum. The museum has existed since 1759 and it has a wonderful collection of the history of the civilization. One day is not enough to be able to admire the more the 13 million objects in exposition telling the tale of the civilization since the beginning of times. Since I am really interested in Egypt and everything from there, I spent a great deal of time in the Egyptian hall where you can admire a vast quantity of objects, mummies, and Egyptian art. The British Museum also has many Greek sculptures that are so old that they are missing pieces, but it gives the an idea of life in old Greek times. Another floor of the museum is dedicated to Asian art, including art from India, China, Japan, among other Asian countries.
Besides of museums, there is still much to see in London:
- House of Parliament
- Big Ben
- Tower of London
- Thammes River
- Westminster Cathedral
- Change of Guards and Buckingham Palace
Also there is the historic city of Bath, about 2 hours away from London. All of that and more you will see and read next week! For now, enjoy it!
Text: Silvia Mendes
Photos: Alex Ribeiro and Silvia Mendes
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