Sep 30 – Oct 4 · 4 nights · Carlie, Miguel & Zavier, Alex (Carlie's friend in London), Mustafa Kapasi (British Museum) · ★★★★★
A sprint to dinner on the first night, a huge walking loop ending in wine at Gordon's, Richmond for the Ted Lasso fan, and the Rosetta Stone with an old friend.
“Something ties me to London that I can't explain, but I definitely feel it.”
A British Airways flight from Lisbon brought me to the last real stop of the trip, and the family’s
last city too. London is my second-favorite city in the world, after Tokyo, but I arrived doubting
whether it was worth the time and the money.
Still a 5 out of 5 for me. There’s always something new to take in, and I don’t think I could ever see
everything. I love the public transportation and how easy it is to get around. The food could be a
little better (though there are some really great places), and it’s not nearly as affordable as
Tokyo. The only real letdown was the calendar: no Premier League match this time. I also missed
Kaile, who’d gone home while I was in Majorca.
Highlights
Gordon's Wine Bar with Carlie, Miguel, Zavier and Alex: good food, good wine and good company on a perfect-weather day, after a huge walking loop that finished at Tate Britain
The British Museum with Mustafa Kapasi, a friend from Jive Software's Reading office, then Covent Garden Market. The Rosetta Stone was surreal, and it was great catching up
The Eating Europe Borough Market food tour: an awesome tour and a great guide. Best bites were the fish and chips, then the blue cheese
An afternoon in Richmond on Alex's recommendation, and a few Ted Lasso sights for the fan in me
First-night dinner with Carlie, Miguel and Zavier at Rambutan: amazing food, and I'd definitely go back
The walking loop: Chinatown, Trafalgar Square, Horse Guards, Westminster, St James's Park and its pelicans, Buckingham Palace, and the London Eye from across the Thames
Misses
Not there during the Premier League schedule, so no match
Kaile had already gone home while I was in Majorca, so I missed her
The Borough Market food itself was just OK. Last of my food tours, though the bar was high
Next time
Time a London visit for the Premier League season and book a match
Day by day
Wed, Sep 30
A sprint to Rambutan
Rally mode.
As soon as I came out of customs into arrivals, I was instantly reminded how much I love London. Finding my way to the Tube and riding in to King's Cross felt so normal and comfortable.
There wasn't much time to sit in any feelings, though. On the train I was texting with Miguel, and they were already heading to dinner. They'd get there about when I reached my hotel, and dinner was another 30 minutes away, so I needed to rally. I made my plan on the Tube: check in, drop the bags, and hustle. The hotel had to be a pit stop.
King's Cross is a complicated station, and the exit I needed isn't a well-traveled one. I lost a few minutes figuring it out and came out on the wrong side of Pancras Road, but I got my bearings quickly, and the hotel was only a few minutes' walk. Check-in was smooth, and I had a ground-floor room, which was very convenient. I threw my bags in and headed straight back to the station.
The fastest option was Thameslink, which I'd never taken before, so that slowed me down too, and the anxiety started creeping up. I missed a train by seconds and waited about 10 minutes for the next one. From Blackfriars it was still about a mile to the restaurant, and I hustled it in about 11 minutes.
Then I sat down to the most amazing food. Every dish at Rambutan was incredible. Carlie and Miguel were glad to see me, partly because they'd ordered for three and were hitting their limits by the time I got there. As a bonus, the restaurant was right next door to Friday's food tour meeting point, so now I knew exactly where to be.
When Zavier started to fuss, I scooped him up to distract him and give Mom and Dad a few moments to enjoy themselves. We all walked together across London Bridge and split up at Monument. The perfect first night in London.
Planned: BA LIS→LHR · Piccadilly Line to King's Cross · check in
Thu, Oct 1
The big walking loop & Gordon's
Nothing to do but talk.
Thursday's loop was wild. I dropped my laundry off in the morning, grabbed a coffee at Caffè Nero, and walked through Chinatown and Trafalgar Square, down Whitehall past Horse Guards and the Cenotaph to the Thames for Big Ben, past the Palace of Westminster and around to Westminster Abbey, then through St James's Park (pelicans) to Buckingham Palace. Lunch at Coyo Taco, then the Tate Britain, and along the Thames to meet the family at Gordon's Wine Bar.
I don't think I've ever been in London on such a beautiful day. It was like an entirely new city, even though I'd seen so many of the sights before. London has felt familiar ever since my very first visit, back in 2011.
Gordon's was my top moment of London because of how it made me feel. After that huge walk I was ready for a break, and sitting down in London with great food, wine and company, with nothing to worry about, felt so free. Nowhere to be, no schedule to keep. Alex, Carlie's friend who lives in London, was a big part of it. Her English accent and the free-flowing conversation were a great change of pace from solo adventuring.
When Zavier got restless, I took him for a walk through the park to give Mom and Dad a break and a chance to catch up with Alex. It was fun to see how much he'd grown and changed in just a few weeks. He'd started the trip with a double ear infection, and by this leg he was really hitting his stride and enjoying himself. That was a lot of fun, and a huge part of the whole experience for me.
Planned: King's Cross AI Knowledge Quarter (business block) · British Museum or Covent Garden · Soho dinner
Morning cappuccino before the big walkBlack cab and a red busThe Palace Theatre, Cambridge CircusLanterns over ChinatownChinatown's lantern-strung streetsThe Chinatown gateThe back of the National GalleryTrafalgar Square and the National GallerySt Martin-in-the-FieldsThe Fourth Plinth, Trafalgar SquareNelson's ColumnA mounted guard at Horse GuardsThe Cenotaph on WhitehallThe Red Lion, WhitehallBig Ben from WhitehallParliament SquareAlong the EmbankmentThe London Eye across the ThamesBig Ben through the treesBig Ben and the EyeWestminster AbbeySt James's Park lakeA St James's Park pelicanThe Victoria Memorial and Buckingham PalaceTacos for lunchTate Britain, the end of the loopThe London Eye from across the riverA classic Mustang parked up at night
Fri, Oct 2
Borough Market food tour & Richmond
A window into suburban London life.
The Eating Europe Borough Market food tour: the Ginger Pig, the Anchor, Winchester Palace, fish and chips from fish!kitchen, and the George Inn. The tour was awesome and the guide was great, as they all were with Eating Europe, but the food was just OK, so it ranks after Rome. All the tours were really good, so the bar was high, and I'd still recommend it. The best bite was the fish and chips, then the blue cheese.
On Alex's recommendation I spent the afternoon in Richmond. I've played soccer my whole life and I'm a huge Premier League fan, so Ted Lasso really hit for me. It's a crossover: it helps Americans understand football through an American lens, and helps Brits understand Americans through football. If you already understand both, I think you appreciate it even more.
Richmond was nice and relaxing, a laid-back stroll that felt comfortable. There wasn't a single "you have to do this" (well, maybe sitting at the White Cross at high tide). It felt like a glimpse of everyday life in London's suburbs, and I could imagine living there and all the things I'd do.
Dinner at Rosa's Thai King's Cross: really good satay, but I'd skip the drunken noodles next time.
Planned: Borough Market · South Bank · Tate Modern · Millennium Bridge · St. Paul's · West End
The Ginger Pig, Borough MarketUnder Southwark Bridge on the food tourThe Anchor, with the Shard behindShakespeare mosaic, SouthwarkThe ruins of Winchester Palacefish!kitchen, award-winning fish and chipsFish and chips on the tourThe George Inn, London's last galleried coaching innThe Thames at RichmondRichmond riversideThe White Cross, RichmondThe White Cross terraceThai satay near King's CrossDrunken noodles
Sat, Oct 3
The British Museum with Mustafa
One stone, so much knowledge.
I met up with Mustafa Kapasi for the British Museum. He's always lived in London and was part of Jive Software's Reading office, and he'd visited us in Portland. We'd traveled together before, too, on a Jive team-building trip to Istanbul in 2014 with Ian and Adam. It was great to see him, and he hasn't changed at all.
The museum was very interesting. Mustafa is Indian, and we both had our views on the "collections," which made for great discussions. Seeing the Rosetta Stone in person was surreal. It's one of those moments you'll have forever as an individual, even if it doesn't really matter to anyone else. Being able to see it for yourself is awe-inspiring: one artifact that unlocked so much more knowledge. Definitely worth the visit.
The other standout was the hall of the old library, with works from around the world, like Shakespeare's plays on the shelves among so many other volumes. It was another place where you could spend a lot of time and barely make a dent in what's there.
Then Covent Garden Market, and Piccadilly Circus and Shaftesbury Avenue at dusk.
That night I was reflecting on the whole trip. I felt a bit sad that it was coming to an end, but I was also taking in and remembering all the amazing experiences I'd had. Walking along the canal at King's Cross, past the Google offices, I imagined working in London and living nearby. As much as I love visiting, I'm not sure it's a place I could live long-term, at least not year-round.
Planned: Regent's or Hyde Park · Emirates or Tottenham stadium tour · farewell dinner
The British Museum's Great CourtWith Mustafa under the Reading Room domeShakespeare's works in the museum's old library shelvesThe Rosetta Stone, the standoutPiccadilly CircusShaftesbury Avenue at duskRegent's Canal at King's Cross after dark
Where my feet took me
Ate hereVisitedPhoto spot
1. Ate here · Wed, Sep 30
Rambutan
The best meal of London, with Carlie, Miguel and Zavier.
Arrival: British Airways LIS→LHR T5, Piccadilly Line to King's Cross
Hotel Meridiana · King's Cross · 4 nights · 5/5 A great location, very convenient for both the Tube and trains. The room was really nice. No AC, but I didn't need it. I'd definitely stay again.
Playbook from this leg
Worked Stay at King's Cross for London
Worked Do one big walking loop of central London
Do differently Check the Premier League fixtures before picking London dates
