How London Stole My Heart

When I was 21 years old I set off on my first European adventure. And I was doing it alone. I say first because even though I was born in Germany we moved back to the states before I could crawl, so that doesn’t really count, memories wise! It was the summer after my junior year of college and I was heading to London to intern in the marketing department of a water supply company. That part of my experience was great, but as you can imagine, the portion of my trip that really spoke to me was getting to explore London at my leisure.

I started planning this adventure in the midst of the Royal Engagement and the Royal Wedding. This only added to my excitement. I was among the crazed Americans who woke up early that April morning to watch the live stream of such a historical event. I missed being in London for the wedding by exactly two weeks and I’m still bummed about it.

Filled with nerves and excitement, I was in no way prepared for how this experience would change and awaken my soul. To say I fell in love with London is an understatement. I’m completely fascinated with everything about it- the country, the city, the culture, the Royal Family, the history, the architecture, the shopping…everything.

When I stepped foot in London for the first time I was getting off the train at Waterloo Station. When I walked to Trafalgar Square, through the Admiralty Arch and down The Mall to Buckingham Palace I think I spun around with my arms wide in all my glory. I couldn’t believe I was there- standing in the middle of the road William and Kate had paraded down after their wedding and staring at the balcony where they shared their first kiss as husband and wife (which is much smaller than I thought). It was surreal. The Mall, which is the road leading down to Buckingham Palace, was still decorated with beautiful flags from the wedding.

I remember being mesmerized as crowds formed in front of the palace and around the Victoria Memorial for the Changing of Guards. This happens every morning. The guards march from the barracks down and around the Mall to change duty at the Palace. This fascinated me. We don’t have anything like it in the states. Some of the guards have instruments and play music as they’re marching, others are holding weapons. The units are led with officers on horseback and the horses themselves are the most angelic creatures I’ve ever seen- all perfectly groomed and matching in color, size and stature. Within my first 2 hours of ever being in the city I was completely awestruck. This might have been my favorite cultural experience of the entire trip. A must see, for sure!


The infatuation grew from there as I continued to explore. I remember walking through St. James’ Park to West Minister Abbey and standing in the spot where the world saw Kate in her wedding dress for the first time. I walked in the Abbey and down the aisle with my jaw scrapping the floor. The elegance was radiating off the walls and I could still hear the choir boys singing the hymns. I even saw the red chairs the Royal Couple sat in during their ceremony.
I couldn’t believe that as I exited through the side door and looked to my right, there he was- Big Ben- directly across the street. I couldn’t believe how close “he” was to the bridge- almost as if you could reach out and touch it. You really can’t, but I just felt like it was that close. I walked across the bridge and remember that I couldn’t take enough pictures- wanting to look at the iconic landmark from every angle. I couldn’t get over the detail of the architecture and design of Big Ben and Houses of Parliament. It was seriously amazing. In fact, the entire city is filled with similar detail- detail I had never noticed anywhere else. The architecture of all the buildings from Houses of Parliament to the Justice Building, St. Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, even Harrod’s and everything little place in between gave the city such rich character. 
Don’t even get me started on the wonder of the crown jewels. Oh their beauty is worth a trip to London. Unfortunately you can’t take pictures, but I can remember them. Big, beautiful, glistening diamonds and colorful jewels guarded in the Tower of London by Yeomen Warders (“Beefeaters”). Beefeaters are retired military personnel that guard and also serve as tour guides of the Tower.

I found joy in seeking the Royal Coat of Arms on a building or business’ branding signifying a Royal Warrant of Appointment.  This means that members of the Royal Family do business with that particular company.

Kensington Palace

I immersed myself in the English culture- learning everything there was to know about the Royal Family and how it all worked. I ate lots of curry, which is very popular, and of course lots of fish and chips. My favorite drink was Pimms, which I brought home with me and have now seen in some places in the states! I even took a Polo Lesson one day.

London definitely changed me, but I also think it was the experience of traveling alone that I truly embraced. It gave me a whole new perspective, allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and really opened my eyes and my soul. My heart races at the sight of the city- in pictures, in words, in memories. London will always have a piece of my heart and I dream of the day I return.
I’m ridiculously excited to travel to France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Czech, and Austria in a few weeks. I wonder if this experience will rock my world the way London did. I have a feeling Germany sure will, since I’ll be seeing where I was born and a glimpse of the life my parents lived when they were my age (actually a few years younger) living abroad.

Cheers!

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