LONDON 2012

It's Olympics time in London ! There is a joyous and carnival like atmosphere in the city and most spots are buzzing with tourists and travellers. So if you happen to be in London to celebrate the banter surrounding the Games, don't forget to visit the following places. This list has my personal favourite spots of London which you can simply not afford to miss if you intend to experience a quintessential British summer. So here we go-

Notting Hill Gate/Portobello Road- The home of all things English and vintage ! If you are a fan of vintage, you got to visit this place ! Every Saturday, Portobello road comes alive with great fanfare. Portobello Road market has a unique Bohemian feel to it. The colourful houses with long, slender climbers prettily adorning the French windows and cute vintage cars parked on the road give the whole market a vibrant and gypsy look. There are small rustic stalls lining the whole length of the road and they sell everything from vintage posters, CDs, exquisite porcelain crockery to some beautiful precious and semi-precious jewellery. You can browse your way through some rare vintage mantle pieces, jewels or try on chic retro fashion. And there are a number of bakeries and cafes' in the market to keep you energised for your 'shop till you drop' adventures! The famous Hummingbird bakery deserves a special mention as it serves one of the best cupcakes in London. Do stopover at this delicious cake heaven during your visit. And don't forget to bargain. Often, vendors overcharge for items which aren't even vintage. So scrutinise the item/cloth carefully for its grade and quality before you blow up hundreds of pounds on something which was a fake ! Oh and in case you are a Hugh Grant/Julia Roberts fan like me, do get your picture clicked in front of the door of the house where Notting Hill was shot. The door was originally black in colour but was painted blue before the owners sold it off. But then what the heck ! The association with the film is enough to make it the paparazzi's muse.

South bank- If culture had an address, it will be London's South bank Centre ! It is home to some of the greatest cultural organisations like the British Film Institute, The National Theatre, Haywards Gallery and hosts London's most famous tourist attraction 'The London Eye'. A visit to the South bank is like a wholesome three course meal ! You can please your basic touristic desires by hopping on to the London Eye and enjoy some spectacular views of the city of London. On the other hand, you can satiate the artistic and cultural connoisseur inside you by catching up a play at The National Theatre or a cool film of the bygone era at the BFI. And that's not all. If you just feel like taking a stroll by the South bank and enjoying the views of Thames and the city, this is the just the place for you. You could also visit the Gabriel's Wharf market as you walk towards the OXO tower and check out some quirky fashion by new designers. Food has never been a concern for South bank either as there are some great restaurants and cafes like Las Igauanas, BFI cafe, Wahaca and Dishoom specialising in cuisines from all round the world.Whatever you choose to do at this wonderful place, I can assure you that you won't be disappointed.

Camden Town Market- Think gothic, think quirky, think eclectic, think Camden ! Camden Town is a fascinating tourist spot in London. It offers a whole new side of the city which you wouldn't get to experience by visiting the hotspots of Central London. Camden Town is generously influenced by the Gothic lifestyle and you will find all sorts of weird shops like tattoo piercings, electric T-shirts (Don't worry they wouldn't give you a shock. They just light up and look like a walking discotheque when you wear them) and all things black and loud. But that's not all. Camden is a perfect example of globalization with its market having stalls from almost every part of the world. This is one place where you can buy or taste something 'Made in China', 'Made in France', 'Made in India' or 'Made in UK' all at the same time ! The market is beautifully located on the banks of The Regent's Canal and has fabulous mix of designer fashion, world crafts, vintage goods and arty souvenirs. It's also a food lover's delight as Camden serves some of the best world street food in London. Those with a nose for history, Camden's Stables market originally functioned as a horse hospital and stable for injured horses in the Victorian era. And did you know that deep beneath the Stables market lies a secret maze of underground tunnels or 'catacombs' ? Well, the next time you hear any strange neighing sounds while visiting Camden, you know where they might be coming from...

Quirky window art in Camden 

Hyde Park and Lake Serpentine- No visit to London is complete without visiting the sprawling, green Hyde Park. One of the most popular out of the Royal Parks of Her Majesty, Hyde Park is a joggers delight. But even if you aren't in the mood to stretch your muscles, just visit the place on a sunny summer day to enjoy its lively atmosphere. The Lake Serpentine is especially popular during the summer months and is busy with swimmers, kids and boats. After spending some time at the park, one can visit the Buckingham palace or hit the streets of Knightsbridge for a dose of luxury !

Oxford Street- This piece of shopping heaven in the Westend can make every shopper go weak in his/her knees. The sheer variety and number of high street brands can make you cringe and compel you to spend all your hard earned cash on things you don't even need ! But trust me, no feeling can match the one imparted by the retail therapy at Oxford Street. From expensive labels like Russel and Bromley to the cheap fast fashion of Primark, there is something for everyone here. There are a few fast food joints like KFC and McDonalds for a quick grub but in case you are in for a more elaborate meal, check out the scrumptious mozzarella and baby tomato crepes served by John Lewis's cafe. 

Spitalfields and Brick Lane- Tucked away in East London, these two places are perfectly visited together. Spitalfields market has a vivid variety of designer fashion and creative craft shops. The market hall hosts stalls from upcoming designers and one can get some exclusive designs for a bargain price here. Just about two blocks away is Brick Lane, popularly known as the 'Curry Lane' of London. It isn't hard to find this street as you will automatically gravitate towards the aroma of the spices lingering in the air. Try out a delicious Indian meal at Masala Zone and then wash it down with a pint of beer at the Truman's Brewery. 

Afternoon tea and scones at Trafalgar square- When you visit London or take one of the sight-seeing tours, you must have been suggested to enjoy cream tea and scones at The Ritz. However, when you are on a budget, Ritz doesn't do much for the pocket. But you can still enjoy authentic English cream tea with scones at 'The Cafe in the Crypt' near Trafalgar Square for an affordable price of just £5.95. This is a unique cafe located in the crypt of the 'Saint Martins in the Field' church and offers a once in a lifetime experience to enjoy a delicious cup of English tea with clotted cream scones on someone's final resting place ! Spooky but still scrumptious ( The scones of course! ) ;)  

Ice cream at Tower Bridge- Yes this is one of the cliched tourist destinations of London but an absolutely essential one ! You are ought to be mesmerised by the grandeur and magnificence of this bridge. A visit to the Tower of London, followed by a walk over the bridge is a great way to appreciate the history and opulence of the city of London. Oh and do dig in a cone of your favourite ice-cream from one of the many ice-cream vans parked by the river bank. Absolute delight !

Apart from the above few, London has a number of other places which deserve a visit. So equip yourself with a map and zero in your favourite now!

Some questions and exclamations I encountered from people round the world about India ! (Meant for pure entertainment and no offence is directed to anyone )

1. "Hey you are an Indian...But your English is very good !" (Most of them are quite surprised)

2. "You live with your parents ? In the same house ? Are you kidding me ???"(Almost every single American and European friend has said this to me who is unaware of our close knit family system and not to mention the dominant parental influence in our lives :D)

3. "The trains in your country don't have any doors ! It's fucking scary !!!" (An American who travelled in the Indian second class )

4. "Why are Indians always nodding their head ???"  (Again, almost everyone I meet asks me this ! I don't know why people here feel that Indians are always nodding their head !!!)

5. "Do you have cows on your streets ???" (A cliched but still an embarrassing question to say at least)

6. "So will your parents get you married after your degree ???"  (Duh!)

7. "We love Indian food ! We have Sainsbury's (a superstore chain of Britain) 'Dhal' and 'Chicken Tikkah Masala' almost every weekend! ( A British woman on her love for Indian food. Special attention to the pronunciation of Dal and Tikka ) :)

8. "I love Bollywood films...they are sooo funny with all the singing and dancing !" (And this expression of theirs is followed by me lecturing them about the 'few' experimental films we make in a year ! )

9. You have Gucci and Prada in India as well...Really ??? (A Brazillian guy looking astonished!) (Why?  Can we just have cows on the streets !!! )

10. After showing Guzarish to 2 guys from Holland, they exclaim- "Is this an Indian film ?" "Are these people Indian? " ( Hrithik and Aishwarya) ? "No way !"


11. "You know the other day I was in the tube and there were 2 Indians talking in a strange language...It had so many English words interspersed in between...I could almost make out what they were talking about !" (Afterthoughts of a French person after being exposed to a concocted language called 'Hinglish' )


12. "Even you need a VISA to work here ? But aren't you from India ? Wasn't it a colony of the British? You guys must be having an arrangement of some sort ?" ( Yes we were a colony but we haven't really borne any fruit of letting them rule our country for 200 years ! Not even 'Right to work' like EU !!! 

              The Loooooooongest Pier of the World

About 40 kilometres from the glorious city of London, lies Southend-on-Sea, a small town buzzing with energy. As the name suggests, Southend-on-Sea is a coastal town which came into existence during the Georgian era. Southend-on-Sea is similar to most British sea-side towns having long coastlines, pebbled beaches and beautiful girls sunbathing at the beach ! But jokes apart, Southend-on-sea has one amazing feature which the rest don't. It is home to the longest pleasure pier in the world which has a length of 1.33 miles and was built in the year 1830. The pier's magnificent length is a record holder and till today remains the longest pleasure pier ever built on sea. The story goes that being close to the capital, a lot of visitors visited Southend during their leisure time in the early 19th century. However, due to the creation of mudflats (shallow wetlands) near the sea beach, the sea receded as far as a mile during low tide. As a result, the visitors' boats couldn't stop by the sea. To address this problem, the then Lord Mayor of The City of London, William Heygate decided to get a pier built for the potential tourists and traders. Since then, the pier has been in existence.

But the real attraction of the pier is the hundred years old Crompton railway which transports tourists in its archaic coaches from the shore to the pier head. The blue coloured diesel locomotive inscribed with Sir William Heygate's signature has a beautiful old world charm to it and puffs away from the shore at every half hour. An interesting fact about the pier railway is that it operated as a horse pulled railway when it was first built. (Lord save that poor horse !) However, it was later replaced by a diesel engine.

It is a treat to walk along the Southend Pier while the cool sea breeze and gentle sea waves give you company on your stroll. It is a great way to appreciate the English charm of the little town establishments by the bay and absorb some breath-taking views of the Pier and the sea. As one walks towards the Pier head, the view starts getting clearer, finally culminating into a large pier deck. The Pier head hosts a cute cafe which serves the basics of an English breakfast like toast, ham, scrambled eggs, scones, jam, tea and coffee. One can either choose to relax with a cup of Earl Grey at the cafe or play around with the slightly pre-historic 'Talking Telescopes' installed at the pier head. The telescope requires a pound to operate and gives an overview of the sights visible from the pier. But remember to be quick, as the telescope is quite niggard about the money and suddenly stops the commentary just when your eyes begin to focus and brain starts processing the tiny, distant specs as actual sights !

On the way back, the train journey is a joyful ride and has its own unique thrill of travelling in a vintage train in the middle of a vast, blue sea ! A good idea is to walk one way (preferably while enroute to the Pier head) and ride on the Pier train on the way back. This not only allows one to enjoy both modes of journey but also proves easy on one's tired feet after walking 1.33 miles ! Southend-on-Sea has plenty of places to explore apart from the historical pier. Some famous attractions include the seaside amusement park 'Adventure Island', Pier Museum, Southchurch Hall and Southend's famous Farmer's market selling mulled wines, exotic French cheeses, olives, cupcakes and much more. 

Southend-on-Sea is an amazing place to unwind from the daily routine of the city and definitely deserves a visit especially for being home to a historic landmark like the Southend Pier. Have a look at the pictures our Travelistas clicked and decide for yourself...

 For the love of Gelato...

Tucked in between the hustle bustle of shops on the busy Golders Green Road is Bella del Gelato, an Italian crêperie and ice-cream parlour. At first sight, you might miss this small abode of pure delight but once you notice its yellow coloured display board saying 'Bella del Gelato', you will be a fool to not enter.

It is a long, slender shop over-powered by the high street retail stores but it offers one of the best gelatos and crêpes in London. Offering a range of gelato flavours like Dark Chocolate, Pistachio, Mango and Hazelnut, Bella del Gelato impresses every inch of one's tastebuds. The gelato is creamy, flavoursome and just melts in your mouth as soon as you eat it. The ice-cream is so good that it would be unfair to give words to the feeling which I experienced when I took the first lick of the gelato. But what I could definitely say is that this is the kind of therapy one needs during break-ups or bad days at work ! Although, all the gelato flavours are extremely delectable, my personal favourite is Melon. Firstly, it is a unique flavour to be found in an ice-cream parlour and secondly this one has an extra-ordinary taste. It's fresh, fruity and in the truest sense of the word melony ! 

Chocolatey crepes

Image Courtesy: Google Images

Apart from the amazing gelatos, Bella del also prepares a variety of scrumptious crêpes and waffles. A myriad of toppings are available ranging from Nutella, bananas, chocolate, nuts, fresh strawberries and cream. You can either go for the set menu combinations or get experimental with your combos. Whatever you choose to do, you wouldn't be disappointed. The staff attendant at the shop will carefully spread the crêpe batter on the hot surface of the crêpe maker and beautifully shape it with a batter stick. In minutes, you will see your golden brown crêpe come to life after which it will be stuffed with your choice of selected toppings. Before serving, the shop attendant will decorate the white china plate with art crafted from chocolate sauce and place the crêpe over it. The crêpe can be described as nothing but heavenly as from the time you will start eating, you will just be eating. In fact this is a kind of a litmus test I have developed for most of the dishes especially sweet ones. If you continue to dig into it with an expression of trans on your face and forget about your partner who accompanied you to the restaurant/cafe, the dish is a winner !

Bella del Gelato has reasonable prices for its ice-creams and crêpe starting at £3.20 for a crêpe (differs according to the toppings) and £2.40 for a scoop of gelato. The shop is a great treasure hidden in the alleys of Golders Green and should definitely be given a try. For me it is a small piece of heaven which never fails to liven me up :)