Christmas Time In The City

I spent my Christmas holiday in London, England! My boyfriend's sister, Erica, lives in London with her wife, Alex, and they graciously hosted me and Paul for ten days in December. We were so lucky to have a beautiful home to stay in, knowledgeable guides, and fellow foodies that kept us well fed and happy.

For our first full day together in England, the four of us headed into the heart of the city, armed with Oyster Cards, cameras, and healthy appetites. We landed in Trafalger Square, an iconic London destination, happy to be exploring and happy to be together. After strolling through some classic art at the National Gallery (Picasso, Monet, van Gogh, no big deal), we sat down to a delicious Mexican meal at Wahaca (very much recommended).

Trafalger Square

After a whirlwind trip to Brighton, we returned to London to celebrate Erica's birthday. To continue a long-standing birthday tradition, Paul, Erica and I hit the ice at the Somerset House, one of the fanciest ice rinks in the city. Despite not having been on ice skates since middle school, I fared pretty well and had a blast.

In brainstorming about places we would like to see, Paul had the idea of visiting the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, home of the Prime Meridian. I quickly concluded that the idea was brilliant, and we made a "pilgrimage" to see the real deal. (Nerd Alert!)

Tower Bridge

One of the coolest parts of the visit to the Royal Observatory was taking the "Thames Clipper" river taxi! We cruised right through London on the infamous river, floating right under Tower Bridge. We got back on land at the London Eye, looking across the river to this gorgeous sight:

British Parliament at night 

We even did some obligatory sight-seeing:

Big Ben

One place that goes on the "MUST SEE" list for anyone visiting London: Borough Market. The place is awesome. It is the ultimate foodie paradise. Whether you are looking for artesian cheeses, fresh seafood, or a freshly brewed cup of chai, Borough Market has it all. You can check it out here, but you'll never get an idea of how rad it is until you visit in person. 

There is always time for a little fun too, right?

Weighing the turkey on the bathroom scale

 Then the big day came. Listen up, folks: The English know how to do a proper Christmas. We are talking food upon more food, a flavorful, hearty, traditional, scrumptious meal. Which took a lot of prep. Yes, that turkey is wrapped in bacon.

Prep for sausage rolls

The final product was more than worth it.

Photo courtesy of E. Gillingham

This was my first ever Christmas away from Wyoming, but my adopted family made me feel right at home. I am so fortunate to have shared the holiday with such incredible hosts and second family. Thank you, thank you!