Chez Cake: March 2007

My spring break this year was spent visiting Alyssa in London. And I have to say, London is an amazing place. I'd like to live there for a little while at some point in my life. Something about the european lifestyle is so appealing to me.

So I started the trip by landing really early in the morning at Gatwick Airport, where I was met by the stunningly beautiful, yet tired Alyssa. If anyone was watching us at that moment, I think it was the classic lovers reuinion at the airport, a very happy moment indeed.

From there, we went back to her flat in Bayswater, an apparently touristy section of London, complete with a variety of shops, restraunts, and protection by the russian mob.

The door to Alyssa's flat: a magical land of wonder and excitement, where midgets with british accents give you tasty chocolate and whipped cream covered waffles (see next pic).

(the midgets arn't exactly photogenic)

That night, Alyssa took me to an awesome Wine Bar near her work, it's called Gordons Wine Bar, and the place is soooo cool. I didn't take any pics while I was there, but here are a few from their website.

We had a bottle of wine, plus some tasty bread and cheese. Then we made our way to the london eye for a 30 minute "flight". It was fun and romantic, and we got some awesome views of the city at night, but the flight was much shorter then the 30 minutes advertised on the website.

Sunday was spent in typical Colin and Alyssa style, eggs, toast, and lounging about. Plus we walked around Hyde park, where I was introduced to the Princess Diana Memorial Genetically Engineered Swans (they're huge!).

Monday, I walked around London while Alyssa worked at her internship at the Somerset House,

and I stumbled on the half-price ticket booth in Leicester Square, where I picked up a couple tickets to see History Boys later that night, which was, in my opinion, an excellent play. I'll have to see the movie now and compare. Before we went to the play, we got dinner at Tuk Tuk, an awesome thai noodle bar.

Tuesday was Tate Modern Art (who knew that slides, bricks in a straight line, and glass sliding doors were actually considered art?), and bowling night, where we bowled at the lanes right next to Alyssa's apartment (pretty cool huh?) Alyssa kicked my ass the first game, but I caught up to her for the second.

Wednesday I wandered around London some more while Alyssa worked, making stops at Piccadilly Circus:

Abbey Road:

And then I met Alyssa at work for lunch:

(are we a good looking couple or what?)

Wednesday night I had my first taste of Guiness on tap, and my first London pub experience. The Guiness was amazing, and I don't think I'll be able to have it again unless its on tap, because it will sully my experience.

Thursday we had breakfast at the orangery:

(had a bacon, egg and onion tart, plus a croissant with butter and jam, with freshly squeezed orange juice and tea, soo good!)

Then we visited the Imperial War Museum, where we saw the exhibits on D-Day and the Holocaust plus witnissed a simulation of a London Blitz:

That night, we tried out a new restraunt, a Japanese sushi bar called the Hare and Tortoise; yet another place I strongly reccomend you visit if you ever go to London.

As it was my last night in town, we spent the remainder of the night cuddling and watching Love Actually, a perfect way to bring my visit to a close.

Friday morning, I caught my flight out of Gatwick to JFK in NYC, where I then endured travel hell when my bus back to Ithaca was canceled, and I was forced to stay in a slightly sketchy Hostel on the West Side for the night. All in all, the trip was completly worth it, and I would go again in a heartbeat.