London: Never Enough Time

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”

Samuel Johnson

Never have I agreed with words more. Stepping off the plane, I get so excited. London is spectacular. It can be daunting, for sure. London is so huge. It takes an hour just to get to the center from Heathrow airport. Yet, London literally has something for everyone. 

Unfortuantely for me, I only had one full day this time around. I was determined to fit in as much as I could in my short time, which would be mostly taken up doing on specific thing. Even though I didn’t arrive at my hostel until after midnight, I woke up before 8 AM, eager to get my day going.

Tower Bridge

Some people may see it as overrated, but I found it to be exhiliarting. My first stop in the morning was to walk across Tower Bridge. If it appeals to you, you can take a museum stop in the bridge and even see the engine room. For me, walking across it was good enough. It was a typical gray and windy British day for me, but I just loved walking across the bridge and taking in the sights of the city.

The Best Full English, Hands Down

The last time I was in London with my parents, I had googled the best breakfast spots in London. This place came up, but we never had a chance to go there. Then a few months ago, I was listening to a podcast (Men in Blazers) and one of the hosts recommended a visit there. Man, why didn’t I go earlier?

The name of the restaurant is Regency Café. It’s over near Westminster, just off the St. James’s stop. They only accept cash, but it’s not expensive. It’s kind of bare bones, but isn’t that they way people want it now?

What I loved instantly about the place is how they had a wall dedicated to Tottenham Hotspur. I had originally come to London to see my beloved Spurs play, but more on that later. This wall had photos and victories from decades past. 

Then, to make it even better. I was next in line and the owner, who was taking orders, yes the OWNER, asked me if I had a seat. I told him that I didn’t because it said to wait in line first. He then yelled at someone in the back and said that table was taken. The guy asked by who, and he said, “The next customer in line.” He asked me for my name and told me that table was mine.

I ordered the standard breakfast. It came with beans, an egg, a sausage link, two slices of bacon, and toast. I also ordered hash browns for an extra pound. You can either get coffee or tea. He made mine into a cappuccino, too. In total, it only cost just over £7. Not bad.

The food is ready quickly. I dug in. It was absolutely delicious. I enjoyed every bit of it. As I was eating, the line continued to grow longer and longer. When I left, the line was outside! I guess I had come at the right time. So note, if you go, aim for 9 AM or earlier. They are only open in the morning, anyway.

Write it down. Regency Café. 

The British Library

Another place I had never been before in London was the British Library. It functions as a normal library, but it also home to some of the most famous treasures in the UK. That was my reason for going. Walking inside was like a paradise, and I made my way to the British Library Treasures.  

This exhibit is always there, but not always the objects. I had gone to see the Lindesfarne Gospels, which if you know from watching Vikings, is the monastery they raided in the beginning of the show. In real life, the monastery was raiding by Vikings. They took the cover off the book because it was covered in jewels, leaving the pages behind. Now, unfortunately from what I learned, they take the books and pages out of the exhibition at times because they need to be cared for. Still I saw some really cool things.

There were original compositions from Bach, Beethoven, and more. They had original Beatles work. Leonardo da Vinci drawings. One of the coolest things is to see two of the remaining copies of the Magna Carta. It really is something that you must see. 

If you want to go to The British Library, take the underground to King’s Cross Station and it’s a two-minute walk from there. 

The Main Attraction

I had originally planned to come to London after scoring a major deal on flights through Iberia during Black Friday sales. My original plan was to go in February to see Tottenham Hotspur play Leicester City in (hopefully) their new city. When I checked the tickets, the date of the game had changed from Saturday to Sunday. My flight left before kick-off, so there was no way to go. I decided to change my flight to a date in March to see Spurs play Crystal Palace. The same thing happened to me again.

I had to make a decision. I love London. It’s my favorite city. But what was I going to do with the only one day in London? So, I decided to splurge. Instead of seeing a soccer game, I’d being going to the theater to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. 

When the play originally opened, I read all the details, and when the script book was released, I read that, too. I thought the play was dumb and it didn’t match the original story. For that reason, I was a little hesitant about ever seeing the play. Yet, I had heard great things. Even though the story was horrible, the actual visual effects are amazing.

First of all, the Palace Theater is beautiful. I went to see Aladdin in 2017 with my parents, but it had a completely different feel. The building was very elegant and tiered, making every seat a good seat. 

I can’t give away too many details so that I can “#keepthesecrets”, but I can say that what everyone says is true. The special effects to create the illusion of magic was incredible. I was entertained. The one drawback is that the play is definitely a marathon. It’s divided into two parts, each one at over 2.5 hours with an intermission in the middle. By the end of the night, I was wiggling like a worm in my chair. If you have time, try breaking up the play into two days.

Harry Potter Fans Unite

If you love Harry Potter like me, there are two places you have to go. The first is the Noble Collection. Located just off the Covent Gardens underground stop, it’s a nerd’s dream. They are known for making Harry Potter merchandise, as well as Game of Thrones, Marvel, and many more. When I stepped into the store, I wanted everything. I walked out with Neville Longbottom’s wand and a baby niffler. I could have done so much more damage.

Another great place to check out is Mina Lima. If you go to see Cursed Child, it’s just around the corner. Mina Lima is an art team duo that creates artwork for the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies. You can buy things that you see in the movies, and even extra artwork that wasn’t used. It is a bit pricey, but it is like an art museum dedicated to Harry Potter.

More Time Needed

I was a little sad when I left because I could spend so much more time in London. It’s impossible to see everything in one weekend, let alone one day. I feel at my best walking around the streets of London and navigating the underground. Hopefully I’ll be back in London before I know it, but I also still have so much more of the world to see.