Before heading to Portugal, I flew into London to visit a childhood friend. I’ve been to London before and to be honest, I didn’t love it at the time. The city has a lot to offer but to me it doesn’t have the same old world charm as a lot of Europe. It feels mostly like a modern metropolis despite its deep historical roots.
Though I still wouldn’t count London among my favorite European cities, it was great to see it with someone who lives there. Having already done the tourist sites on my last trip, we spent time in the more residential, less populated areas of the city. Of course that didn’t stop me from having her take a silly telephone booth photo of me.
One of the places I’ve been wanting to go in London is Saatchi Gallery. They’re known for their avant-garde contemporary exhibits and the art world attitude to match. Located in the ritzy Chelsea neighborhood, the gallery completely lived up to my expectations. The art was thought provoking and the people were pretentious. It was everything I hoped for.
I flew into London on Thursday and then we went to Portugal on Saturday morning. We flew back to London late Monday night and I flew back to the U.S. Tuesday. So between jet lag and work I didn’t get to see much else in the U.K. But this trip definitely soften me to London. Even if it’s through bits and pieces like this, I’m no longer opposed to learning more. It may be last in line for fashion week but it’s a pretty important art world city. So really, it’s my job to keep tabs on things there.
For those of you who have loved London, what should I check out on my next stop over?