I want to start with my favorite part of my visit to London, a place to eat Indian food. The choice of restaurants was colossal. I decided to review the reviews of others that had eaten at different Indian establishments. The one that captured my attention was Dishoom Carnaby, a restaurant with a top rating indian food and service.
Wow, I was not let down in any way. Let’s start with the Cecilia, our waitress, she was exceptional, providing different combinations that would be brilliant together. She was 100% correct when the food arrived; it did not disappoint; it was the best Indian food I had eaten. I was so excited to have found this gem; I went back the next evening. As we waited for our table, some folks told us all the Dishoom were remarkable. Yes, the food was still outstanding, and the service by Ian from Romania was impeccable. I highly recommend this place.
London as a city was loud, busy and always on the go. Well, that was on the weekdays on the weekends it was a different song and dance. We arrived on a Thursday, and the city was in full swing. Cars coming at you from a direction I was not accustomed to, people bumping while walking with a purpose, many roads closed because of construction. If you looked at the skyline, all you saw were skyscrapers. I felt a bit overwhelmed with London so for the first time I got into a hop on hop off bus.
The city was a little more peaceful from the top of the bus. Cars were still on the go and people walking all over, but I was getting to see the city through a different lens, plus listening to a guide. The tour gave me a clear understanding of why you saw new architecture mixed with old. The best part of the bus ride turned out to be connecting with many people in a small space and sharing LingoHut. It all started with a simple conversation; a couple behind us were having about the importance of language during travels. By the end of the ride, I had handed out over 30 cards and made new friends at the same time.
The biggest disappointment of the bus ride was that I was so looking forward to seeing Big Ben and it was under scaffolding. Just one of those things that happen when you travel. ☹
The pubs in London are a great place to unwind and get your evening started on a good note. We had the pleasure of meeting some great people who will be friends for years to come. The beer was good, but I will stick to Gin.
Friday, we decided not to go into the city hustle and bustle and take the hop on hop off boat. The boat ride took us up the River Thames a 215-mile-long river in England which runs through the heart of London. To our surprise, we again met some fantastic people on the boat from all over the world. A couple from Japan who loved LingoHut and went home to share us with their friends and family. We have received some lovely notes. As well as the family from Portuguese that relishes the opportunity to learn Hebrew, the father had just gotten a job in Israel. On the boat the views were beautiful, the people around us so friendly and the skipper of the boat a real captain.
What I learned in London is that tourists are as valuable as locals at getting the word out about our global language project. I usually stay away from tourist traps and head into neighborhoods to share with locals the gift of communication, but I might do it differently from now on. Thank you, London for opening my eyes to a new view to getting the message out, next stop Paris.