Borough Market, London's best market for foodies....
The Shard....not quite finished but currently the tallest building in Europe....
The Monument....built in Pudding Lane to commemorate the Great Fire of London in 1666....
The London Eye on London's South Bank....
Blossom in St James's Park
Big Ben and Westminster Underground Station....
Tower Bridge....
London cupcakes....more about these to come soon :)
I've lived in London since I was 6 years old....
I went to school here and I've always worked here.
I grew up in south London and now I live in north London.
I'm without doubt a city girl.
I love the hustle and bustle, the vibrancy, the noise....
the culture, the people, the streetlights....
London is exciting, it's a city full of contrasting neighbourhoods....
I rarely drive around the city and, if possible, always opt to take public transport....
I don't travel at rush hour very often any more but I love the Underground and the red London buses.
If I have the luxury of time, I'll quite happily head for my destination on the top deck of a bus and watch the city unfold before me.
My children marvel that I always know how to get "everywhere"....but I have lived here nearly all my life and town has always seemed like an adventure to me ever since I starting exploring it alone as a teenager.
I love the culture and history of cities such as Florence and Rome, the buzz of New York City and the sheer chic of Paris....
but London is definitely my home.
I take my children on trips into the city as often as possible....
I want them to love it like I do,
to walk and walk....and walk some more,
to really soak up the atmosphere and appreciate how lucky they are to live here.
It's a big city but it's also their home.
I also want them to feel confident about venturing out into town in hope that even these small trips will sow the seeds of the adventurers and world travellers I hope they will become.
Last Friday we wandered along the banks of the River Thames
....from the Monument and across London Bridge to Borough Market for lunch. Then past the Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern to the South Bank. Past the London Eye, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament to St James's Park and Buckingham Palace.
Seeing it through my children's eyes is making me see it afresh and fall in love with it all over again.
It suddenly occurred to me last week as we were out and about in town that I am enjoying the city right now as much as I've ever done.
Sightseeing with my children has given me a new energy and enthusiasm for London.
I share stories and answer their questions, we buy food in the market, watch the entertainers along the river, stop for tea and cake, change from the train to the bus, climb aboard the London Eye and go to the top of the Monument....
I see the city as they see it and I realise that although my list of places to see around the world is as long as my arm, I'd never really want to live anywhere else and that is a lovely feeling.
(All photos were taken by me....I also compiled the collages. I am telling you that because you can't even imagine how long they took me!! Is there an easier way than using Picasa? Please say yes ;))
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