This past week an American friend of mine has been visiting London.It was her first visit here....it was also the first time that we had actually met.
We've been part of an online group of friends (8 girls) for about 14 years or so. a group that has talked/shared/emailed a lot, ups & downs, big life stuff, happy & sad times....and so, although it was our first meeting, I wasn't really nervous (well, maybe just a tiny bit!), since it felt like we already knew each other.
Those who blog may understand this to some extent, you read/comment/write/share all kinds of stuff & you do, on some occasions, develop friendships - even though you have never met.
I have some really really good online friends who I've never met....to me, friendships can arise out of all kinds of situations & actually what bonds you, as with any friendship, is your common loves/fears/experiences/heartaches/worries....I don't think it makes any difference whether it's online or face to face in your everyday life.
Anyway, my friend M & I had a lovely time, a really wonderful time....it was so exciting to finally meet each other, whilst at the same time it seemed completely normal to be together, we found our rhythm straightaway, as in all the best friendships.
And she proved to be An Awesome Tourist....she arrived with 2 friends & a full schedule for the week & did it all, including a day in Paris & a trip to the Peak District which involved hiring a car & driving on the "wrong" side of the road! These girls didn't waste a minute, I was seriously impressed!
Can I just say that I also loved that they didn't take a bazillion photos....they took some of course, but mostly they really looked around, took in the sights, checked out the people & breathed in the atmosphere.Now, that's the way to really get to know a city.
And, for a few days, I got to be a tourist too....and, as I discovered, there's nothing like spending time walking & wandering around your own city to make you fall in love with it all over again.
I love London, it's been my city for nearly all of my life....but there's probably lots of stuff here that I haven't got round to doing, things that I don't make time to do & things that I don't notice because I am on my way to somewhere/something else & haven't got time to stop.
Last Friday, we met at Tower Hill & took one of my favorite London walks....across Tower Bridge, past City Hall via Borough Market (always at its best on a Friday), past Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, across the Millennium Bridge to St Paul's Cathedral.
It's not a particularly long walk but I love it because you get a real sense of London....wonderful views across the city, the hustle & bustle of Borough Market with its amazing food stalls...if you haven't been to the market, you must, the food is fabulous, as is the atmosphere, I absolutely love it.
There's something about walking along by the River Thames that connects you to the city & its history, makes you feel a part of it....it's a busy river with plenty of traffic & everyone loves to wander along it, you can cover a lot of ground, and see so much of London, walking its length....from Chelsea right down to Bermondsey & beyond, from the West End to the East End.
And, on Friday, when we walked....the sun shone & the skies were blue & gorgeous, London looked incredible....and seeing it through the eyes of someone who had never seen it before, I saw it anew & fell in love with it all over again, just like that.
One of those life moments when you see something, or someone, that is as familiar to you as your own favorite shoes, but suddenly you see it/them as if for the first time & realize how wonderful it, or they, really is/are I love that....the sheer unexpectedness of it.
Go & be a tourist in your own town...look up not straight ahead, turn left instead of right, stop for coffee & just people watch....I can highly recommend it.
For my friend M & for London....for being beautiful & for being a wonderful part of my life. I love you both.
to see some of my other London posts, see here, here, here & here ....
