...And then there was London!

Yes I know I've been back over two wks now and I really should stop blabbering on about Europe but it's kind of a slow time right now for work so let me relive my fun lol.  I realized recently I never did blog about my time in Beijing and all the amazing pics I had from that trip and I really regret it so I don't want to do that w/ this trip so I know it's not really makeup related but I promise I'll get back to all the makeup talk very very soon lol!

So after my almost wk in Paris it was back to London for the rest of my trip!  I was staying w/ my amazing friend Matt and his wonderful sister Maya (who I just met on this trip but immediately took a real liking too!).  What's crazy about this trip to London is sort of how it all started in the first place.  If you go WAY back in my blog posts (like a yr and a half ago) you may recall I briefly mentioned meeting two British guys while leaving Koh Phangan in Thailand.  Well one of those guys was Matt and afterward we connected through Facebook and developed quite a nice friendship through Skype, Email and FB.  Who knew that witty, ginger boy I met a yr and a half ago for a total of like 3 hrs would become such a good friend that I would stay w/ in London!  Life is so weird and unpredictable sometimes...love it!  He was actually suppose to come to Toronto in the Summer but it never actually happened so when the cheap flight deal presented itself to me I thought this is my chance...I've never been to Europe so why not!

It was crazy when I first arrived in London I met Matt at Victoria Station and it was literally like meeting an old friend that I've known forever...not just 3 hrs once in Thailand lol.  Btw the customs lady coming into the UK was NOT friendly at all and the second I mentioned that I knew Matt from Thailand I thought shit that sounds sketchy lol...I thought she was going to do a body search for drugs or something they way she questioned me up and down lol!

So overall my time in London definitely had a very different feel then my time in Paris.  When I was w/ Steve & Ania we were all sort of tourists and we did lots of really touristy things and it was like we were discovering the city together.  Where w/ Matt it was like a tour of neighbourhoods and areas...not near as touristy feeling.  It was great just to check out different things that I might not have seen if I'd done this on my own...plus we did go see some of usual touristy spots as well. 

We broke our days up into areas and neighbourhoods more then just say tourist spots.  We did the West End one day, South London another (btw this is where I saw Clive Owen!  He passed right by me on the street!) and the up and coming very trendy East London another day (got a great camel colour leather jacket for 10 pounds in a vintage shop there...funny thing is the jacket is from Danier leather and made in CANADA lol).  Plus we took one day to just chill and relax around his sister's neighbourhood...caught a movie and hit up a Primark...which is an AMAZINGLY cheap store that actually has some really cute things!

The food like the days was varied and it seems like every meal was from a different culture or ethnic group which was actually a nice change from all the bread, cheese, pastries and wine that I was eating in Paris!  Who knew eating Thai, tons of Curry, Argentinian and traditional English fare could actually make me feel lighter and healthier (well maybe that's a stretch but you know what I mean lol).

It was also great to meet some of Matt's friends the one night and his sister Maya made a wonderful and delicious English dinner another night where I definitely ate too much and got very tipsy off the wine lol!  Now that I think about it there were a lot of tipsy nights lol!  I even drank Cider for the first time and found out I liked it!  I HATE beer so I wasn't sure what to drink in the pubs b/c it just felt stupid to get mixed drinks or wine sometimes so I tried Cider and I will now say I'm definitely a convert!

So here's a collection of pictures from my time in London...and I promise this will be my last Europe post lol!

Guards at Buckingham Palace of course!

Matt seductively eating his Gelato...best gelato EVER btw!

Musicians at Covent Garden

 Big Ben

 London Eye in the Background

We stopped for lunch at this outside Food Market..yummy yummy Steak sandwich and then a Curry!

You may notice there are a lot of pics of Matt & I eating...we did that a lot lol and apparently it was one of the only times I thought to take pictures!

The Globe Theatre...Ahh Theatre History Memories!

Sunflower Exhibit at the Tate Modern.  Really amazing...these are actually hand painted porcelain sunflower seeds and there were millions upon millions of them on display.  Look it up it's pretty awesome!

 This is actually the only pic Matt & I took together can you believe it lol!  God I look puffy & tired throughout the Europe trip even though I having the time of my life!

 Tower Bridge

We made amazing pancakes one morning...it's like a work of art!  They don't really use Maple Syrup over there so we topped it w/ Honey, Greek Yogurt and diced Dried Apricots & Almonds in the yogurt...Sooo Good!

 Really cool graffiti on the East Side

 Dive Pub...Matt always the classy gent w/ his pinky raised lol!

 Final Dinner we went to this Amazing Argentinian restaurant and we were so lucky to even get a table b/c they were fully booked and it was a Sat. night...can you believe they brought all this meat for TWO PEOPLE!  Can you say lots of leftovers lol!

Ugghhh I miss London....