London Calling

Disclosure: I am sentimental, and not sorry.

May I just begin this blog by stating that in all of the universe besides maybe India itself, London has proven to have the best Indian Food of all. I might preface with the fact that I am biased as my father's favorite Indian food places are also in England.  Ever since I was little visiting my grandparents in the summer, I remember we would always walk through Greenwich village and find ourselves at Mt. Everest, a traditional Indian restaurant surrounded by pictures of Everest making you feel as though you are quite literally on top of a mountain, in my childhood imagination days. I am so grateful for being introduced to spicy food, as I have definitely developed a tolerance over the years and a pretty strong stomach.  Anyways if you are now finding yourself asking me why I have begun this rant on food, the reason is that this place was the restaurant that my family decided to dedicate my last night in Europe before the big move to Thailand.

25 years ago, the year before the world was graced with my presence, my parents, newly weds sold all of their belongings and decided to travel the world for an entire year. This restaurant is the very Indian restaurant I found myself at the night before my Journey around the world, with the same people who celebrated my Parent's Journey. In this moment, I was so very sentimental, thats right I am sentimental and not sorry about it. My father being from England, was used to the methods of traveling since he was accustomed to the idea of simply taking a small flight to greece or italy on his weekends off as a child. What is most amazing about London, is the history beyond the high tech and progressive face of this city.  As a child, we don't learn much about England besides the fact that they are in fact our ancestors, and without the separation of church and state, we most likely would not have existed as a nation. Most of the facts I learned as a child taught me the corrupt and crude history of London, its church and the reasons why the Civil war was so brutal. Growing up in a family where my Father was English, I was taught that every country is biased in the teachings of its own past. Us children wouldn't understand Gorilla warfare as a smart and agile tactic, but in fact a brutal and naive tactic as seen bye a country with a highly organized militia such as England. It was so interesting having the privilage to be provided with these two views at the same time my very Father, a born Englishman, was applying for his citizenship in the United States of America. We technically learned the history of our native countries at the same time, making my childhood very dynamic. No wonder why I went into Art Hisory.

Alright history lesson aside, if you ever make it to London, you have to soak in the glory of centuries before us. The museums, and tours are a must. You need to check out a list of things I will provide below which kept my imagination and millennial awareness in tact throughout my childhood. This country is far advanced in the way that it has succeeded as one of the worlds most powerful countries to this day. I have always felt such pride walking through the ancient winding streets of this country and always will. My heart will always lay within the confines of London and its surviving traditions and customs. When I have the chance to visit my family, I always return to this mindset, and I will always get lost in its magic. After my Grandmother left us this past summer, I am so grateful to have returned to her gravestone in the glory of an ancient graveyard amongst the history and pride this country exudes. The sun came out this day, and we were able to groom her resting sight and sit with her as my cousins Edward and Honor played tag and laughed with one another around her tombstone. We love you Granny, and we are happy to have shared this moment with you. I will always miss her, and am forever grateful for her beauty and strength. Facing this loss was difficult after not being able to make the funeral or memorial service this past June. I will always love my family and their resilience after losing two very important women over the past year, my Granny, and her sister Mary.  Cancer is a something I will always refer to as the "beautiful awful" a term one of my cancer patients used last year by reminding me of the fragile beauty of life and the gratitude we often forget to find. I am so very lucky to have been graced so many strong and beautiful women in my family who have fought for their lives in the face of Cancer. Its reminder for the beauty of life is exactly why the term "beautiful awful" directly depicts the nature of the disease. I promise that I will never stop fighting for a cure, and I will always remember to embrace life without needing a reminder.

Below are pictures from my final dinner, and a list of my favorite places in the city of London.

• The Tate - (Modern Art Museum) must do if you are into art!
• National Gallery Museum- Classics
• Greenwich Park 
• Greenwich Market
• Cutty's Sark Exhibit- Thames riverfront 
• Trafalgar Square (sit on the lions)
• Notting Hill
• National Maritime Museum- where Granny's reception was held
• Greenwich Meridian Line
• Covent Garden at Christmas
• Big Ben, Eye of London, The Shard Buildling, downtown london
• Trafalgar Tavern (Where my parents were Married)

Thank you to my Beautiful family for sending me off with love and support, and a bit of curry and whiskey.  I love you all so much, one day you might find that I join you in the beautiful city of London.

Samantha Jane xx



In Memory of my beautiful Granny, Rest in Peace.

 

 

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