Visits to London

Difficult to believe but in four days I'll take Eurostar early in the morning and in two and half hours be in London!

Last time, I was there only for a day, but the station I arrived two years ago was still Wateerloo. If possible, I'll use the changed station to visit Regent Park or Little Venice, or both before I go to hotel. That is, if they let me leave my luggage at the station so I can walk around and take photos.

Yesterday, I remembered the first two times I went to London.

My father had a cousin working in a hotel, near Baywater station, not far from Hyde park. She arrived there from Budapest, to learn english, before the 2nd world war, and stayed and saved her life. From cleaning lady, kitchen aid, receptionist, she became manager and then half owner through the years. The first time, I was 35. It was easter time, and the weather beautiful.

I loved the city immediately, very impressed by what she showed me. And going home, I imagined myself coming to manage the small hotel when she retires. But life has its own ways.

The second time, I went with my daughter 16 years old then, thirty years ago, and as we were less welcomed then, we went farther. As we crossed the channel then with my car, we went slowly up until Scotland, assisted to the repetition before the big festival in Edinburgh and then stayed three wonderful days near one of the lakes up north. We came back visiting Stanford and assisting to a representation in old language, that my daughter did understand better then me.

That was the longest stay, just after I separated from my unfaithful husband and before our stay in the USA. As I did live with my daughter and son three years near Washington, my english is not yet british - I'll have to learn that!

Then, it took some thirty years to go back, in 2006, when I took the same train as my son, deciding the last instant, after taking him very early in the morning to the station.

I was so happy that time to see that the black cabs and red buses are still there!



But this time, I did decide to explore. To discover. To make it less threatening for me. Not to see museums or monuments, as two years back, but the people and their life.

It is true, that in 2006 mars also, I did take some pictures of people in London. As this two nice workers who explained me how to go from the station to the National Museum through the bridge.

But mostly I took sights and also a tour around the center with a special bus. But my favorite image taken two years ago is of one of the nice house so specific for me of London, taken from my hotel room window.

Soon, soon, I'll see them again.