London calling. Again.

My favorite place.

Always been and will always be.

London.

I like everything about it.

Except the weather.

But it is going for the better, less rain and more sun.

Climate changing.

First time I was there in 2003.

Spend whole two months.

I was totally in love with it.

Portobello, Camden, West End, Oxford St., Westminster, Picadilly Circus, The City...

Came back in May,2014.

Realized I am still in love with this city.

Though it was a kind of emotional roller coaster.

Both times.

Came to help my sister in law and nephew.

First time I used the subway was in London.

The tube.

Now that I think of, there were many things I did for the first time that I did in London.

In 2003.

                       

First time different cuisines, first time exploring big city by myself ... and other nice things.

There are many reasons why I like to come back here.

One of them is my dear friend J.

Who always greets me with a big smile.

Even if he has not seen me for ten years.

At least.

Such a charming, outgoing and funny character he is.

Reliable.

True friend.

Great cook.

I never missed a thing with him by my side - he is that kind of a friend who offers a place to stay, mobile phone, food on the table.

And is always up for a laugh.

And a drink.

Anytime.

Will say it again - even if it was ten years since he last saw me.

If you are sad on a rainy day - he txts you a short poem he just made up.

And it is usually some nonsense that rhymes with silly words like sausage, tomato, bucket or else.

 J, do you remember the 'Vidatox' automatic reply on my phone?

Hehe.

Even that one time when I could not accompany my folks in 2007 to GOSH, J was there for them.

He escorted them wherever needed: doctors, TV set, airport.

And they both are always happy too see him.

Mr Evil Smile we call you.

Like Jack Nicholson in Batman.

Look at them now.

 Me and J went to high school together.

He is now a british citizen, father of two, married and italian beauty.

J introduced me to London back in 2003.

Amazing journey it was and most authentic characters I met on the way.

Especially at Camden where he lived back then.

It is still known for its rock, punk and jazz scene.

  

I was in my pink phase in 2003.

No, not punk and no, not Pink the singer.

I still remember how the life stopped for a second at that one cafe bar in Camden where we met with couple of J's friends.

One was designer and looked like a lead singer of The Prodigy, tattooed head and pierced ears, and the other was I think architect, he had hair in nice silky braids, all the way to hiss ass, dressed in a fancy suit.

I came in dressed in a big pink scarf, silver short jacked and had snowflakes earrings.

Barbie doll.

They looked at me as if I was crazy.

But only for a second.

Because in Camden, nothing is too odd to be seen.

Not only in Camden, London in general.

The other place I was introduced back then is Portobello Road.

Still holds a special place in my heart.

Designers, antiques, book shops.

And bright colors.

I could spend all my days there.

Whenever I see Nothing Hill, I remember this place.

Funny cast.

And I loved Love actually back then too.

I highly suggest you visit all those museums and galleries that London is offering.

The entrance to most is free people!

And artifacts just amazing.

Such treasures are kept there.

From all over the world.

The British museum for example keeps least things british in it.

  

Sometimes I like to think that the only thing genuinely british in this museum is the building itself.

Though they did copied the greeks and romans.

I remember back in 2003 they had crystal skulls and shrunken heads on display.

Have a photo somewhere...

Things can bee seen here dating Mesopotamia, ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt. 

India.

Unbelievable.

My favorite museum ('of course' will think all of you who know me well) is The Natural History Museum.

  

And my favorite display is, after the dinosaurs, THE BIG BLUE WHALE.

This is actually my favorite room at that museum.

Even W decided to accompany us there, though his leg was broken.

  

    

 Did you know that there is a room in that museum where you can feel the earthquake?

Replica of one store in Japan.

And that Chinese were able to detect earthquake when the rest of the world was learning to use a spoon.

Massive collection of diamonds can be seen there too.

Rain forest.

Along with interactive boards and things to read and see - makes it a really great place to spend the entire rainy day in.

In the museum next to it, The Science museum, there was an Air show simulator.

Yeah baby!

We just had to go there.

The museum is packed with people and they have all those silly simulators, vehicles, air crafts - if you are en engineer you will be crazy about this place.

Long cues for a simulator.

Air race.

Yawn actually.

Buckled up I was hoping to experience an adventure of a lifetime but it was nothing like it.

British public safety standards I guess.

Double yawn.

I mean the scenery was nice, and it was nice to see how in a second the planes change their positions, what the pilots see during these flights - but my seat barely moved.

I had more fun in a 15m2 5D theater, chasing a snowball back home.

I am a crazy person when it comes to air shows.

My Dad is a sport pilot, teaches flying at the small airport at my hometown.

I grew up next to small planes, helicopter, gliders.

Begging pilots all day with the other kids to take us for a ride.

That is one of the reasons why I was not too disappointed with this simulator.

Because I know me and Dad will be flying acrobatics this spring.

On a sunny day, London is calling.

Picadilly Circus.

Trafalgar square.

City of Westminister.

The City of London.

  

 The 'Mordor' Tower.

The London Bridge.

The Buckingham palace.

Funny crew we are, three musketeers.

Went trough a lot together.

Well, it's four musketeers actually.

Like in the book.

Nice parks.

This was the view I enjoyed every morning.

Theaters. Pubs. Restaurants.

 J took us to his favorite Japanese restaurant.

When I told him I never had sushi before, he ordered everything on the menu. Raw, partially cooked, cooked food.

I really liked it.

Except the raw.

It was nice but I never liked raw food.

Steak tartare I eat and then regret every time. 

And what's with this spoon?

You have to have a mouth of a whale.

And I was fighting with the sticks.

No wonder asians are so small.

Taking small bites of raw food. 

I mean the food was flying everywhere.

And that waitress was giving me an evil eye.

Approached and asked me if I 'need a fork?'

A fork?!?

PLEASE.

Well, to be honest, I ended up eating most things like cavemen do - with my hands.

Using a fork in a japanese restaurant, pLEASe!

I prefer meals that J cooks.

He is a magnificent chef.

Worked many years at one restaurant at Chelsea.

If you pay him well, he will cook for you too.

Kisses J!

Hopefully it will not be another ten years until we meet again.

All in all London always keeps me busy.

And I feel great there.

Maybe because this is how they greet you.

Hello beautiful.

British.

Addressing you as love, beautiful, darling.

Except W.

He would introduce me to people like this 'This is S's auntie. She is one horrible character.'

Kisses W!

It is called cultural difference!

And being opinionated about everything...

Hehe.

T-shirt I bought back in 2003.

Till next time.

............