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It is definitely January in London: Christmas trees with dried out needles heaped in the middle of the pavement waiting to be collected, shiny pavements from incessant rain, dark walks home in the evening, sales in all the shop windows and everyone on diets. I returned from the Canary Islands quite refreshed though. It’s amazing what a bit of sunshine can do.
But back to the dark rainy days in this city, it’s been preferable to spend my free time curled up with a travel magazine and a cup of tea than go out exploring much with my camera, hence the lack of London posts!
I did head out over the weekend though to meet an old friend who was here from the States.
We started at Liverpool street and wandered for a while.
We walked up Brick Lane, past the guy selling pineapples with little pink umbrellas as if this were the Caribbean, past the mixed aromas of cuisines of so many different countries wafting out of the Sunday UpMarket, past the murals and love locks around Shoreditch station.
And a few bits of street art I hadn’t seen yet.
Then we walked through the City where everything is eerily closed on the weekend and along the north of the river, all the way to the bright lights of Piccadilly Circus.
But it was more talking and catching up then exploring.
I didn’t take very many but couldn’t resist a few pictures along the way.
I’ve been focusing on different things since this year began: my new blog Little Observationist, where I’ve been posting much more often than here. I’d love it if you’d follow me there. It will start to include London stories soon.
I’m also working on some freelance writing, learning more Spanish since it’s always going to be a part of my life now, planning our wedding for June, baking once in a while and updating my Etsy shop.
So tell me, how was your transition from 2013 to 2014? Any good New Year’s stories? Resolutions? What are you most looking forward to this year? Update me…!
Lovely photos – thanks for sharing!
Thanks Anna!
Great photographs. I spend most of January moaning and clinging to radiators — makes me realise what I’m missing. Excellent stuff Steph!
Will explore when I come out of hibernation
So do I, Mike. This is an odd exception. Although I did go for a long walk today, since the sky is a peculiar shade of Springtime blue!
2013 brought me closure on higher education (never to be done again), close friendships that will last a lifetime from all over the world, a familiarity that I was accustomed to pre-2013 coming back into play, and back west across the pond to my old life stateside before the wonders of London. Many ups and downs, but never missed opportunities. Looking forward to 2014 and all it holds (including Yoga everyday; going strong since December 30th).
London has so many little treasure to discover. Love the pics. x