Over the English Channel

I've become to have a habit of visiting London at least once a year. Every single time 'till now, it has been by plane from Helsinki with lots of planning and excitement. This time, I felt like London was more comfortable, ordinary and familiar than ever before. I jumped on the train on last Saturday morning from Dijon, and via Paris I was in London St. Pancras 14.30 local time. I listened to Coldplay (I saw the gig in London last time I was there) and Air and I felt incredibly good. I was extremely excited to see some of my closest friends. It had been several months since the last time I saw them. On Eurostar I could already hear people speaking in a beautiful British accent (you can not hear that so often in France, you know..). I walked to the waiting gate and I finally saw Laura jumping in the crowd and it felt so good to hug her and Sakari. It felt like I never was apart from them. At the same time, I felt like a missing piece found its place in me.

Also Sakari's friend from London was there, and we actually spend the whole weekend with him as well. He has a very nice apartment in the city. I envy that! And these british people, I got my british accent back at least for a moment. First night we just went out eating and walking and more food at the friend's place (men cooking for me! That is rare in France..). In the middle of the night, on my way back to the hostel, I took a buss and took a walk on Oxford Street - under Christmas lights. You can guess I was listening to this then, on repeat. It's not even that good, but just because Coldplay connects so many memories and the song mentions Oxford Street..

Coldplay - Christmas Lights

Christmas night 

Another fight 

Tears we cried, a flood 

Got all kinds of poison in 

Of poison in my blood 

I took my feet to Oxford Street 

Tried to right a wrong 

Just walk away, those windows say 

But I can't believe she's gone 

When you're still waiting for the snow to fall 

It doesn't really feel like Christmas at all 

Cup of candles, oh they flicker 

Oh, they flicker and they flow 

And I'm up here holding onto all those chandeliers of hope 

Lots of drunken Elvises 

I go singing out of tune 

Saying how I always loved you, darling 

And I always will 

But when you're still waiting for the snow to fall 

Doesn't really feel like Christmas at all 

Buss tour

Victoria Station neighborhood

Oxford Street's Saturday night

Bond Street

Disney <3 Last spring, I watched way too many Disney movies.

Christmas windows on Oxford Street

I actually loved walking and going around the city all alone. I've never done it before. I love the city and I think I got a whole new feeling this time.

Next morning, I was waiting for Laura to wake up after the night work shift in a bar. I walked around Hyde Park and took a morning coffee next to the parliament house and Thames in a beautiful sunshine. Small nice moments in life are definitely to be preserved.

Hyde Park corner

After some shopping and just touring around I picked Laura from the hostel and we continued our way to Oxford Circus and we met some of my EYP friends from Estonia, who are now living and working in London.

We had couple drinks and food with Luca and Priit in a nice restaurant after which we took a stroll around Soho. 

And then we found a heaven! This is what I call Gaga style! Now, admire these beauties..

And the salesman was super nice! Gave us glittery chocolate and hot chocolate with whip cream.
Lovelovelove!

They are small pieces of art!

And no, there is not a single representative photo of us two.  Never has been, never will apparently.

Glittery dark chocolate skulls

And one more photo of these delicacies..

Again under the Christmas lights of Oxford Street

You can not feel not christmassy around there!

In the evening we decided to have a party just for the old times, and well, Dijon doesn't really have any places to go out. I mean, the isn't at all. We ended up by accident to an ultimate gay club. And that wasn't even mine or Laura's idea! And oh, how we cracked. It was packed with shirtless gay men. They're so company to talk with though! I'll save you from the details from this point on.

Somewhere on the south side of Thames. Do not ask why. 

"Hey, isn't that London eye? Are we supposed to go to the other side?"

The next morning we met with Sakari in front of Buckingham Palace before he took the flight back to Finland. I wondered around Covent Garden and tried to catch the atmosphere so I could have it in my mind for a long time. I'm going to need that energy while finishing this end of the semester. Thanks to a rush hour and other things, we didn't get a proper chance to say goodbye with Laura. The train trip back to France was painful, train stood outside Gare de Nord for ages (who knows why, it's France), the train was packed, I was tired and sad and I needed to run to catch my train in Gare de Lyon. 

And once again, I'm back in cold Dijon. 

Luckily the next departure is on Monday. Stay tuned!