A Spot of Tea in London

[April 28 -  May 5, 2012]

Well.  I can finally cross another city off my “must travel to” list – I’ve been to London.  And not only have I been to London, but my job sent me there.  How lucky a girl am I?  Since it was 80% business trip, though (I extended a few days) – I’m hesitant to talk too much about the business end of my travels.  Separation of church and state, you know?  :)

A quick summary:
I was sent to help roll out a program in the UK that my company has been doing in the States (- yes, "the States." I am SO worldly) for a number of years.  The program ended up going REALLY well, and the week was a complete success.  I have so much respect for my colleagues out here – so hardworking and so kind.  I definitely developed some friendships that I am sad to leave behind.  It was also validating for me as a professional.  I feel like in the States, I’ve had to earn the respect that I have in my company.  In the UK, I walked in and was immediately regarded as an expert by people I’d never met before.  What a strange and wonderful feeling!  I had a number of opportunities to validate my worth and expertise while there, and I really can say I’m quite proud of the work I did this week.  I wonder how it will feel to return to my normal job when I get home.  But, a few more days still until then!

I had a few days before and after the program in London, and was able to do a bunch of exciting things:

* sights: Big Ben, the London Eye, Westminster Abbey, a neat church with a choir, shopping squares, Kensington Gardens & Palace…

* high tea at Fortnum & Mason…

* drinks at: Prince Alfred’s (scene from wedding date filmed there)

* Football game at Chelsea Stadium!  They won!

* a personal tour of Leeds Castle in Kent, England

* lunch at Pret-a-Manger, my new favorite chain

* more sights: Buckingham Palace and the garden nearby

* drinks at Cock & Lion… the Warrington…

* dinner at Wagamama – yum!

* annnnd a day-trip to Stonehenge (SO. COOL.) and Hampton Court Palace, home of Henry VIII.

* rounded all off with a dinner of Fish & Chips.

I mean seriously, how neat, right?  I can’t say enough how enjoyable my trip was.  I also had so much fun with my new British BFF Kate.  We had many laughs about the differences in our languages, and I decided to compile a Dictionary of Translations.

How to speak ENGLISH when in London:

lift = elevator

toilets/loo = bathroom

chips = French fries

crisps = chips

tube = their el (way better/way more city coverage)

pudding = dessert

till = cash register

barnet = hairdo

rubbish = garbage

bollocks = bullshit

bloody = f-word equivalent

brilliant = awesome

fix up = many things!  resolve, handle, make pretty, etc

kittied up = dressed up

queue= line

car park = parking lot

muppet/donut/Debbie = endearing ways to call someone an idiot

dodgy = shady

neck = drink quickly/chug

hanging = hungover

pounds/quid = same thing (like how we use dollars/bucks)

taking the piss = poking fun/giving a hard time

not to teach you to suck an egg = preaching to the choir

pillar to post = stretched thin

jiggery pokery = messing about with stuff

I’m sure I’ve missed some :)  And I’m not ENTIRELY sure some of these weren’t just “let’s tell a fib to the American, for fun” type things.  Haha.  They’re forever in my memory now, regardless.

Biggest takeaways from my trip?  First of all, England gets a lot of shit for its food – but let me tell you what, I had some DELCIOUS food while there.  Granted, I was there on a business trip for the restaurant company I work for – so I’m sure some of the food provided to me was only a result of that – and I’m not saying I enjoyed every single bite I consumed while there – but in general, I had some great frickin food.  Well done, England. 

Other things? 

• While easier to communicate in England than in non-English speaking countries – still not EASY to communicate.  I definitely had to focus really hard to understand sometimes. 
• The tube is great – and can get you anywhere you want to go… essentially has way better coverage than the CTA does in Chicago.  Where is our circle-line, eh?? 
• I like some tea!  Have never really gotten into tea, but I can honestly say I enjoyed it when I had it this trip.  I actually think Earl Grey might be my favorite.  I’m sure when I get home I’ll be primarily a coffee gal, but will probably select tea every now and then, which is more than I can say I ever used to.  Probably I’ll be a tea in the afternoon gal.
• Palaces and castles are just as wonderful as you think they are.  And I want to get married in one, dammit.
• The concept of royalty will need to bounce around in my brain a bit more before I decide how I feel about it.  On one hand, there’s a very romantic idea to it – and if I could get the title of Princess somehow, I certainly would be a happy girl.  But on the realistic end, I do love the idea of democracy… On our day-trip, we ended up at Hampton Court Palace – which, as I mentioned was home to Henry VIII.  Admittedly, history always bored me growing up, so now as I travel, I learn parts of it that I should have learned/retained as a girl.  What ABOUT that Henry VIII??  He literally sounds like one of the first destroyers of the institution of marriage.  With 6/7 wives, with having 2 of them executed, with forcing the Catholic Church to permit him so many divorces… all because he was king and was able to get away with it?  AND because it was so important to him to have a male heir?  All RIDICULOUS.  Ridiculous, ridiculous.  Yet somehow, I’d still love a crown.  So, more thoughts to be had, for sure.
• Favorite place I went?  Stonehenge.  So much so that it deserves its own piece.

SO there you have it!  This Americano finally got to London and loved it.  I was there 8 full days, and really it felt even longer than that.  In fact – that’s another takeaway.  Days feel longer when you’re forced to get out of bed at the crack-of-dawn every morning.  *grin* Maybe this night owl needs more forced crack-of-dawn activities once back in the states, so as to maximize weekends and free-time.

Much love to my Brit-friends and colleagues… The Union Jack has quite the place in my heart now.  Keep Calm and Carry On.