My London trip

London
July 17th 2006

Hello!!
I’m Elena, an Italian girl. I study Tourism at University in Milan.
I’m finding London amazing!!
It is so lively!!!! There’s every kind of people, punk people, rasta people, up-to-date trendy people, black people, Asian people…..London is a melting pot and it’s so different from the town where I live………..I love it!!!!

The City is the most traditional site of London: the Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Cathedral and I enjoyed Westminster Abbey! I love English literature and especially Shakespeare’s works and now I’ve seen the real Shakespeare’s grave…it was exiting!).

I love Fine Arts and I couldn’t miss a visit to the National Gallery (for 2 times) and the British Museum (but it’s huge, it takes some days for an essential visit). Up to now I’ve visited the floor with Egyptian art: decorative elements, statues and the holy buildings of the ancient Egypt….I love their mysterious civilization!!!

I also love Modern Art and I can’t miss the Kandisky exhibition at the Tate Galley, scheduled for this summer!

One of the cutest areas of London is Covent Garden, with a lot of small shops under its arcades…I was impressed by the crowd of people that use to gather themselves to assist funny street artists acting …… it looked like a great party, with loud music, kids running round the streets, a lot of candies and fun……it’s simply fantastic!


July 19th 2006

I’m here in London also for shopping!! I’m Italian and I like Italian fashion and every kind of trendy stuff, but in the last years I’m appreciating especially British fashion. For shopping you can go to Regent Street or Oxford Street for well-known brands…..they are so crowded….!!But you can find most these brands in Italy, France and Spain, too.

There is also Old Bond Street with posh brands, very trendy to look smart ….but I think they are too expensive and there are Gucci, D&G, Burberry and Chanel in Italy too.

Here in London I’d definitely rather do shopping at the most quaint markets, Portobello Road and Camden Town, where you can find every kind of jewellery, craft and vintage clothes, I love them and, above all, we don’t have anything kinda this vintage market in Italy!!!!!

I like eating (obviously Italian food) but here I’m tasting different food from mine: I loved Indian and Asian food (which are very spicy!) and London food (fish&chips is simply fantastic!), but I have a few problems with English breakfast…..I don’t use to eat a lot in the morning, only a cup of tea and some biscuits, but in my host family’s house there’s always a lot of food: sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, beans and the must is when I have fish………my God, it’s so strange!!!!

What can I say about English people…….someone is very kind, hospitable and it’s interesting when they are going to tell me something typical about them or about England. I’m very curious, since I was young and I used to make a lot of questions to my parents, to my friends about everything…..and here it’s very different from some Italian habits….for example you absolutely MUST keep the right on the escalator in the tube stations, if you don’t want the Londoners to get angry! In Italy it’s anarchy!!!
And I have to remember that you always MUST offer your seat to the old people on the bus, on trains……because they could insult you…..!

At last, I would like to thank all of you in Discount City Hotels, from Mr Mohsen, Srinivas (how it’s difficult spelling your name!), Patricia, Sandra, Valerio……everyone! Because, although only for a few weeks, I had had the possibility to learn a lot, from you, from your approaching, from my translations…..(it has been a great exercise…..!!!). I think I’m very lucky for finding nice people like you……thank you, thanks a lot……I’ll remember all of you!!!!!

Grazie e a presto!!
Love,
Elena