Around this time last year I walked the streets of London for the last time. On a cloudy Sunday that transformed into a warm and sunny summer’s day, something very unplanned happened. Dad and I were up early every week because on Sundays he was the conductor of a choir at an Armenian Church in Kensington. I would explore the city each Sunday, discovering new places, picturesque squares and beautiful streets. Those were my favourite days when I think back on my time there.
It took some time for me to warm up to London. When I first visited the UK in 2008 on the way to Germany for my studies, I must admit it wasn’t true love at first sight! London was a much busier city than Melbourne, with plenty of events going on and a hustle and bustle that I didn’t expect to see. Londoners struck me as very serious people, never smiling, always rushing somewhere and being very private about their business. However, when you really get to know London and its locals, finding places that make your heart sing along the way, it truly becomes a one-of-a-kind destination and one that I find myself yearning for more and more.
When I think back on my time in London there are certainly a few moments that stand out to me. One of those is of course the beautiful shop I was lucky enough to manage and sell my own creations in. Other highlights include attending movie premieres and seeing stars such as Ben Affleck and Johnny Depp only a few metres away from me! Attending shows of Jack Savoretti and riding the London Eye also count as fantastic memories. However it was on my very last day that without any knowledge of the event what-so-ever we came across a festival in Hampstead Heath with one of my all-time favourite bands performing there. Call it destiny or fate but seeing the wonderful band Keane perform in the open-air (for free!!) was incredible to say the least.
After walking through Kensington, admiring the palace in Kensington Gardens and shopping in Selfridge’s, I met up with my dad in Trafalgar Square – the heart and soul of London. We knew that we wanted to spend my last afternoon in one of London’s best kept secrets so we got on the iconic red double-decker bus directly to what soon became one of my favourite areas in London. I can’t express how much I loved it there and how glad I was to arrive by sheer luck on the day my favourite English band was performing. Beyond the illuminated trees came the music that I grew up listening to. Songs like “Everybody’s Changing”, “Somewhere Only We Know” and “This is the Last Time” warmed my heart and I left London that evening with a strong sense of accomplishment, passion and belief that everything happens for a reason. Some would even call it love.
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