Visiting Sos Del Rey

Happily back from a beautiful 9 days in the North of Spain, I have learned that I can speak a bit of Spanish, but not understand it, tapas make the best meal in the world, and every day should end with a beautiful glass of red wine.

I have also (re)learned that having a good guidebook with you is essential! I am a slave to Lonely Planet, and purchased their book on Spain before we left.

As a result, we ended up in the beautiful village of Sos Del Rey.  Situated in the mountains in Aragon in the north of Spain, it's unlike anywhere I have ever been in my entire life. The North of Spain is often described as a window into old Spain, and that's exactly what we found in Sos:

 We arrived at the base of the medieval town during the siesta period - the town is on such a steep hill with such narrow twisty streets that all cars have to park at the bottom. We got out, and walked up and into the village. The entire experience was totally strange- clearly people were living here, but amongst the ruins and slate windows, we didn't see a single sign of life. I guess everyone had closed up their shutters and gone for their daily nap.

We were in the town for a few hours, and didn't see another living soul - just silence with massive buzzards wheeling overhead.

Columbia Road Flower Market II

I'm on holiday this week - running around the borders of France and Spain and gobbling tapas and seafood galore..in the meantime enjoy.


I've written about Columbia Road Flower Market before- and this year I was more than happy to return!

 The street absolutely fills with tourists and shoppers alike. The market only runs on Sundays until 3PM  - so I would recommend getting there early to avoid being choked by the crowds.

But despite the crowds, it's always worth a browse just to see the proliferation of blooms just waiting to be wrapped in brown paper for the tube journey home.

Now take the colours you've just seen, and add the smell of fresh cut flowers and herbs, combined with the sound of street hawkers charming the crowd into buying. I think we have a winner.

1000 Awesome Things About London

Recently I've been reading a (now-ending) blog called 1000 Awesome Things. Every day the author posts a story about something awesome. Essentially this is an entire blog devoted to appreciating the small and big things in life.

While London can be a bit of a trial to live in sometimes (so many people!), there are easily 1000 awesome things contained within the city.  However, 1000 might take a while, so here's my top 6 to start us off:

1. Museums
This one's a no-brainer. London is home to the best, brightest and most beautiful free museums in the world. We're talking top quality here, people.  I can't imagine being a schoolkid, and going on field trips to the British Museum or Natural History Museum as standard. Ace!

2.  Visitors

One of the best things that has happened since moving here is the amazing visitors who pass through. London is a hub to the rest of the world, and a gateway to Europe. I am blessed enough to enjoy the company of friends and family passing through. As a result, I've been able to museum-hop with my cousins, drink coffee with high school friends, celebrate New Years with university mates - and see my dad as he stops by on a business trip. 

cousins!

3. Quirky pubs
This isn't something I've written much about on this blog, but London really does rule the pub scene. Every neighbourhood has its local, and pubs operate as the centre of a lot of social life. Every book club I've been to in London meets in a pub - not the first choice I would have put my finger on.

Pub Christmas party with the book club

But the best thing about these pubs isn't just the variety of nonsensical social events that are associated with them, but the mishmash of quirkiness you usually encounter. In a good London pub, you should get mismatched wallpaper, squishy chairs, fireside grills, and some serious history. After moving here, the first pub I went to was founded in the 1600s and has been serving pints since Shakespearean times.

For a start, I would recommend heading to miniature pub the Ye Olde Mitre, built in 1546 (and tucked away in a corner - you will need sharp eyes to find it).

For a taste of proper British pub food, head to the Newman Arms - where yes, they have a pie room. Here they only serve traditional pies, including those made with suet (taking 'traditional' to the next level!). So go on, while away a Sunday afternoon with a pint and pie, you won't regret it.

Shopping in London: ShoreDitch

One of the challenges of visiting any city is getting outside the tourism-circuit and seeing how people actually live in the city. This is also the challenge when someone comes from out of town to visit - you want to show them the other, tourist-free sections of the city. 

So here's my advice for you - the London Tourist Who Wants to Go Shopping. When you come to London, a lot of people will tell you to head straight for Oxford Street in the heart of central London.

But you should ignore the people who tell you this!

Oxford Street is full of chain stores on an unimaginable scale. Want to see a Primark that's as a big as a city block? A Top Shop so full of teenagers you have to queue to get on the escalators that take you from floor to floor?

Instead, head to the east end of London to an area called ShoreDitch. A respite from tourists and chains, and the home of the trendy and young, this is the place for shopping and culture.

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One of the quirks of the area is its mix of grunge, poor, and up-and-coming. Here you will find interesting coffee shops, quirky restaurants, and the remnants of industrialisation and derelict shop fronts.