Love Actually: Our Family’s Trek Through London’s History, Heritage, and High Tea

London’s fascinating dichotomy is what hits you first when you land, a perfect blend of historic landmarks and modern architecture making it a traveler’s treasure trove. I may have seen that in some other European cities but the blend wasn’t as seamless and organic as it was in London. One cannot take all that London can offer in one visit, you have to really live there to fully experience it. There, I gave myself a reason to go back.

Like me, if you’ve ever been confused about the whole UK thing, here’s the scoop: London is the capital of England. Add Scotland and Wales, and you’re talking about Great Britain. Throw in Northern Ireland, which shares a border with the separate country of Ireland (on a different island), and you’ve got the United Kingdom. As confusing as the English language itself, right? And if that’s not enough, they’ve got their own languages going on – Irish, Welsh, Scottish.

Alright, that’s not all – the UK’s cultural mix means the languages on the streets go way beyond English. I’m not exaggerating, we heard more immigrant languages than English, but that’s probably because we were in touristy spots. Still, this country’s got a crazy-high concentration of tourist attractions… it was all a bit much, to say the least — London’s got my head spinning.

Now that I’ve sung London’s praises, gotta get this out: the UK, especially the British Museum, has an insane collection of artifacts – a lot of them “acquired” during colonial times. The language they use – “in cooperation with”, “courtesy of” – makes you wonder if it’s as straightforward as they say. But you can’t exactly rewind history, can you? And as a tourist it makes you wonder if they are weighing this island down with all their collections.

On the topic of weighing down, this island is also being weighed down by its people — England alone has a staggering 58 million with London taking in nine million out of that. With Wales and Scotland contributing three and six million each, the island is home to nearly 70 million. With its constant influx of visitors and immigrants, one must say it’s a busy place. For a relatively tiny island, it does house a lot, but its massive global impact is even more “impressive.”

Christmas in the City

The time and place we picked couldn’t be better. The streets were lit with Christmas lights and crowds were less crowdy (although only in theory). My cousin’s apartment – unoccupied, new, clean, and (more importantly) free – was in the middle of it all. The high-rise offered views of the city including the Shard, the London Eye, and even a piece of Westminster Abbey. All we had to do was take the elevator down for plenty of food options.

When we needed to, we took the Tube – London’s Underground public transport – and sometimes the Overground when we headed to suburban areas. It was contactless – we just tapped our phones as needed – and the daily and monthly caps make it very affordable. We didn’t ever have to walk more than half a kilometer to the nearest station, and we never waited more than 10 minutes for a ride. Super convenient. 

It was amazing how many attractions we were able to fit in the day we landed, especially after napping till 2 pm. On our way to Westminster, we passed through a graffiti tunnel, Leake street arches, where the walls were vibrant with street art. Overwhelmed with the energy (and definitely the crowds), we spent over an hour taking pictures on the Westminster bridge and much more was waiting for us when we crossed.

Westminster Abbey’s probably London’s most iconic landmark – a site of coronations, royal weddings, burials, the whole deal. We booked tickets to see the inside on a later date, but captured the exterior’s beauty – arches, stonework, and all. Big Ben (not many people know it’s actually called the Elizabeth Tower) ticks away right next door, and the London Eye’s keeping watch over the Thames. I’ll probably remember this moment most about my time in London.

Downing Street was heavily guarded, owing to the importance of the residents of Number 10, but we slipped away to check out the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Churchill, and others in the Parliament Square area. After snapping pictures of the horse-mounted Royal guard near the Old Admiralty Building, we strolled through the streets of Trafalgar Square and Covent Garden until our feet started hurting and our tummies started growling.

Crossing the Thames

After a hearty Indian meal in Covent Garden, we had enough energy to walk back, this time via the sleek Golden Jubilee Bridge, crossing the Thames with night views of the city. Back in our cozy apartment, the views didn’t disappoint – a perfect ending to Day 1 in London. That day, and every day of our stay in London, we walked nearly 10 miles each day.

London’s food scene is vibrant and multicultural, with a mix of high-end and casual options.  The street food we had in Covent Garden went head-to-head with the Afternoon Tea experience – sandwiches, scones, and the works. In fact, we probably ate some of the best Indian food of our lives in London. With ethnic options everywhere, we skipped the traditional British fish ‘n’ chips and didn’t even consider American fast food chains.

As the lines were ridiculous at the New Dishoom, this Indian restaurant that came highly recommended, I reserved a table for breakfast on day two. Truth be told, we were a little disappointed but decided to plan a full meal on our next trip (yes, there will be another). We had a way better experience at Masala Zone which we tried with family later on.

With breakfast out of the way, we took the tube to the King’s cross station to check out the Harry Potter attractions. The line for platform 9 ¾ started outside the station, so we skipped it but bought more HP trinkets that we didn’t need. My son and I mused about how ubiquitous Harry Potter merch and experiences were – clearly, J.K. Rowling’s impact on the city is huge. I did point out, though, that for Londoners, the HP experience might not have been as ‘exotic’ as it was for us Americans  – the movie scenes often feature streets that look just like regular London streets.

Moving on to more serious attractions, we strolled through St. James’s Park to Buckingham Palace. It brought back memories of my Mona Lisa experience at the Louvre – a bit underwhelming after enduring the crowds. The inside’s probably more ornate, but it’s only open to the public in summer. The palace gates, though? Done in gold and totally stunning.

Weather cooperated mostly – no rain, temps stuck at around 0°C. Piece of cake for Minnesotans, but didn’t stop anyone from flocking to London in Dec, apparently – it was crowded everywhere! The festive vibe’s not just the Christmas markets, I’m realizing – London’s vibrant and busy year-round.

A good number of attractions in London are free, but we booked our slots in advance. For Westminster Abbey, we paid around $40 (U.S.) each and it was totally worth it. The grand arches, stained glass, and intricate stone and wood carvings make it an amazing experience. 

From Elizabeth to Kipling

What came to me as a surprise however was the burials and memorials inside — Elizabeth I with her sister Queen Mary next to her, scientists like Newton and Darwin, and Poets’ corner with Dickens, Jane Austen, and our Jungle book-fame Rudyard Kipling. What annoyed me was the memorial built for the civil services of the crown for their services “IN AND TO” India. My history books gave a different narrative but we need to move on.

Even though the monarchy’s influence is more symbolic, references to the royals are everywhere in London. From King’s Cross and Queen’s Junction to ceremonial events like royal birthdays and guard changes, the crown’s ever-present. Prime real estate’s managed in the name of the Crown, and it’s not just mail – it’s the ‘Royal Mail’ they deliver. I am unsure if I am annoyed, and if so why, at this point.

We reached Kensington way too early for our reserved spot at 4:15 pm for the National History Museum, so indulged in a good Thai meal and fit in the Victoria and Albert museum before our appointment. V&A is a design museum and we were pleasantly surprised by their collections – jewelry, textiles, and especially cast courts of popular sculptures and monuments. 

The Natural History Museum is housed in a stunning Victorian-era building that’s a work of art itself. The interior is just as impressive, with a huge central hall and several galleries – Dinosaurs and Fossils, Animal Kingdom, Environment, and the Darwin Centre; you could spend days here and still miss stuff. The interior, somewhat dimly lit for a museum, was overrun with kids (holiday and free entry) – felt like a school, but charming like Hogwarts.

London didn’t just pass the test of time – it aced it (should I add, it literally keeps the time, with Greenwich setting the standard for GMT). With its 2,000 year history from when the Romans founded it, it has grown rapidly to a global power. The most significant transition however happened in the 5th century with migrations of Anglo-Saxons from Denmark and Germany.

The night’s still young, and we couldn’t resist the lure of Greenwich, so we hopped on a train, venturing out of Central London for the first time. There were references to GMT everywhere but the line itself was a no-show so we ended up at the O2, a massive arena packed with shops, food, and entertainment. To get back home, we took the cable car across the Thames and the night views of London’s financial district, Canary Wharf, were awesome.

Having seen multiple movies and documentaries about Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, I thought I knew about the Tower of London. I was surprised it is indeed not a tower, but a castle complex which served as a royal residence, mint and treasury, prison, and execution site.

As conscious as we were about our own American – or, in my case, Indian American accent, we were also tuned in to the British ones. In comparison, they sound a little more polished but snobbish at the same time. Greenwich is pronounced GRENITCH, Gloucester as GLAASTER, Leicester is LEHSTR, and Southwark is SUTHRK, and for no reason other than to confuse visitors. BTW, their chips are our fries.

Another tube ride brought us to the St. Paul’s Cathedral on Day 3, another ticketed attraction. While the baroque interior and stunning mosaic floors were good, our highlight was tackling the 528 steps to the top – with a few interesting stops along the way. The Whispering Gallery’s acoustic trickery is pure magic, and the panoramic views from the top balcony are simply epic. 

From the Cathedral’s balcony, we tried to figure out the bridge situation. The Millennium Bridge was right there, but we also spotted the Tower Bridge and its more low-key cousin, London Bridge (yeah, it’s underwhelming). The Thames has over a hundred bridges and we hit most of the famous ones in Central London.

My excitement was building as we were approaching our next item in the itinerary. Having seen multiple movies and documentaries about Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, I thought I knew about the Tower of London. I was surprised it is indeed not a tower, but a castle complex which served as a royal residence, mint and treasury, prison, and execution site. 

A menagerie that also served as a zoo used to keep several exotic animals all over the World. The torture chamber with gruesome instruments is definitely not for the faint of the heart. The tower is operational today: the White Tower showcases the Royal Armory, while Waterloo Barracks is home to the Crown Jewels.We even caught a glimpse of the famous Kohinoor diamond, set in the Queen Mother’s crown.

The Sun Never Sets

At its peak, the British Empire ruled over a quarter of the world’s population and land area, earning the nickname “the empire on which the Sun never sets” due to its colonies that were spread out all over the World. It’s mind-boggling to think the vastness of this empire was managed from a tiny island. How did they accomplish this?

European powers like Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, and England explored the World mostly for economic gain, spreading Christianity, or simply for bragging rights. Among those, England’s naval dominance gave them an edge, but other factors played a big role: industrialization (colonial resources), trade (read as acquisition/hostile takeover), and most importantly a quest to conquer the world.

Tower Bridge is an engineering marvel, an iconic landmark, and looks like an extension of the Tower of London. Its arms lift up to let ships pass through. We bought tickets to check it out and highlights are: climbing up the towers, strolling the high-level walkways connecting the North and South towers, and checking out the engine rooms. The glass floors and mirrored ceilings in the walkways make it extra fun.

We made another greedy but failed attempt to see the GMT line, but the uber boat ride on the Thames afforded us different views of the city and all its bridges. It was dark by the time we got to the Royal Observatory where the GMT line passes through (we researched the night before), but we were only able to see the line from far but I assure you it exists. We can trust them to keep our time.

I am now getting very conscious (and slightly sad) about some of the things we are unable to fit in — Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, the Roman Baths, and several theater shows and more Harry Potter experiences. Guess that’s just a solid excuse to plan another London trip, right? 

That day, we managed to squeeze in one last splurge, The Shard. At over 300 meters, it is the tallest building in the UK and houses several offices, rooms, and restaurants, but the views were breathtaking. We rang in the New Year from our apartment, watching fireworks at the London Eye live and on BBC with a slight lag.

London’s dealing with a lot of in-flux from immigrants and visitors and that adds to the chaos especially with traffic and commuter rules. Locals zip by like pros, while tourists soaking it all in, mouths agape, walk on different sides of the streets. The awkward American in me still instinctively looked the other way before crossing streets, ignoring signs everywhere. Woes of being a multicultural city, I guess.

For a history buff who’s devoured movies and documentaries about Queen Victoria and the royals, Kensington Palace was a treat. Victoria’s life, including her childhood dolls and dresses, is well-preserved here. I have to add here that she was the first to hold the title of Empress of India. In the adjoining Sunken Garden, you will find Princess Diana’s memorial – a pond with her statue, commissioned by her sons.

London’s got plenty of metro perks, but it could use more green spaces. Public toilets are a Europe-wide issue, we know, but in London we were disappointed with the lack of water fountains to fill our bottles. And what is this I hear about the crown owning all the swans?

At this point, everywhere we have been so far in London has been buzzing with tourists (where do people live, I wondered) – Soho and Chinatown, bordering each other, are no exception. Soho is stylish and glamorous with its bars and theaters, while Chinatown is more bustling and colorful with Asian restaurants and bakeries. 

Colonial Trophies

Don’t get confused by the name – the British History Museum’s got way more than British history. It has everything from everywhere – mummies from Egypt, Assyrian stone carvings (first time hearing about that empire, right?), Parthenon sculptures, moai statues from Easter Island, and more. But the star is the Rosetta Stone, crucial for deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. If one chooses to ignore the controversies around acquisitions, the British Museum takes the crown with a collection of eight million artifacts.

Delicious dinner at Masala Zone and the post-dinner stroll with family in Piccadilly Circus was a satisfying ending to the day. PC reminds you of New York’s Times Square with its vibrant vibe, digital billboards, eateries, and shops. We took a train to Milton Keynes that night for an overnight stay at a friend’s place.

Milton Keynes is a well-planned suburb, ideal for raising families. On our first day, we spent half a day at Bletchley Park, the former top-secret home of WWII codebreakers. Now renovated and open to the public, Bletchley Park was where a team of codebreakers – 75% of whom were women – designed machines to crack Hitler’s infamous Enigma code.

To learn more about Bletchley Park, we watched “The Imitation Game,” a movie about Alan Turing, a lead codebreaker. His invention, the Turing machine, automated the codebreaking process and is credited with saving millions of lives, inspiring modern computers. Sadly, Turing faced prosecution for being gay and eventually died by suicide. The movie captured a nuanced England, promoting innovation but struggling with social issues.

While on the topic, we know the United Kingdom is world-renowned for education and innovation, with powerhouses like Oxford and Cambridge and modern universities like Manchester attracting international talent. We spent the night roaming Oxford’s streets and colleges – each one’s got impressive architecture too.

English is essential today for global communications, used as primary or official language in many countries worldwide. While colonization spread it initially, technology cemented its place at the top. In my own case, after living most of my adult life in the U.S., I think I started “thinking” in English rather than my mother tongue.

London celebrates the UK’s literary heavyweights (and there are so many): memorials at Westminster, statues in parks, and themed merchandise. No English course’s complete without Charles Dickens – I remember dissecting Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility” for a few extra marks. PG Wodehouse remains my favorite author till date (I remember LOLing reading his books). Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie’s works are still relevant today (I just watched one on Netflix).

The winners, however, are Shakespeare and JK Rowling, still dominating with shows, themed activities, and merchandise. Our visit to Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace was immersive. This medieval town’s got shops, markets, and pubs, but the stroll by the Avon was refreshing. This is where we enjoyed “Afternoon Tea,” another net new experience for us. 

Dinner at Nando’s

Before calling it a day (and a trip), we stopped by Bourton-on-the-Water (yep, another hyphenated one!), a charming village with a stream, low-lying pedestrian bridges, and an architecture and vibe that makes you think time stopped in the 1700s. That night, kids requested dinner at Nando’s, a chain restaurant popular for its quality chicken and variety of sauces.

To the Nadella family, travel is religion. We don’t question or discriminate against any offerings – we check everything out, time permitting. If not great, we simply share our opinions, giving everything, big and small, the respect they deserve (we even visited the American Candy stores and took pictures with the red telephone booths). Seeing our eagerness, friends and family usually assist with planning and execution – we are so grateful for that but some financial donations would be nice.

London was exciting but exhausting, in the best possible way. For a family of wanderers with insatiable curiosity, its options are endless and overwhelming. Between history, royals, food, and architecture, we lost ourselves completely – but realized we bit off only a tiny chunk. London deserves more visits and I can’t wait to come back!!

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Padma Nadella is an IT professional who lives in Eagan, Minnesota, with her husband and 17-year-old son. She manages a Facebook group for Minnesotans to collaborate on events and activities related to health and fitness. The group now has over two thousand members. Jack of all trades, she enjoys playing volleyball, traveling the world, and entertaining, mostly, but dabbles in everything else.