Westminster, Chelsea, South Kensington. London.

Today I start my getaway to London by going to have tea at The English Rose Café and Tea shop, beautiful, tasty and affordable. It is very close to Buckingham Palace, the king’s residence. 

St James Park is beautiful in autumn, painted in gold, and so green in summer, I cross it to Whitehall where the British Prime Minister’s residence is located, in Downing Street, which cannot be accessed and looks like a fortress, so in the age of Instagram, a fake door has been created for the photo on a nearby street, yes, that’s right.

On the same street is the World War II Women’s Memorial, and Horse Guards Parade, where the Royal Cavalry and Museum are located. A horse and its rider stand imposingly at the entrance; If you want to take a photo, remember to respect them both by keeping a safe distance.

As it rains I choose to visit the place where coronations have been held since 1066, today we will discover Westminster Abbey. 

It’s phenomenal and beautiful (the entrance is a bit expensive it costs £29), I follow the numbers in the audio guide and see the spot where they place the coronation chair in front of an altar, which changes color according to the season. The ceilings leave me speechless, I visit the tombs of Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots, among other monarchs.

And literature appears again, in “the poet’s corner” the nation’s greatest writers are buried or commemorated, a tradition that began with the father of English poetry, Geoffrey Chaucer 1343-1400.

The cloisters are beautiful, and an old double door leads us to the oldest room in the abbey called Pyx Chamber from 1070, Pyx means small box, and it was where they kept the gold and silver.

The Coronation Chair is close to the Unknown Soldier’s tomb. 

Next to the abbey is the Church of St. Margaret. And behind it is one of London’s most iconic images, the Thames, the Houses of Parliament and the Elizabeth Tower (known to all as Big Ben)

From there I go in search of James Bond in the St. Ermin’s Hotel, a place where during the war was the base of the English espionage, the MI6. 

On the same street I find an example of the old schools called Blue Coat School of 1709, they were schools for the poor established by philanthropists or part of a church. During World War II this particular was a warehouse for the Americans, you can see the marks made by the soldiers who guarded it. 

I’m walking towards Chelsea where I want to visit some places. I pass through Sloane Square, a lively square that takes me to a pedestrian street where the London Cheesemongers is located, which is the most famous cheese factory in London. I get lost in these little streets and I find a beautiful plant store, cafes, restaurants, all very cute.

Crossing the lively Duke of York Square I arrive at one of the most popular independent bookstores in London, John Sandoe Books, which is also beautiful and where, guess what, I buy a book.

From there I go in search of a nice place to read. I pass by the former residence of Bram Stoker 1847-1912, there is one of the famous blue plaques telling us that there is where he wrote Dracula.

The Royal Hospital is next to my destination, the Chelsea Physic Garden, I pay my entrance £14.50 and take a walk admiring all the plants, it is the second oldest botanic garden still open in England, it was created in 1673 in order to study the medicinal uses of plants. 

The river and its promenade is next to them, and I remind you that the Chelsea Flower Show is a few meters from there and is held in May. I arrive at the Albert Bridge and pass through one of the most photogenic facades in the city, the Fifty Cheyne. 

I come across very cute streets, in one I find a fairytale house that is a nursery for children.

I arrive at the popular Peggy Porschen Chelsea, a pink universe of cupcakes and mermaids where I have a matcha.

Another of the cozy streets full of colors is Godfrey Street, which takes us to the church of St Luke’s & Christ, where Charles Dickens married in 1836. On one side there’s a cafeteria and a beautiful public garden. 

I pass by another very nice bookstore of rare and hard-to-find books, Sokol Books. They specialize in books printed before 1640, they must find some jewels…

Today I have two great books, the first one is the book I bought at John Sandoe, Valentino by Natalia Ginzburg. In this story that is read in a few hours, Valentino’s sister describes him as a spoiled and forever medical student, his father affirms that he is going to be a “man of purpose”, while they, the sisters, see him for what he is, a lazy man, who likes to go out and who gets involved with an older rich woman. The family is suspicious of his motives. 

And Gill Hornby’s Godmersham Park, a visit to the Victorian era through the Austen family, where Ann Sharp arrives to work as governess for their daughter, Fanny. After the death of her mother her father has left her very little money to support herself, Ann refuses to look for a husband to support her. Her life at Godmersham Park leads her to meet Fanny’s aunt, Jane, with whom she will establish a great friendship. This story is based on Jane Austen and Ann Sharp’s real friendship, and I loved it.