A week in London!

  So I finally visited the capital of the land of our former masters - London!

The obligatory picture for every London visitor. What kind of London visitor who wouldn't want to pose with Big Ben?

Fought off the jet lag and walked around London until my feet screamed of exhaustion.

This is the first place that my bro took me to - Chinatown! Had my first London meal here...in a Chinese restaurant...which I could easily get in KK, Sabah. LOL. 
But I love one of the restaurants that serves roasted duck here. It's called 'Seasons'. They're known for their roasted duck. Exquisite!

Educational trip to The British Museum!

I'm not really into paintings but the entrance to The National Gallery is free! So why not pretend to be mesmerized by the works of famous painters that I have never even heard of eh? But seriously, the paintings are worth looking at.

Your world class loitering centre - Trafalgar Square!

At Hyde Park. It wasn't really a beautiful sight because of the dead (actually, they were hibernating) trees. My bro said the place would look beautiful during autumn as the trees will present themselves in different shades of colour.

Pointing at Westminister Abbey. Unfortunately the place was closed. My bro planned to bring me there for Christmas service but then we found out that we have to book tickets just to participate in the Christmas service,  Dumbfounded? Yes.

Now, the most exciting part for me during the trip! It was the literary visits! As a self-proclaimed lit geek, I was more excited to go to the literary places than to go to the aforementioned ones. It was high time to get my lit geek on.

Jane Austen House Museum (Chawton Cottage)

Among all of the places that I visited, I was most excited for this trip! We took an hour train ride from London to Alton and rode on a bus to Chawton. It's the house where she spent reviewing many of her famous works before she got them published.

I couldn't contain my excitement. *fangirl scream*


Inside Jane Austen's reading room. The shelf contains books by her or about her written in different languages.

A replica of her bed. If it was the authentic one, I would pose on her bed instead of just beside it while risking getting chased out. haha. 

Her kitchen!!! And I didn't know what I was actually doing. Too excited.

Her exact writing spot. *fangirl scream*

Charles Dickens' House Museum

Although I have only read 3 out of his many works (his novel, 'Hard Times' was my first read when I took the initiative to read English classics), when I saw this museum listed here, I wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to explore his one and only surviving house. The house is just a 10-minute walking distance from my bro's place. How convenient. I was mesmerized the Victorian style of decoration around the house. Such a cozy atmosphere.

To enter, please prepare 8 pounds sterling.

His dining table and a portrait of his face. And me.

According to one of the museum descriptions, he loved to take care of his appearance therefore he had many mirrors around his house. I think he'd selfie a lot (just like in the picture above albeit more stylish lol) in front of those mirrors if he were to be alive today.

Here's a mirror selfie of my bro and I inside Charles Dickens' bedroom! Very maroon-ish. I like.

Sherlock Holmes House Museum

I've read two of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's work. Albeit a fictional character, the house was arranged and decorated to fit the descriptions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in many of his works.
Please prepare 15 pounds sterling to enter.

I was just trippin'. I don't even know how to smoke a pipe.

*pokes*

Holmes' reading table.

I forgot which part of the house this was.

With a Sherlock Holmes impersonator. Just look at the difference in our heights! I'm literally a dwarf.

Harry Potter Shop 

If I had the money, I'd buy everything that was in there!
But I only bought a grey Hogwarts t-shirt and a Quidditch snitch as a key chain for one of my friends.

I celebrated Christmas in London! Never in my life have I thought that I'd be celebrating my Christmas here. My bro and I went to a nearby church on Christmas morning. It was at St. George, Holborn. It was the church where Sylvia Plath (an American poet who had published one novel - 'The Bell Jar') and Ted Hughes (a British poet) got married in 1956. I consider this as one of my literary visits as well.

I know it's late, but MERRY CHRISTMAS!

My visit to London wouldn't be complete without visiting the bookstores here! You know my bookishness couldn't be suppressed. 

This one was in a bookstore at Charring Cross Roads. 

Here's a bookstore that bookish homophobes would resent.
It's at my bro's neighbourhood. Interesting titles. I bought 1 book.

My exploration of bookstores around London had resulted into this - 8 books on literary criticism, 3 books on gender studies, and 1 book on philosophy.

I'm not much of a traveler but my trip to London wouldn't have been turned into a reality without me finally earning for myself as well as my bro staying there for his studies. Because, you know, free accommodation. HAHA. He served as a tour guide for me as well. 

That's him.

This week has been the most memorable week for me in 2015! I hope to visit here again and visit other places that I had missed.