From Cambridge, you can easily do a cheeky day trip to London, England (there is one in Canada as well, don’t mix them up) since it’s only about an hour by train.
eat.
If you want to convince me to marry you for under 40 quid, just take me to my favourite restaurant- Flat Iron. They give you popcorn with steak drippings on it- for free. Then they give you a token for ice cream after your meal- for free. Bring on the suitors!
London’s markets are top-notch. Borough Market, Convent Garden– hubba hubba. Leadenhall Market was the inspo for Diagon Alley.
It’s not cheap, but I once went to The Cauldron Co for a Harry Potter themed drinks. Pretty sure it was a good time.
cheap.
I saw Twelfth Night at the Shakespeare Globe in August. If you choose to use your legs as a chair (stand) the entire time, you can get ridiculously cheap tickets. I paid £5, with a service fee of £2.50.
If you remember (I expect you to remember every. single. detail. about me– there will be a quiz), I also saw a Shakespeare play in Cambridge.
I know, I know- I’m SO cultured.
I recommend Googling a summary of the old wind bag Willy’s plays or at least watch a more recent movie based on his stuff or you’ll have no idea what’s going on. I watched She’s the Man to prepare for my artsy afternoon.
National museums have free entrance in the UK- head to Tate Modern for a stellar view.
Another stellar, free view is from Sky Garden. Buy a ticket in advance. There is a restaurant here as well, so it’s super awkward for everyone.
I went to a Harry Potter exhibit (of course I did) in the National History Museum. I had to pay for the exhibit but the museum is free on its own.
The public garden at St Dunstan in the East Church Garden is a treat.
One of the weirdest attractions that I’ve gone to is London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE. It’s art… I think. Plus there is this Temple of Mithras, which admittingly, I still have no idea what was going on- I was unable to find a modern day retelling. It was free though.
Bookshops: Daunt Books- Marylebone, Southbank Centre Book Market, Word on the Water.
During Christmas, Oxford Street had some fancy lights. SOHO had some neon sign thing, but I can’t find it anymore so maybe it was temporary.
travel.
The first time I was in London, I mistook a fancy bridge in London (Tower Bridge) for the actual London Bridge and stayed in an attic dorm with 18 other women. This time around, I mistook nothing. I read the sign.
This is called growth.
