London Calling

What a better title than the famous song from The Clash, than well, 'London Calling?' With that rhythmic guitar intro and then the lead vocals of the Turkish Joe Strummer. Isn't it odd that such a song, an iconoclast for British music is as it turns out, sung from someone who isn't from London, let alone the United Kingdom? Yeah this took a turn. Let me start over.

Photo of Big Ben from Trafalgar Square

Taking the Chunnel from France into the United Kingdom and arriving into London's St Pancras. I've arrived to a place I was already in love with. The train station. No, kidding, although it is a nice train station. No, London. Never been, but knew I'd love it and wouldn't want to leave. It is my favorite city in the world. Everyone there speaks as if they're from a Harry Potter novel. Where everything that comes out of their mouth sounds like they're super smart and intelligent. If you're in a suit it must mean you're James Bond. Where everyone is an alcoholic, womanizing, globe totting, world saving superhero. Now all that's part of the zeitgeist, but their culture is beyond what I consider my cultural costume.

Now growing up where I grew up. In the heart of Orlando, where I kid you not the street, International Drive, was right up the road. You can only imagine all the different people, from all different parts of the world I saw, met, and interacted with. Majority of the visitors were from England, based on the accents and their complexions. But that accent, I got really good at identifying that accent. And being from Florida, where its seasons are hot and hotter. I want the opposite. I'm the George Costanza of weather. Give me a cold, gray, drizzly day and I'm as happy as a bright sunny day. So I've grown up hearing the accent, I love the weather that most people bitch about. I'm there, I'm game. Okay shut up, Steven, no one wants to hear about where you're from, we're suppose to be talking about London. Yes but I feel it's important to understand the genesis of my love and affinity with London.

When I got there it was within half a week of the coronation of Charles lll. So needless to say the sentiment of patriotism echoed throughout the United Kingdom. The British flag hung largely and proudly across all the major roads and intersections. People coming from all over to experience this perhaps, once in a lifetime event. Unless, of course, you live there and just like - wink wink, Paris, read that blog if you haven't, shameless plug - then chances are you don't actually live in London because it's so exorbitantly artificially expensive to reside in the city so instead you live on the outskirts where it's less populated and more cost efficient. And you know you have country spirit when you have native country men and women who can't wait for the coronation to be over because all it does is add wait times for traffic and longer lines at the pub which can feel like a grueling eternity when you're finally off from work and want to catch a pint with your mates.

You know you got your feet on the ground when you have this big production, this honor, I guess it's an honor for Charles lll, not for Nicholas a driver for London's official black cab. In fact when you have a sense of humor, you can enjoy satire about your own people and country you know you're going to have a good time. It's going to be a good day. And it was. Realizing how much of a sense of humor, a universal sense of humor the English have was one of my biggest enjoyments. And listening to your average waiter, bartender, cab driver, about what it was like with the eerie backdrop of a post - but really - present day apocalyptic setting with vacant roads; not seeing anyone outside for days during Covid. How they like their work, how they like their countries politics i.e. electric vehicles. Taxes, joking about working all day and their wife taking all their money. It was my first awakening of everyone everywhere are the same. People have the same problems everywhere you go.

Black Cabs on Regent St. days before the Coronation

Speaking of black cabs. Use the black cabs for transportation if and when needed. This is two fold. First the amount of education and training they go through elevates your English experience. How much education and training does it take you ask? It takes 3 - 4 years to become a black cab driver. That's because it's not only learning the roads, the in and outs to get from point A to point B. You also learn about the landmarks, the countries history at a very high level. So these guys know their shit, try getting a Uber who will not only just talk to you, but can teach something at the same time. Good luck. Which leads me to my next point. This was a blessing in disguise really. Our day tour reservation got fubared so not knowing what to do; the lovely doormen at our hotel got us set up with a black cab and the driver agreed to driver us around and taught us exactly what we would have learned as if we were on a tour. Not only that, he waited for us as we walked over to see the front of Buckingham Palace. Surprisingly even after negotiating on a price, it was still cheaper than doing the regular tour that we thought was scheduled. And being a cabbie, the personality, the humor, the levity was much more relaxed than your garden variety tour guide. So if you don't have a tour guide set up, talk to one of the black cab drivers and you too can perhaps get a great tour at a really affordable rate. They are so clean and spacious you will have a great time in them. Lastly, London is famous for them, you have to do it. It's so goddamn English, why bothering going if not going to get into a black cab. You'll feel connected to your UK heritage by doing it. And if your heritage doesn't connect to the UK it will now since you were able to instill the UK spirit into your bloodline through osmosis of the black cab. Okay, that might've been more like 4 or 5 fold. Maybe even 6 fold, sue me I'm enthusiastic.

So what does one do when in a foreign and unfamiliar place after spending a couple hours in a cab touring the city? Go to as close to a familiar place as possible, I suppose. What's the natural habitat? A pub for a bite and pint of Guinness. A local suggestion was made and got there quick. Luckily we were already in a cab. God, I've been waiting for that Guinness, could have chewed my arm off for that first ice cold Guinness draft in London. An Irish beer tasted ever as foamy and rich in London as I assume it tastes in Ireland. But certainly more rich and foamy than in America. Something about it made sense. Peroni is always a safe choice but when you're digging into your fish and chips wrapped in a newspaper, 'where you can eat and learn something at the same time,' - Ted Lasso. With salt and vinegar to dip your chips into. You need a something delicious to wash it down with, that compliments the salt, the fried, and fish flavors. Therefore you need a solid sidekick. With that, Guinness... he's the man.

As British as Guinness and Fish and Chip can be, every once in a while you have to slow down and smell the afternoon tea. First time ever in my life did I have a full on traditional English Tea Time. Yes, fully complete with Earl Grey and an assortment of delicacies. I don't know what it is, but the finger sandwiches add a touch of class that I wasn't expecting. Maybe it's cause I'm used to a footlong hoagie that falls apart, but the trays, the variety, the cookies, the break from life for a moment. It's classy without being overtop. If you'd like to get a little 'posh' with your English Afternoon Tea, the Connaught Hotel has a wonderful set up to enjoy your tea while watching the world go by through the floor to ceiling windows. It's old, it's elegant, it's classically modern, it's hard not to feel immersed in English history once you've stepped into the Connaught. Moving on, starting to sound like an annoying booking agent.

Can't escape London without a visit to the town that played host to one of Julia Roberts best and more remembered films, Notting Hill. On the weekend the town puts up on a street market where vendors and food tents line the street and showcase their talents. Stores open to sell chachkies to the tourist that pass through. Food proprietors open their doors to patrons to take in and digest some of the best local flavors. Speaking of if you want good paella check Jamon Jamon Paella. Trust me there's enough to go around. And yes saw the famous book store that was featured in Notting Hill the film.

What I couldn't help notice is the fact everyone was so damn nice, welcoming (unless you go into a bar with the sole purpose of using the toilet), and forthcoming. And these were the native folks. They play their part. It's amazing how a country at its inception was about control and tyranny. I mean that literally, wars took place when colonies that were under British control wanted to emigrant. But now they are welcoming and almost enjoy visitors that want to take in their culture. So oddly they gone from not wanting anyone to leave to welcoming those with open arms.

Hyde Park

I digress, better than that was the walk up the hill to, Sun In Splendour. Where you can walk up to the open window and grab a beer for the road when you make the trek back to the city. If a walk is what you want then you're in luck. This isn't just a great walk it's a really fuckin' great walk. From Notting Hill, it's a short journey to Hyde Park. Regardless of where you're at I'd still encourage anyone to check out Hyde Park. You can gander over to Kensington Palace, but the views in the Park are worthy of their own. You can people watch and/or just chill. After walking through the park barefoot, grass between your toes like Richard Gere in Pretty Woman. I know gone from Hugh and Julia references now to Julia and Richard. It's Julia's fault for making great rom-coms. By now you gotta be hungry, you've worked up an appetite, head over to the Mayfair Chippy, it'll either be a short walk or a long walk depending where you're at. But it'll be worth it to meet up with your old friends again, Guinness and basket of Fish and Chips.

The most interesting or intriguing experience in London that really made London feel like London to me were the alley ways. In the rain walking down an alley felt right. Something about London and their alleys. I blame Harry Potter, Diagon Ally to be specific if you aren't a Harry Potter nerd like me. And of course Jack the Ripper. Don't worry Uncle Jack ain't coming to get ya. The alleys, they felt safe, unlike New York or Chicago where you kinda know shit can hit the fan at any given moment there. Sure you can still go down the wrong alleyway in Europe where something might happen. But the main ones with shops and hole in the wall restaurants/bars felt extremely safe. Apparently there's a whole underworld type of history when it comes to London and their alleys. Rightfully so, there's an awful lot of alleys in London, so statistically speaking some historical shit had to have gone down in them. Some are so old they can transport you to old London. Some can transport you to hidden courtyards, others are just architecturally beautiful.

So if you're in Mayfair and are in the mood to wonder down one of these alleys. I suggest going down Avery Row. It's close to Regent St. which is the 5th Avenue of London. Tons of shops and boutiques, it's famous, you'll love it. You'll also love Avery Row, the walking path is formed from polished brick and cobblestone adding to the London vibes, it's not like there's not already a lot of that there. I know it's a minor detail, because many vintage neighborhoods have that in their DNA, but it's those little things to me that make a place feel special. If you're in the mood for something other than Fish and Chips and like a little variety, in Avery Row is a quaint Italian restaurant, Sparrow Italia Mayfair. Different isn't always bad. It's common in London to have different types of food, you don't always have to get, Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash, Beef Wellington, you should have them, they're fucking staples, they're amazing! It's also okay to try their versions, their spins of other international cuisine. Remember London has a lot of immigration, Europe is convenient in the sense countries are so jam packed together it's not difficult, it's almost normal, for people to move around. And London being a large, viable, affluent metropolis - has a lot of people from all over near by countries who bring their own history with them so therefore you can get some really solid food from around the world that isn't necessarily born in England, but still incredible. Thus the Sparrow Italia Mayfair is top notch for Italian. And if your going to dinner, taking the seat belt off, throwing your MyFitnessPal out the window, damn those macros and the only goal in mind is to pack in as many carbs as possible, get the Chicken Parm.

If you're thinking London is all Beatlemania, Harry Potter (yes, there are tours and stores), James Bond, red buses, rush hour on the tube, armed guards that can't laugh or smile. A close shave on Fleet Street. These things more less, more on the more side or more on the lesser side, it's all contingent on your interest. It's not my intention to convince you that London has more to offer than those things. In fact London has tons more to offer than the things I got to experience. I'm confident I've done a poor job trying to articulate why this city will always be my spirit home. And I'm very confident I've done a highly unsuccessful job of articulating what this particular blog was suppose to be about. Is it about why I love this city? Is it a history lesson? Is it a 'must do' type of blog. My answer is, yes. All the above. Cause unfortunately when it comes to love, it comes out in moron.

Rest assured I'll get a mulligan to redo this blog one day. Next time it'll be more precise, more articulate, more effective. It's one of those city's that need to be visited more than once. With that I say:

London,

Steven Jankovic will return.