London Semester – Yoojin Cho

Welcome to 221b Baker Street

Does this address sound familiar to you? “221b Baker Street”

How about this name? “Dr. Watson”

No? Then… “SHERLOCK HOLMES”

Yes! We all know the famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, and the fabulous tales of solving crimes and kicking criminals’ a**. We have seen the movie with Robert Downey, Jr., and we know the books written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Subsequently, we now make the connection, Sherlock Holmes lived in London. On Baker Street. Right by the Baker Street tube. Indeed, extremely close to Madame Tussaud’s wax museum.

Oh. There he is! Obviously, I HAD to visit this museum. To me, it was already pretty awesome walking around Central London pointing out all the places I remember from the movie. I thereby wanted to see the actual house where Holmes lived.

221b Baker Street, a surprisingly small, narrow building, stands next to a Beatles store and Subway (…Eat Fresh!)

When Jack and I arrived at the museum, many people were already lined up to go inside. Because of its size, they only let about 10 people in at a time. Kind of annoying, but preserving the building and NOT letting it collapse may have been a good priority.

And voila! We finally entered the building. A bit amusing, but none other than Dr. Watson himself greeted us.

“Welcome! Welcome to the modest little place that I share with Sherlock!”

How cute is he?

After a little chat and a little photo sesh with Dr. Watson, we made our way through the tiny apartment. The study room… Sherlock’s room with all his handy dandy detective gear…

A letter Sherlock wrote to Watson also on display…

Then upstairs, suddenly the exhibit turned into a wax museum. They had recreated scenes from each Sherlock Holmes book.

Engaged in a serious staring contest… But those wax figures did look extremely real. When I first walked in and saw the “people” hanging from the roof, I almost let out a small scream.

Though 6 pounds for entry, I thought this visit to the museum was definitely worthwhile. Though not a place I would see multiple times, I had a great time walking up and down the narrow stairs and looking at all the furniture, artifacts and memorabilia dedicated to this “fictional” character.

http://www.sherlock-holmes.co.uk/

La Liaison – the French/Portuguese Man's Latte

We don’t know for sure where he came from. We actually don’t even know his name. But we know for sure he makes darn good latte and croissant.

While we are on the subject of small, quaint, friendly cafes – see the previous post, The Muffin Man – it’s definitely worth taking a few minutes to reflect on my delicious morning routine almost every day before class in London.

La Liaison, located right next to the Gloucester tube, is really a hole-in-the-wall patisserie with coffee, hot breakfast, to-go sandwiches and a variety of pastry.

Unfortunately, I never snapped a picture of the place, so that’s the best I could do with some help of everyone’s trustworthy friend, Google Images. Regardless I suppose the picture does portray the vibe of La Liaison quite well.

It’s small. There are maybe two tables inside the cafe. But people are always stopping by, reading newspapers outside or chatting up their friends in front of the shop.

I first stopped by for an emergency dose of caffeine when I realized I could no longer stay awake in one of my classes. Ever since, picking up a small latte and a croissant became a ritual. More importantly, however, I only paid about 3 pounds for both the coffee AND the pastry. Considering the exchange rates and the high cost of living in the UK, what a feat!

I thought the coffee from La Liaison was always high quality. Though served in rather small portions, with foamy milk, what a perfect way to wake up and start the day.

Along with the coffee, I would always get the chocolate (or sometimes plain) croissant, too. The mysterious French/Portuguese man told me he made them fresh every morning, and yes, I totally believe him.

On top of that, the English Breakfast. If I remember correctly, it was only 3 or 4 pounds. For those not familiar with English Breakfast, the dish consists of eggs – sunny side up, sausages, bread, ham and beans in tomato sauce.

Wait, beans in tomato sauce?

Right. We never really encounter those in America. Next time you’re at a grocery store, stop by the tiny little British section most likely in the far back corner of the store and pick up a can. It’s absolutely delicious.

In fact, I concluded my journey in London with English Breakfast and a latte from La Liaison. I couldn’t think of any other way to leave the city I fell in love with so quickly.

Besides all those delicious goodies, the best part was probably the friendly French/Portuguese man who always greeted me with “Oh, hello beautiful!” with a slight French accent. Let it be a cheesy cliche, but I loved it!

Also, note that is how I came to call him the mysterious French man.

The “Portuguese” part followed soon after though, when I saw him cheering for a Portuguese football (soccer) team.

Confused? Me too.

My Love for Afternoon Tea

Do you knowwwwww the MUFFIN MAN? The muffin man? The muffin mannnnn?

Don’t worry, I’m not going crazy despite the high heat and humidity that have invaded Boston this month.

I’m simply asking, if you have ever experienced the magic of an afternoon tea at a little cafe called The Muffin Man.

Yes, it is a tea shop in South Kensington – in the middle of a residential area, quite tucked away in a corner. We stumbled upon this only because Jack saw it on his way back from High St. Kensington and remembered the name (I mean, why not?).

I’m extremely glad we decided to be adventurous and tried out the place out of blue because now, I can’t say enough great things about it.

The Muffin Man serves wonderful devonshire cream with freshly baked scones and delicious herb tea. But it also boasts a full flavorful menu – sandwiches, pasta, lasagna and even English breakfast.

Seriously, my mouth is watering as I’m recalling how affordable and delightful the afternoon tea was.

This tea cost us (Jack & me) a grand total of £10. Yes, for both of us. The tea at Harrods cost us close to £50. Ouch.

Obviously Harrods served a bit more fancy plate of finger foods, including smoked salmon sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches and fruit tarts, but honestly, Muffin Man’s scones are superb, compared to those of Harrods.

Also, the setting. While Harrods gives off the stereotypical rich, classy, elegant vibe, the Muffin Man welcomes everyone – casual clothes, a bit dressed up in summer dresses, stopping by for cupcakes or sitting down for a cute date.

If I’m ever back in London, I am definitely going back to the Muffin Man – for breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner. Not kidding.

It’s always the small, family-run, friendly restaurants that completely get me. They seem to know how to make perfect dishes and let you enjoy the food in comfortable, loving, welcoming setting, which, without fail, leads to a huge smile and the perfect level of fullness.

Oh, and one more thing. After a semester in London, I am totally addicted to tea. Thought my coffee addiction was bad? Well, now I grab a box of PG Tips or strawberry tea when I go buy a can of coffee beans with extra espresso. Oh well.

Why I Miss Traveling…

Of course there are hundreds (or thousands) of perks of being home – home-cooked meals, easy communication, cozy bed, lovely friends and just the comfort of knowing that you’re close to people and place you love.

But then…Why do I miss traveling so much?

After spending four months away from familiar buildings, faces, food and culture, I was initially happy to be back in my comfort zone. Now that I have resumed an endless cycle of work-eat-sleep, however, I would love love love to return to unfamiliar territories.

First and foremost, I miss exploring. I am not the type to just take off one day and venture out to mysterious neighborhoods, but as long as I have my map, I’m more than happy to take the winding narrow sidestreets.

Oh, I don’t know. How else would you find Waffle-bob Squarepants in the middle of Brussels?

Or these mega-cool Star Wars & Star Trek postage stamps in Madrid?

Besides discovering unique antique stores or tiny family-run restaurants with only three tables, meeting great people and making new friends also make me happy, fulfilled and content.

I may or may not stay friends with everyone I meet on the road, but at least for the brief few days you’re stuck with them in small hostels or extreme-euro dance clubs, everyone is simply BFF(aeaeaeae…).

Aside from incredibly friendly and wonderful hostel owners – Giuseppe, Andrea and Mabri, etc. – I remember having great conversations with and sometimes having awkward/hilarious encounters on streets with a Dutch kid, a Norwegian couple, girls from Wisconsin, crazy Brits on a bar crawl in Berlin, a couple from Texas… Oh, and of course, a BU ALUM! What a small world.

Regardless, transitioning from having nothing in common except for being in foreign countries together to being friends even for just 10 minutes. I miss that kind of interaction with people. The one where strangers just stare at you and bump into you on the T is no fun.

I also missing walking down the street and simply admiring the gorgeous architecture. Granted Europe is certainly a lot older than North America, the beauty of its buildings, churches, houses and schools is incomparable.

London Eye… (I know it’s not Gothic or romantic or whatever, but it’s pretty!)

Vatican City…

Trevi Fountain…

Notre Dame…

And of course, the scenery beats everything, too. The beaches, the river, the park…

The view from Sacre Coer…

Cefalu…

Nonetheless, something MORE beautiful than the coastline and architecture is food. Seriously, one of the best parts about traveling to new cities was trying out new dishes.

I had the opportunity to devour, er, I mean, savor, the best Bratwurst, the Currywurst, the freshest clams, the best pasta, the most delicious prosciutto, the white Sicilian pizza, the English breakfast, the richest Guinness pie… Ah, the list goes on.

Additionally, these fresh ingredients are all available at amazingly low price at markets – even including high-quality wine, cheese and meat.

Often I could have a full 3-course dinner for under 5 euros. Of course, it’s nothing fancy. It’s rather delicious sandwiches from a stand run by two brothers, then gelato and a glass of sangria. But those affordable items from friendly owners and chefs were so much better than five-star, $50 per dish food.

For example, a loaf of baguette, a big wheel of cheese and a huge basket of strawberries cost me 3 euros total in Paris, and don’t you worry, they were DELICIOUS.

Arancine, a fried rice ball with cheese or ham or even curry, is Sicily’s signature food. Big enough to serve as a whole meal, Arancine definitely counted as one of Sicily’s charms. And the best part… Only 2 euros. What? I know.

I would certainly hop on the plane and travel around if given a chance. I mean, why not? All these great food, architecture and people await.

Maybe, if I’m lucky, in the next five years or so, I’ll be able to afford (both time and money) to embark on a brand new adventure. Australia sounds just fine. Or the Middle East.