10 Photos from London’s East End

Street sign, fully heeded.

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I’ve been to London a good number of times. We usually go at least once a year, sometimes twice, and the total number of trips Rand and I have taken there are numbering close to a dozen. I’m started convincing myself that I’ve seen all the city has to offer. I’ve been to tons of its museums – mainstays like the British Museum and more obscure ones like the Old Operating Theater and herb garret and the London Transport Museum. I’ve visited the Globe, and the Tate Modern, and the Tower of London; I’ve spent way, waaaay too much time shopping in Covent Garden and wandering around Borough Market.

I figured I’d seen London. Been there. Done that. Eaten those. Right?

But sure enough, every time I go, I uncover another corner of the city that I never knew existed. Some magical neighborhood that I’ve never even heard of, much less seen. This time, it was London’s east end – a collection of hip and quirky neighborhoods packed with independent shops and restaurants, street musicians and giant murals.

It was a wonderful reminder that, despite all my trips there, I’ve seen only the tiniest bit of this massive, diverse metropolis. There’s always something new and magical to uncover. Stores to browse in. People to meet. Cookies to eat.

Here are ten photos from our trip to London’s East End.

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1. Street sign for Brick Lane, as if the eponymous masonry wasn’t enough.
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2. Cheeky self-referential street art.
   
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3. Steaming paella near Notting Hill.
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4. Dinosaur, Einstein, and eyeball murals.
   

   At least, I think it’s Einstein. I guess it could also be the Fonz.

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5. Rand mashes a bagel into his face at Beigel Bake, on Brick Lane.
   

   “RAND …  chomple-gobble-smack … HAPPY.”

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6. The most glorious door knocker, ever, near Columbia Road.
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7. Taking the criticisms of a neon sign a little too personally.
   

   Oh, hush. It’s not about you. You only have one, and last I checked, it was rather clean.

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8. If a book can have a chip on its shoulder, this one would.
   

   Disclaimer: half of the pages are blank. KIDDING! I’m kidding. Kidneys are delicious, y’all.

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9. Bacon street murals.
   

   Note the total absence of bacon.

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10. Obligatory snuggle photo of me and Rand, Columbia Road Flower Market.
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