It is their parks and their integrated public transportations.
Two things that I envy the most once we return. Their parks are huge, clean and beautiful. You can have picnic during summer, reading book with beautiful autumn leaves view, having conversation while sipping a coffee and munching some snacks in their small square all over the city. The big ones usually have a proper playground. A chance to spend a year enjoying lots of playgrounds in this city is one of my daughter best privileges during her golden period. My heart is crying a lot whenever the thought of losing such things appear.
Below are some pictures about those two from my recent trips around the town.
1. Kensington Garden
Late Princess Diana most favorite royal parks.
Not far from the lake, there is Kensington Palace, currently the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank and soon their little bundle of joy.
2. Green Park
The park leads to Buckingham Palace. Visited this park on the first day of autumn 2020.
Waiting for all the leaves show their beautiful autumn colors.
3. Primrose Hill Park and Playground
Their TFL services are not all excellent but, I couldnt ask any better. You can go everywhere for your daily activities with any means of transport available. Bus, underground,and my most favorite overground. It takes time yes, but a year using it everywhere, trying every underground line, getting off in some random stations, walking in small lanes without specific destinations and map help, then when the feet are tired, you can just find the nearest underground station then making stop in the line that will bring you home or the closest station where you can catch your bus.
One of this pandemic blessing in disguises is a more comfortable experience in riding underground and overground. I spent the last few weeks riding on underground, overground, or long bus ride to any random destinations with one purpose : reading and finishing a book. What could be better than reading a book while having an empty carriage all for yourself?
I have said this countless time yet never tired to repeat it :
Living in London, during this specific time, in good health and wealth, being allowed to experience things that I treasure a lot, is truly one of the best chapters of my life.
Today, a year ago was the beginning of an adventure that I never imagined would be (really and finally) given in my cards.
Among all my three big 20s dreams, master degree abroad was my number one for the sake of living abroad, in Europe to be exact. Not really have to be a master degree. Whatever that could make it, but master degree seemed to be the most reasonable one. The memory of living in Manchester back in 1994 for two months was too strong until it became my fuel for the next twenty years, even until now.
Master degree abroad was fulfilled, although it wasn’t exactly as the heart wanted. Since more than ten years ago, reading all those women’s living abroad blogs always make me excited. Reading and looking at those pictures while dealing with the situation during the first years of marriage and motherhood made me buried (half of) the wishful thinking about having such dream.
Let alone to live abroad, even visiting Paris seemed to be so impossible.
During those years, it felt even harder when watching the very closest relatives got and lived my dream so ‘easily’. Few times wondered, how could they get it and I was still stuck here after years of trying, praying and daydreaming until it became my constant stomachache? The heart was wrenching when the two brothers went off to this country for master degree. Happy for them and a big sigh for me.
When Paris was unlocked in 2016, that was when the doors started opening for many adventures to come. Seven days of autumn in Paris was exactly the childhood dream that had been longing for a long time. It was unbelievable that my turn finally came after so many years.
After Paris, the ball seemed rolling faster than I could ever think of. It feels like receiving continous pleasant surprises from life, although they always come together with twists and more twists. London, Tokyo, Seoul, and many more places were totally unthinkable to almost impossible for our situation at that time. When it finally came true, all those times really made the long wait worth every second of it.
Spending a week in a new city once a year started giving so much strength and became new fuel to work hard for the whole year.
Traveling as tourists is already big for us. But, nothing prepared me to receive another huge surprise from life as big as London for the third time. This time, it was exactly as I had been longing.
London was never in the first option for the doctor’s study destinations. Inquiries sent randomly to many places, without satisfying answer.
An email in the spam folder suddenly came and changed the whole game in just one night. An email that we could just miss. But we didn’t. After all the rejections, in one night everything suddenly worked. Just like that.
I remembered having sleepless night after talked for an hour with the doctor once he finished his online interview and received the offical offer letter within an hour after the interview. We didnt even have to wait for a single day.
I couldnt help keep asking at that time: is this even real?
It scares me sometimes about the way our prayers granted. It’s beyond what we ask and often feel too good to be true.
A graphic from @visualizevalue described this well
This one year in London was the answer of many prayers sent for years. Many in quantites and qualities. The prayers of the doctor to pursue some trainings abroad, the desperate prayers of a mother who kept asking about her daughter conditions (and her forgotten dream of living in Europe), and maybe deep down inside, the desire of the little girl who was craving for a place where she could feel accepted.
This one year in London feels like receiving compound interest of the saving from three people. We couldn’t get here on our own and without each other’s ‘savings and investment’.
That became clear why I would never made it during my 20s.
I couldn’t be more grateful to live the dream than any other time but now. Allah knows but He waits is the truest phrase. He let me enjoyed living the dream more than what I had asked. I often imagined the conversation inside my head :
“I really want to go (and live) there,”.
“Be patient. You’ll be there even before you realize it. Just keep going,”.
And yes, years from there, here I am.
All those prayers were safely stored until the right time came. Allah saved it for the time when I and we needed this most. He knows I wouldnt survive living here as a student, instead He sent me here as a partner and a mother. It came to my mind that He prepared me first through many years in between until He knew I was ready. Just like every single thing that happened in my life. When it happens, then He knows I am ready.
Ready living the dream with all the bonuses. Something that is truly beyond my calculations.
He sent me here when I could use my time freely, enjoying day to day life without worry about money (unlike the master degree abroad days nine years ago), exploring the city, visiting many places in my bucket list, learning about things that I want to learn.
He sent us together once the doctor finished all his duties, from five years of PPDS to another year of WKDS. He sent us when the time this pandemic started. He sent us right when the things related to little girl’s situation was getting so frustrating.
I left my 15 years job, my comfort zone, the company of friends and family, I should do many things that previously done through others’ help by myself, taking care things that normally being outsourced to other people, dealing with the weather that sometimes unbearable, conversing in language that I often couldn’t even understand (It is so true), it’s far from easy, yet I never felt as sufficient as before.
I love the fresh air, wide green spaces everywhere, proper playgrounds are easily accessible, good public transportation, range of products in grocery shopping, the smell of fresh baked pastries with great price in supermarket, free attractions to visit, the weekend markets all over the city, a library with great collections, and so many more.
I love our flat, the neighbourhood by the Thames river. I enjoy spending most time at home. Reading, cleaning, doing things in kitchen, like found a new love for baking, being a teacher to the little girl for many things, something that made me realize how much it takes and needed to raise a child (without helps). No wonder I felt more tired previously because combining works outside and child raising truly sucked the energy.
I don’t have to wait for weekend nor avoid Monday, I set my daily routine to stay sane and so far it works well. I really have proper time to do things that are important for me, I have time to entertain my curiosity in particular subject, to get lost in the city by trying new bus routes in between school time, to join a volunteer of my interest and meet lovely people there, or even just as simple as reading book samples in my google play.
After years of long hours daily work, even on the weekend, we know there’s a situation in some place where work-life balance does exist. Generous leaves allow us to travel on weekdays, had a date in the middle of the week, spent few days every two weeks to prepare the food for the following week, how I love having stay at home father and husband.
The list is long and I can keep going until tomorrow.
In short, here, in London, I am living this definition of rich below. The kind of rich that is beyond money.
From a chapter of Psychology of Money book from @alexandbooks page
Like I wrote previously, sometimes, it feels scary to receive so many. But it would be scarier to forget that we have receieved so much more than our plea.
Hopefully not and never.
This one year in London is truly a big plate of sweet dessert at the end of one tough decade.
Beside Lake District, another point of must visit in UK is the beautiful villages under the name of Cotwolds. Cotswolds consist of many beautiful villages and AONB areas.
We couldn’t visit them all and chose which one that suited our preference and of course, budget. Although tourism is currently trying hard to return to bussiness, traveling in summer is as expensive as the pre-covid situation. At least, for me.
For the same hotel, the price for one night in summer is three times than it is in the autumn. But, since there was one full week off schedule from the doctor, summer holiday was only one week to the end, so off we went.
The Map of Cotswolds
Our trip started from Cirencester-Bibury-Bourton on the Water-Stow on the wold and went back home from Moreton in Marsh.
I found a good offer to ride on the bus to Cirencester, which is considered as the capital of Cotswolds. One way ticket for three at £19 was too good to be missed. More, for some place that only took 2 hours from London Victoria coach station. Even better, a local bus from our flat took us directly to the bus station.
Just like last trip to Lake District, we went to many places but this time it was less uncomfortable because we didnt do car hire. We would rely on the bus and taxi. It was actually more expensive, but choice was limited.We stayed at two different hotels, one in Cirencester and another night in middle of Bourton on the Water and Stow on the Wold.
We arrived in Cirencester at noon and it was still another three hours for check in. So we waited and visited Abbey Ground Park in the city centre. There was a playground and a picnic table for us to enjoy our packed lunch. After an hour, pouring rain came and we had to keep going. Fortunately, it didnt take long and we also could do the check in before 3 pm.
It was nice to let go all those bags from the back. My age doesnt fit with backpack kind of travel anymore. Cotswolds was an exception.
We had short rest and prayed in our nice room then continued to explore the town after that. It was slightly bigger than Penrith. More tourists were seen but very far from crowded.
There was nothing much to see there. The church, the beautiful village houses and its lovely garden, and the little shops. We missed to see Cirencester Park, as it was closed at 5 pm. We arrived there five minutes before it was closed.
After that, we had dinner at a Thai restaurant and it was pretty good. The better thing, we chose a perfect time to travel. UK government made a campaign Eat Out to Help Out to help food and beverage bussiness. Dine in for 50% discount every Monday-Wednesday in almost every restautant across UK. So, we truly only paid for half than the usual price for our dinner that night.
We planned to revisit Cirencester Park in the morning, but the weather said no. It was heavy rain from early morning and our plan for that day could fail miserably. But, the show must go on, right? We took taxi to Bibury from the hotel. It took only 20 minutes riding. Bibury has one most photographed street called Arlington Row.
These houses belong to the real people. I couldnt imagine how much the tourists caused them disturbance all year long. Since it was raining that day, there were only one or two groups of tourist while we were there.
I felt less guilty since it was raining so we only spent no less than 15 minutes there. Funny that it had been sunny and burning hot for the last two weeks but it was rain hard right when we visited. We only stayed for an hour in Bibury since it was almost nothing to see other than the famous row. In the planning, we would take bus to Bourton on the Water but we missed it and had to take taxi again instead.
It wasn’t as near as expected and paid pretty expensive taxi fare was unavoidable. But, that day, the weather wasn’t on our side. It was even raining harder in Bourton on the Water. That became my concern since Bourton on the Water was the highlight of this trip.We stopped at one of the small restaurants to have some warm drinks and snacks while waiting the rain stopped.
After an hour, the rain seemed showing no good intention to let us wander without getting soaked. So, we had no other choice but to proceed to the next hotel by catching the next available bus. The next bus would be within 30 minutes since we finished eating.While we waited for the bus, we looked around the small shops near the bus stop.
I always found little shops in the small town charming. If we looked carefully, one or two usually have something unique that you couldn’t find anywhere else. It wasn’t comfortable window shopping with all the heavy bags on the back and shoulder, almost no picture taken since the other hand was busy holding the umbrella. I was quite dissapointed that we just missed Bourton on the Water like that. Because we might never comeback twice here.
The hotel was only 15 minutes bus riding from centre. It seemed near, but we couldn’t do it by walk because there was no space for pedestrian. We had to pass a big road that was impossible to walk there. We spent the rest of the day inside.
Maybe the rain understood the price of the hotel so it made us use it very well by staying there as long as we could.The idea of returning to London without paying proper visit to Bourton on the Water was too unbearable. So, changed plan was made.
We supposed to visit Stow on the Wold city centre in the morning before heading to Moreton in Marsh station for the train to London. We dropped it and decided to return to Bourton on the Water once again.
The weather was on our side too that day. It was sunny and warm.We became the first one who showed up at breakfast lounge and left the hotel right after breakfast by taxi. We arrived at 9.10 am and had asked the driver to pick us back around 12.10.
We had at least three hours in Bourton on the Water. Bourton on the Water is always on the top list in any Cotswolds article. It is considered as the Venice of Cotswolds. It’s a very beautiful village with the water view and little ice cream shops by the river. Lovely is such underrated word to describe it.
So grateful for such weather and a chance to enjoy Bourton on the Water in a sunny day, although with the price of skipping Stow on the Wolds.We couldn’t just get everything, right?
We came and left Bourton on the Water at the right time because when we arrived it was quiet and peaceful and when we left, more crowd and traffic seen around the city centre.
This might be one of the less comfortable trips we had so far. It had the feel of day trip with the weight of stay overnight trip. Traveled without luggage and took our backpacks only. We carried them everywhere just like backpacker. It was uncomfortable, especially when you’re no longer a teenager or in your 20s. But, it could be a good thing for the little girl.
We heard more of her nagging and whining on this trip. Moving places without car hire, bags on the back everywhere, long walks in cold and rainy weather, sunny and sweaty without scooter, and many more. It was even more uncomfortable since she is now having her own opinion, wants, preference, and knowing she has to adjust hers with others too. She has to compromise, wait and understand that sometimes, or many times, she just couldn’t get everything.
Facing many more uncomfortable situations on her own in the future are obviously unavoidable.Thus, no other way than to prepare her for the job. It’s ten times harder on the trainers.
Who is happy watching the child ‘suffer’, listening to the whining and nagging?
We’re not. But, we must.
I
It was short, a trip with a bit of unpleasant weather, yet I still found it was worth all the hassle and money.It was a good decision to go on the beginning of the week.
I learn that the elder needed equal rest days at home as the days spent on the road.
As UK travel ban lifted and hospitality bussines started reopening last week, also following the advice from RCOA for his staff to have a break (also, Frederick Square staff needed some break too), we carefully chose the destination.
Lake District has been on my bucket list since it was Naomi and Danny first virtual dating place in Summer in London (again, it’s from a book). They described Lake District as one of the most beautiful places in England. It has list of many AONB places, An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We picked Penrith as it is one of the towns to enter Lake District.
After five months, resuming traveling gives a whole different feeling. Couldn’t help feeling anxious, cautious, mostly because people here not really taking mask seriously. Luckily, mask is still compulsory in any public transportations. I am waiting for the time when not wearing mask can cause one a huge fine until vaccine is widely available.
But then, it also has one silver lining :
No more aisle seat and a chance to seat next to stranger for hours. Everyone should go by the window seat.
It was quite sad watching all the closed shops and the empty streets. Even a city as big as London, let alone the small cities. Some crowd seen in car park where people would go camping and trekking. It really took longer than expected for everything to recover. Hopefully, we would arrive there safe and sane, one day.
Personally, the tagline ‘The most wonderful time of the year’ always belongs to Ramadan. To be exact, Ramadan at home.
As much as I love slow daily life at home, in Ramadan, everything goes even slower.In my best memories, few days to Ramadan and Eid, the childhood house became clean and bright.
All new bed sheet, towel, curtain, smelled fresh and nice. It was truly like a warm welcome for a special guest.
Heading to the end of Ramadan, the house will be busy with homemade cookies production. For few days, based on the schedule, right after sahur, the kitchen would be filled with the sound of mixer, the messy flour, sugar and butter on the table, stacks of baking trays, and the loud chatting among the people. It felt as busy as a boulangerie dealing with big orders.
This year, with or without this pandemic, for the first time, having Ramadan in a place where there’s no familiar sound and ambience, the only thing that seems possible and doable is having some familiar taste.Unlike the doctor, cooking doesnt spark joy for me.
My cooking skill is only enough to survive. But, baking these cookies are another story. These cookies were one of the strongest memories, happiest moments (in Ramadan) with the people I love the most, in the place once called home. They are too important to let go.The old hand-written recipe had been saved before departure a year ago.
Research and searching for the most similar ingredients had been done thoroughly for weeks. Production timing and all other cooking schedule were set carefully.Plan B had been set just in case the first experiment failed.
Since everything that can be done had been done, the heart is more than half mentally prepared to fail.But as always, Allah is great. He’s too gracious to let me fail since I couldn’t have anything who gave better lebaran-feel-at-home than these precious cookies.
After the mess, the hassles, the doubt and anxiety (because all the energy spent), lots of consultations till the silliest detail to the expert, recalling the past memories while watching my mother did this for years, not to forget the production and post-production backpain doing the detailings mostly alone, with some help from the buddies at home, long hours of baking and multiple checking, then cleaning the chaos afterwards, in long hours
of fasting, it all paid off.
They were as close, as good as I remembered how it was at home.In my family tradition, these three are better be enjoyed altogether. Each could be eaten separately, but together, they make joyful taste in your mouth.
There’s always a right book for every situation. At the end of Ramadan, The Art of Making Memories from CEO of Happiness Research Institute was my companion. This Ramadan showed how retrieving one episode of happy memory in the past became something valuable to create another happy memory in the present, then become something valuable too in the future. It was those happy memories that helped me surviving bad times and keep going (far), no matter what tremendous changes life bring.
Chocolate chips, kaastengels, cashew nuts and the sound of takbir from Spotify.
Morning walk becomes a new routine since the invisible bug attack. It’s such an irony while the beautiful season is here, we should stay at home.
An hour of morning walk is much needed to stay sane and living in this introverted neigborhood is an underrated blessing. The serenity, the beautiful weather, it’s calming.
May everyone stay healthy and hope we can safely passed this storm together.
I
A Penny for My Pensieve 