July in Review: Special Visitors in London

With the summer tourist season in full swing, it is always a pleasure to host special visitors in London. 

We’ve had a busy few months with end-of-school activities, special visitors, and summer travels. Whilst it is a treat to have special visitors in London, it is also exhausting. It all started in late May when Kenz’ friend stopped through London before flying to Nice. 

Special Visitors in London

We were most excited to host special visitors — my Hong Kong-based older sister, BiL, and niece in London. Due to Covid, we had not seen each other in 5 years. Yes, 5 long years — the last time we were together was in July 2019 in Prague. My niece and daughter were then 7 years and 16 months old, respectively. Now they are 12 years and 6 years old. It is amazing how fast time flies! This year marks a milestone birthday for both my sister and BiL. To celebrate, they opt to mark the occasion with a trip to Europe. 

Touristy Weekend in London

With my special visitors’ early Friday morning arrival, the plan was to rest and have a light lunch at home. A very gleeful Lady Yeya was delighted to see her big cousin at school pick-up. She was eager to introduce all her little friends and show the family around Greenwich Park. To fend off jet lag, we walked from Cutty Sark to the Royal Observatory to get fresh air and enjoy the views of Canary Wharf. Then we had an early dinner at The Grind, a light airy spot on Nelson Road, serving up an all-day modern brasserie menu.

Saturday was a beautiful day. It was busy, starting with a long walking tour from Tower Bridge to Westminster Bridge, stopping at Borough Market for lunch. With the tourist season in full swing, Borough Market was heaving with people. We snagged a table at Portena, a great little Argentine steaks sandwich and empanadas eatery. Being cheeky, we got oysters next door as appetisers whilst waiting for our order. Needing to burn off the calories, we continued our walk to Westminster Bridge, enjoying the iconic London sights enroute such as the London Eye, Shakespeare Globe and Big Ben and Parliament. 

Later in the evening, we hosted a BBQ at home for 11 people including my BiL’s good friend and his family from boarding school. Kenz grilled up a “Mediterranean-inspired” menu of lamb kebabs and chicken for Greek-style gyros smothered in tzakziki; steak bavette with a chimichurri, and 1 kilo of smoked salmon. There was also a Greek orzo salad, olives, and a large charcuterie platter of cheese, ham, and crudites. It was a wonderful evening with great company, excellent food, and perfect London weather.

Sunday was more sightseeing with a visit to the British Museum. Turns out everyone else had the same idea. It was insanely busy so we cut the visit short after seeing the Egyptian mummies. We walked around Covent Garden, Chinatown, Piccadilly Circus, and Trafalgar Square before heading home to watch England-Slovenia in the Euro Cup R16. Yes, the one with the brilliant Bellingham bicycle-kick goal to equalise the game. 

Last Week of School

On Monday morning, my sister and family left for their Southern Spain tour with stops in Granada, Seville, Cordoba, and Madrid. We would meet them later in Lisbon for a few days. On their wish list was to see amazing architecture, enjoy good food, and soak up the European way of life.

Whilst they were busy seeing the historic sights in Spain, we were busy with Lady Yeya’s end-of-school year activities. Like last year, there was the Summer Concert, Junior School Sports Day, and Art Exhibition. In between, the McB family was visiting from San Francisco for their summer holiday, stopping in  Sardinia, Paris, London, and the Scottish Highlands. As they have three kids, we met up for a low-key dinner on Tuesday evening at BrewDog Waterloo. This place is amazing –  the adults can have a proper catch up whilst the kids enjoy the indoor slide. It was wonderful to catch up on life and hearing about their fantastic travels. 

Bonus Weekend in London

The universe made it so that my sister and family could spend a bonus weekend in London thanks to BA cancelling their flight. Miraculously, BA rebooked them on a direct flight from LHR-HKG on Cathay Pacific leaving Sunday evening. 

We all flew back to London on Friday evening although on different flights. They spent Saturday having lunch in Marylebone with old family friends whilst we were at a kid’s birthday party. We enjoyed Saturday evening together, dining alfresco and roasting marshmallows over the Solo Stove. 

For Sunday lunch, Kenz insisted on smoking a brisket for our special visitors before they headed to LHR. The 5.2kg brisket was laid to smoke at 10pm. By morning, everyone was ready for the ‘last supper’ ala American-style together. 

We are very grateful for an extra bonus weekend with family and good eats. Hopefully it won’t be another five years when we see each other. For now, I will treasure the beautiful family memories until we meet again.