Every year Shorty and I make it a point to have one long trip together. Last year was New York and this year was supposed to be London. I say supposed though because we nearly canceled it. Predicting that there was going to be a recession next year given all the global economic problems, we wanted to save money and not go this year.
Then one day Pierre came to me and told me that his family company Mamee Double Decker (the company behind brands like Mister Potato, Nutrigen, Mamee Monster, Mamee noodles etc etc) is sponsoring Manchester United. So he asked me and Ming along with him to the UK for the signing ceremony where we can meet Sir Alex Ferguson and some other Man Utd players.
Now I’m not a huge football fan but still, this was a lifetime opportunity that I just couldn’t give up. So I decided to go in the end.
After a long 13 hour flight, Shorty and I found ourselves in London!
Yesterday was our first full day in London.We started off the morning paying a visit to Old Spitafield Market.
It’s like one of the many markets in London where they sell everything from vintage clothes to accessories to even antique typewriters like this one that Ming bought which was made in 1932. Can you believe that? Made before World War 2 and YET in full working condition!
Don’t ask me why Ming bought it… Ming just likes buying things like that.
Somewhere just off the market we found this little shop that sold Lomo cameras too.
Again… Ming couldn’t help himself but buy a few while the rest of us stood outside to take a picture.
Yes if you notice from the picture, Nuffies Elaine, Melissa and Rachel decided to come along on our break to the UK.
Shorty wasn’t all innocent when it came to shopping though. Before we came for our trip she kept telling me that she probably won’t buy much from London. That everything is expensive and not her kind of things anyway. When she came though, the shopping monster was unleashed. Within 10 minutes of entering the market she bought a scarf that cost some GBP 7.00.
Then in an hour she bought this new leather jacket that cost RM150.
She thought about it for a long time… feeling guilty about spending so much money but we decided that RM150 is what a nice shirt at Zara or Topman would cost. So it’s a steal for a leather jacket. Plus I love that the leather jacket comes with a hoodie. Not many of those these days.
My favourite part of the market or any market like that in London is… the food section.
Old Spitafield Market has this Asian skewed food section where they sold curry rice, sushi and stuff like that.
I went for some meatball with curry couscous because I absolutely love couscous.
We tarpaued some food from these stalls.
Then sat outside the market to eat in the beautiful weather.
After we were done with lunch and the market we headed to Harrods in Knightsbridge.
Harrods is the most luxurious departmental store in all of England. Everything there down to the mineral water that they sell there is expensive or at least more expensive to what you can get it outside. The rich still shop there though because if you’re up to spending lots of money there they’ll assign you a personal shopper and give you every kind of great customer service you want. There’s even a bank inside there to draw more money if you ever need it. Yes I mean bank… not ATM… but actual bank branch.. and not any regular bank but a Harrods Bank!
Inside Harrods I took Shorty to the memorial for Princess Diana and her boyfriend who died with her in the car accident years ago Dodi Al-Fayed.
Dodi’s Dad used to own Harrods until recently when they sold it to another Middle-Eastern family.
After Harrods we took a walk down Knightsbridge. Shorty then spotted the famous London phone booth and insisted we take a picture.
Now here’s one thing you may or may not know about London phone booths. On the outside they look all really nice and cute. On the inside though, it’s full of these.
Calling cards for prostitutes all over London. They stick out so much that even Shorty had a hard time concentrating on her call when she was in the phone booth.
Before the day ended, Shorty found yet another London icon that she liked. While we were walking down Regent Street late last night
she came across….The Royal Mail postbox… which looks like the Royal GIANT Mail Box compared to her.
I remember mailing my letters in this little postbox during my student days in London.
So that’s my first day at London. Today we start our second day. Gotta run guys! 🙂
Timothy Tiah – Co-Founder of Colony, Kuala Lumpur Co-Working Space