L O N D O N

About a month and a half ago, my friend Tine and I booked tickets to London over Easter. That was a good decision, because while it snowed in Denmark we roamed around the streets of the English capital in the finest spring weather. We had coffee, watched "The Lion King" musical, laughed, walked, and enjoyed the city. A few visual proofs;

We were up at 3am to go to the airport so when we landed in London around 8am local time, we were already pretty tired. So after dropping off our luggage at the hotel, we headed to Albion for a well-deserved full English breakfast plate and coffee. So so so good.

Afterwards, we walked around the streets of Shoreditch. I love this photo of Tine next to a clearly experienced poser.

Arnold Circus was so beautiful!

I think this photo of us in the underground is my favourite of the whole trip. We have been friends since 8th grade in 2001, isn't that something?

On Sunday, we were a little more rested and walked from Barbican, where we were staying, to Columbia Road for the flower market. I had been a few years before where there'd been plenty of flea market stalls but they weren't there this time around. The street was bustling and beautiful just the same.

We walked down Brick Lane where Chris used to live when she lived in London, and it was great to be back. The street was full of people and we ducked into bookshops and did people-watching and smelled all the streetfood.

Oh just look at those streets and the chimneys!

Hello Brick Lane!

On Monday, we went up to London Eye to collect tickets I thought I'd booked but hadn't. We ended up not going, but we came by Westminster and Big Ben and that was alright. It was strange being there just weeks after the terrorist attack, and there were flowers scattered over the bridge.

We headed to Oxford Street and spent the next 5 hours at Primark, Topshop among many others. It was perfect.

Afterwards, we needed a break so we took the 94 bus towards Acton Green. We had heard it was a particularly beautiful ride. It was nice, especially sitting on the top floor with a great view of Notting Hill, Hyde Park and the thinning city. Tine's grandmother is Norwegian and she had provided us with two Kvikk Lunch - a Norwegian Kit Kat - which we enjoyed in the bus.

For dinner, we went to Skylon at the Royal Festival Hall. It was my birthday present for Tine who recently celebrated her 30th and we had drinks and a seriously good dinner by the biggest windows overlooking the Thames.

Tuesday was our last day and we started by going back to Liverpool Street Station to buy shoes we'd seen a few days earlier. I bought these Adidas NMD.

We enjoyed the sun in front of St. Paul's. It was 18 pounds (18!) to go inside so we just had a quick glance through the doors and took a break on the stairs instead.

Not pictured are all the drinks we had Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The burgers and fish'n'chips we enjoyed. The little Harry Potter excited kid at the hotel with Gryffindor outfit and a wand. The celebrity we spotted at Albion. "The Lion King" (so good, we couldn't speak to each other because we were so close to crying). The lunch with Adam. The Harry Potter insanity at King's Cross' platform 9 3/4. And all the laughs. Thanks for a great trip, London! Always a pleasure!

Spring

It's finally here! The light is exploding and it feels like I'm on a constant sugar high. I love spring and the fact that it's pure joy every single time. I also love May and June's more established version of spring with the long nights and the euphoria of summer's arrival. But there's more magic about those first spring days because they're the end of the long winter season. It's the same every year; you kind of forget that the weather can be anything else but grey, cold, dark and naked. And then, suddenly, the sun warms your face and illuminates everything and everyone goes crazy and stays outside all day and buy way too many plants and just can't get over the fact that nature puts on its show once again.

So, the plant buying thing. That's me. I used to be 'plant blind' as I called it; I wouldn't ever notice plants and I thought they were dull. But then last year I started buying flowers all the time and this year it's plants. They're everywhere in my apartment and I study them and look at them and worry about them getting enough water and light. I guess I truly am getting older... This one is my new favourite, it's so wonderful with its subtle shade of pink and the lines that look like they're hand-drawn.

The other day, I met up with Iben and Chris after work and we sat outside drinking coffee and hot chocolate. It was perfect.

 Earlier that day, Sølve called me at work and asked if I was doing anything. We had a quick lunch before I headed back to the office, but it was an hour well spent and I love that he wants to hang out with his big sister.

My living room is - despite the now embarrassing lack of posters on the wall - starting to really look like a home. It has felt like a home for many months but it doesn't look as empty any longer. Maybe it's all the plants.

The Ikea pop-up store on Østergade was not really a big hit for me - too much like the department store and not so well curated as I had hoped - but the flowers were beautiful.

Today I had impromptu lunch with Kathrine at Torvehallerne. We sat outside and the sun was beaming. I hope the weather is as wonderful wherever you are!

STRASBOURG II

After the visit to the parliament, the Danish instagrammers, the Polish and I walked through Strasbourg as the sun went down. It took maybe four times as long to get anywhere because we were all photographing like crazy, but it was good fun and we ended up having dinner by the river.

Here is Camilla of the blog and Instagram CopenhagenByMe.

We walked past this little old lady and her red scarf was just perfection.

It wasn't the best food, but it was a perfect way to end a day at parliament. Just evaluating with new friends and digesting all the impressions. Plus, I hadn't expected we would have so much fun together, all of us instagrammers. That was a nice bonus!

The next morning, we went out for breakfast instead of eating at the hotel. The others had an earlier flight home so we said goodbye and I went out to explore on my own before going to the airport. We had all wanted to go up on the roof of the cathedral the day before, but because people took so long photographing we came too late. So I went up on my own. And it was such a perfect view on a sunny spring day.

I will never - never! - grow tired of looking at towns from above. Especially when they are old and colourful like this one.

Look at this shop front!

That was it from Strasbourg. I can highly recommend a visit if you're in the area and in the mood for old narrow streets and beautiful buildings. Also, once again thank you for inviting me, European Parliament!
The trip was sponsored by the European Parliament. I haven't received any money, and everything I write and photograph is of my own responsibility.