Getting a taste of home

Searching high and low for a person that feels like home is hard. Surrounding yourself with people that make you feel loved, but never fully at home. I write a lot about my family and about how much I miss family and certain aspects of my home. I've never stayed in one place and home was never a place, but people. So when things started to crumble I knew that family was something I could deeply depend on. 

I could feel the sweat on my palms as I got off the North terminal tram to the South. With my big backpack on my back, I jerked from left to right looking for -- home. Turning left and right I was caught in the arms of my father. He smiled with his freshly trimmed beard and his glasses rose up a bit from all the smiling he was doing. I felt the warmness of his hug and I felt the love that I didn't know I needed. It's hard being a young adult and having to admit sometimes that you really just need your dad. 

In that moment of tenderness, I knew that the problems I dwelled on were almost non-existent. 

My dad could not stop smiling and neither could I. On the tube back to the city we hopped in a cab and made our way back to the hotel. The hotel was so tiny but had led lights so you could change the colors of the room. So that made up for it lol. We went to bed and falling asleep was the easiest thing because I knew when I woke up I would be able to explore the city with my dad. 

With an itinerary full of food and landmarks I and my father made our way to town. Though we had a little late start since we both like to sleep in late whoops sorry mom. 

We walked the streets of London the air was full of pollen and the streets were filled with double-decker buses and taxi cabs. Stopping for brunch at this cute cafe where flowers bloomed from left and right matching the color of my dad's shirt. We continued our journey to Harrods, then Buckingham Palace. I watched as my dad practically jumped up and down when the guards started to walk up and down the sidewalks in front of the palace. 

The parks we walked through were beautiful and full of so much color. You couldn't help but watch kids running in circles chasing butterflies and little dogs. As couples held hands through the pollen-filled air.

We made it to Big Ben and I was instantly flabbergasted by this building. You see this building in Peter Pan and think of all the magic that was surrounded by it as a child and seeing it in person keeps that magic alive. After many pictures of and with the Big Ben next was the London Eye. Across the bridge and over the water the London Eye stood crowded with people and smiles of children running up and down excited for the next ride. 

Borough Market was the next and final stop on our tourist hit list for the day. We passed fresh produce and tasty pastries as well as restaurants that called my fathers name. 

That night we headed to my dad's first pub he was excited to grab a beer with this "legal" daughter in the UK. He got a beer and I got my favorite cider. 

-- Before I go any further with my time spent in this lovely city I have to talk about this cider. I am not a regular drinker BUT this cider is like God's gift. It is called Old Mount Cider and I first had it in Dublin and instantly fell in love with it. It is so so so so good and is only sold in the UK I believe I have not been able to find it in the US and I am very sad. So if you make your way abroad pls try it! Okay, rant over. --

After our delicious refreshments, we went to an Indian restaurant and had amazing curry and naan. 

The next day we started early and took a taxi to the train station so my dad could get a covid test. We drove through beautiful streets filled with brick buildings. 

After that little adventure, I told my dad we needed to go to the National Gallery. We walked the sidestreets of London and I was determined to get us there and to also get at least a coffee. 

We made it to the Gallery but the coffee would have to wait. We viewed all kinds of different art and my dad fancied this huge painting of a horse and took so many pictures of it when I was fangirling over the Vincent Van Gogh and Monet paintings. My eyes were in awe of the painting I learned about in art class, recreated, and then I found myself standing in London taking pictures of the vase of yellow Sunflowers. 

After our time well spent in the National Gallery, my dad insisted on going to Soho. So we walked the 13 min trip and found a pub to eat and drink at. I got carded and my dad didn't hahaha dad. Instead of cider I tried a fruit beer and really enjoyed it. I am convinced that the UK area just had good alcohol. 

Soho was probably one of my favorite areas people were playing music in the streets and stores were filled with vintage clothing and people were just being themselves. Record shops were on most corners and I was in heaven. We went into a shop called Reckless Records which was one of the oldest record shops in Soho. We got my sister a shirt and one for myself. They had Amy Winehouse, The Cure and so much more. At the end of our Soho visit, I found a Starbucks and got a coffee. I didn't even care that it was Starbucks because I needed a coffee and was not about to get a cappuccino in the UK

because they are not that good lol. 

Later that night we had amazing Thai food and walked the streets of London late at night. We ran into a pub and walked in. I had another cider and my dad a new beer. We watched people talk and sing karaoke just upstairs. We enjoyed our last night in London and avoided the feeling of having to part ways once again. 

I knew that once I fell asleep that would be the end of our trip and he would leave and I would go back to Italy. I had trouble falling asleep knowing that. He got up early in the morning and shook my sleeping body. 

"Bye Sav give me a hug, I'll see you when you come home. I love you."

Half conscious I gave him a hug and watched him walk out the door. I went back to bed and cried myself to sleep because I was sad but also happy that I got to see my dad. 

I still think about the trip with my dad and hold on to his cologne for the sake of.....home.