London revisited

MANILA, Philippines - When Philippine Airlines (PAL) recently resumed its flights to London and the British ambassador announced the ease of applying for UK visas, I jumped at the opportunity to visit the city I haven’t seen in over 15 years.

Joining me on my sentimental journey to the city I visited on a monthly basis back in the ’90s were travel buddies Joey and Eileen de Leon, Mike and Baby Enriquez, Greg and Myrna Garcia and the ever honeymooning couple Freddie and Boots Lozano.

Our group arrived in London on different dates via different carriers save for me, my wife Mady, Mike and Baby Enriquez who arrived last on PAL PR720 nonstop on board an Airbus 340. We dozed off the 15-and-a-half-hour flight and landed refreshed at London Heathrow’s Terminal 4. The first thing that hit us upon exiting the airport was as a gust of icy wet wind that made us scamper to the waiting van for the 90-minute journey through the traffic-infested streets of London to our hotel in London’s Soho district.

Nestled between the maze of theaters, restaurants, casinos and gay bars was our home base Soho Hotel. The hotel facade was dull and unimpressive but the interior was the total opposite. With a cozy lobby featuring an imposing giant feline bronze sculpture by Fernando Botero Angulo, the hotel is homey and manned by a diversified service-oriented staff that spoke several languages, including English, Spanish, French and Tagalog. We were welcomed with warmth and checked in within a few minutes. More impressive were our rooms. All the rooms were individually and tastefully designed with all creature comforts a weary traveler would need. I’d like to add that their breakfast was superb and one of the best I’ve tried in my travels.

I got shocked when I saw how crowded London is today. Even the subway stations had queues snaking all the way up to the street level reminiscent of our MRT lines in EDSA. Restaurants were bursting at the seams and you always needed to reserve in advance for a seat. The hit Broadway shows were always sold-out even if we contacted the best ticket vendors. We missed out Here Lies Love, which we all wanted to see.

At Covent garden, we queued at Shake Shack for our dinner. I’ve heard so many rave reviews about the hamburger joint and thought what else could be different with their hamburger after tasting some of the best from In and Out Burger all the way to Daniel Bolloud’s foie gras-laden gourmet burger. After my first bite, I was convinced that this burger was something new. Impressed with the taste, I hurriedly wolfed down my double bacon cheeseburger. We all ordered for second servings. A Pinoy staff member intimated that one of their secrets is their beef which unlike most burger joints is never frozen.

For bonafide foodie like me, a London trip is never complete without visiting the various markets and food halls of London. I started with my perennial favorite — Harrods on Knightsbridge.

I could spend a whole day just checking and sampling their gourmet delights. They’ve got fruits from all over the world flown in daily. Seafood, meats, cakes, pastries, chocolates, teas, coffees, ready-to-eat delights, etc. — you name it, chances are they’ve got it and the most wonderful thing is you could sample the food they sell in any of several restaurants in the food hall.

I tried their gourmet dim sum with foie gras. It was criminal. The highlight of my foodie adventure happened at the Borough market close to the Shangri-La at the Shard. I’ve never seen so many people eating and mingling in a market that didn’t even have tables for dining. Fresh fruits and veggies, artisanal cheeses, roast meats on a grill, homemade pastries, Jamon Iberico, steaming hot paella, fresh black and white truffles and even Wangus (Wagyu cross-bred with Angus beef) burgers cooked to your liking. I queued for 20 minutes to get a taste of the Wangus burger but Shake Shack burger has my vote. The Paella was superb though and the cheeses were very delectable. I had to return to Borough market prior to my flight back for more food and fresh truffles.

I spent the last two nights at the new London landmark, the Shard. It was a building shaped like a shard and housed the luxurious London Shangri-La in its upper floors. Our room was on the 48th floor and had floor-to-ceiling glass windows that offered a panoramic view of most London landmarks like Big Ben, Parliament, Tower Bridge and the Thames River. I was able to afford the hefty room rate because my friend Mike Albana of EDSA Shangri-La got me a discount. The swimming pool, bar and gym were all on the 52nd floor offering a breathtaking view of London while doing laps. On our last night, the entire gang joined me for dinner at the “always fully-booked” Ting restaurant at the Shard where we spent the whole night marvelling at the fireworks.

On the way to the airport for our flight to Manila, my wife suggested that I leave her in London for a month so that she can see more of the city, shop at Oxford and Regent streets, watch Miss Saigon and visit the queen. Fat chance!

Thank you to Joey and Eileen for the sumptuous fish and chips dinner; Mike and Baby for our fun-laden flights to and from London; Greg and Myrna for Soho Hotel, Borough market and the yummy chocolate drink at SAID; Freddie and Boots for the unlimited (burp) Shake Shack delights; and Willie Revillame for the wonderful shopping.