There’s something special about the European Summer. Those sandy beaches and seafood pasta, pink sky and longer days are making it much harder for anyone to be anywhere else. I love Shanghai as much as the next person, but god, summer in the city is just a cross to bear. 100% humidity, rains almost every day, sometimes 48 hours non-stop. Like what?

So this summer I planned a two weeks getaway to England and spent a wonderful time with my nearest and dearest.

I know, I know, England for summer? Really? Why?

Honestly, I wasn’t sure in the beginning either. But I figured as long as I’m in Europe, I can just hop on a train or plane if England’s summer fails me. So with some extra scarf and jacket packed in my summer luggage, I took the flight to a little town called London.

Wow, was I surprised that the whole time when I was there, United Kingdom was sunny and hot like a proper summer every day! They even had their heatwave (29 degrees! LOL) ！Summer ’18 might just be Europe’s best summer yet.

First and foremost, we obviously took our first day in London as proper tourists and went to all the sites that you’ve probably seen a million times. But like “There are a thousand Hamlets in a thousand people’s eyes”, my experience is unique to myself. Walking on Piccadilly street like what I have read from “Mrs. Dalloway” is something personal and emotional, and when we walked down the Fleet street, I thought of Yeats and his “The Lake Isle of Innisfree ” immediately.

We went to the London Eye and my fear of height decided to kick in at that very moment. It’s not even that high but because it’s not very still as the cabin is shaking by the wind, I couldn’t move at all only to hold on to the bench. Money well spent.

If the London Eye made me almost cry, then the London Dungeon just made the 27-year-old me burst into tears!  Even though I know everyone is just acting and everything is fake, it’s just way too much for me to handle. I only signed up for it because I saw a 9-year-old boy was in the group too, and I figured it can’t be that scary, turned out, I can’t even beat a 9-year-old. Shame.

I couldn’t be happier when the tour in the dungeon was finally over, and I was able to breathe under the sun again. Walking around with ice cream in my hand, I felt grounded and safe. Tate Modern in front, St. Paul’s Cathedral in the back, Jasmine blooms on the sidewalk and the wall, red phone booth kept reminding me where I was.

The sundown came as late as 10 pm as we were crossing from the south bank of the Thames. The Knight bridge was on our right side. That was a beautiful summer sunset, the whole sky was rendered by the color of orange, like a  piece of work from Claude Monet, my favorite artist de le Impressionnisme.

Do you believe the charm of “love at first sight”? Do you believe it’s all written in the stars? The first time I came to visit, you abandoned your usual ” 15 degrees and gloomy “, and welcomed me with sunshine and flowers. It’s my first time landed on the island physically, but I felt I’ve known you from long ago already.

“与君初相识， 犹如故人归。”

( I can’t and don’t want this poem to be translated. If you know, you know.)

All photos my own shot in London, United Kingdom.