Travel the world in London!
Everyone dreams of travelling the world, of seeing new things, interacting with new cultures and meeting new people. Yet, for most of us this remains just a dream – we don’t have the time, money or freedom to be swanning off around the world non stop.
However, for ex travel blogger Ed Hewitt, there might just be a substitute which can be just as enriching. Ed has just launched an innovative new project called ‘World in London’ which is all about travelling the world without leaving London. It’s based on the concept that with over 270 nationalities in the capital, you don’t necessarily have to travel 1000s of miles to experience new cultures. You just have to know where to look. There’s so many opportunities for amazing international experiences in London, but here are Ed’s personal favourite 5:
#1 Visiting Neasden Temple
Ed H used to live in India and the temple in the unlikely surroundings of North London industrial estates rivals any of them. It’s an absolutely stunning piece of architecture (all hand carved from Italian marble) and is very welcoming of all nationalities to learn about Hinduism.
Where: 105-119 Brentfield Road, NW10 8LD
The beautiful Neasden Temple Pic taken by londonmandir.baps.org
#2 Soaking up the atmosphere at Pueblito Paisa
The Seven Sisters market is an absolute gem for all things Latin American. It’s the type of place you’d normally pass on the bus without realising, but once you open the doors its like you’ve stepped straight into Bogata. Latin beats blare, huge delicious empanadas and steaks get served, girls chat in the nail salons, guys sit round watching the football and Spanish is very much the lingua franca.
Where: Seven Sisters Market, 231 High Road, N15 5BT
#3 Ridley Road | Dalston, London E8
If its an authentic slice of real multicultural London you want then Ridley Road in Dalston is the place to head. An incredibly vibrant, raw mix of Ghanaian, Turkish, Bangladeshi, Nigerian and Colombian stores serving up anything from goats head to some of the most beautiful, colourful clothes in London.
Where: Dalston, London E8
Ridley Road Market – Pic by Fin Fahey
#4 Russian Banya
Did you know it was possible to get an authentic Russian ‘Banya’ experience in London. It involves getting covered in a leafy bundle of birch and then pummelled. It’s quite something!
Where: In various places across London
Russian Banya – Pic by: bania.vpweb.co.uk
#5 Watching the World Cup with fans from every nation
This summer Ed took small groups of Londoners to go and watch the World Cup games at the central meeting points of fans from every nation. It meant partying with Colombians down in Elephant & Castle, drumming with Algerians on Finchley Road and celebrating with Germans at Zeitgeist. The atmosphere in London during the time was absolutely incredible and really showed London at its multicultural best. Seriously recommend for next time there is a World Cup or major international sporting event.
Where: In various places across London
World in London illustration
There are so many more which could be listed. However, there’s not really one place which brings together the best experiences from each nationality/ culture in London and makes it accessible. And that’s what Ed is trying to do with his new ‘passport’ app called ‘World in London’. It’ll find the top 10 experiences from each of the major nationalities in the city and even send you on little ‘journeys’ around the city (such as ‘Around the World in 80 days’). As you try a different experience from each ‘country’ you get a passport stamp to mark your visit.
- World in London passport app
—
You may also want to check out how to travel cheaply across the UK.
