A marriage made in heaven, executed in London

Isn't it ironic that men made illusions like nations and religions often dominate and decimate the reality of love, probably the only thing that God ever created. So it is such a pleasant change that two of my close friends, Vishal and Natasha, a Hindu boy from India and a Muslim girl from Pakistan , are getting married, in London. The families have risen above the narrow boundaries of religion and nationalism to bless the union and the fantastically festive and cordial environment at the ceremonies bellies the complexities and drama that went behind the scenes to make it a reality. I am truly happy to be here to witness and be a part of this very special moment. 

The other two positive surprises, though admittedly on a vastly smaller scale, are the realizations that most of the public museums in London are free (God bless the Queen!) and that it doesn't always dreadfully drizzle in London at this time (the weather has been holding up). I am staying in central London walking distance from most of the attractions, thanks to two lovely ladies,  Catherine, who owns the place, and Sabiha, who invited me to couch-surf with them, and making good use of the fact by visiting as many museums as I can and meeting my old friends in London.

London is undergoing massive upgrades because of the upcoming Olympics in the summer and I am sure some of it is causing traffic nightmares and  inconveniences to the people living here, but hopefully they well be rewarded in due course with a successful extravaganza and vastly improved infrastructure once the games are over. I am impressed by the cycle renting scheme where they have created these cycle renting stations peppered over the city and you can borrow from and return to any station convenient to you.

I have thoroughly enjoyed some magnificent art exhibitions by the masters, both classical and contemporary and the Victorian and Georgian architecture littered over the city. London is a classical mosaic of many different cultures and you can see by just walking a few blocks in central London and taking a few metro rides. I hope I will return to the hustle and bustle of this wonderfully alive and thriving city again, and next time for more than a weekend.

Location : Groenendaalstraat 11II, 1058 Amsterdam Oud-Zuid,