London neighbourhoods: Exploring Kensington and Chelsea

BY ONEIKA RAYMOND

Discovering the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

One of the best things about London is the diversity of the neighbourhoods within the city and the ease with which one can explore them by foot. One sunny day over Easter, eager to take advantage of the good weather, Liebling and I decided to hang out in the west end of the city.  We bid a temporary farewell to our flat in Brick Lane and took the tube to Gloucester Road station.

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This area comprises the London of film and folklore: quintessentially English and oh-so-chic.  There are manicured bushes, freshly clipped lawns, and front doors with brass handles, the former painstakingly painted in the brightest hues of the rainbow.  The street signs read “Chelsea” and “Kensington” in heavy manuscript font, alluding to the affluence of the neighbourhood if by some chance the stately homes didn’t give you a clue.

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This London is different from the London I call home.  My London, East London, is all sweat, hipster style, and grit. By contrast, this part of London — the south-west — is the London of Hugh Grant movies and glossy UK-edition magazines. Prim, pretty, and posh.

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This part of town is also home to Kensington Palace, the official London residence of a certain Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.  There were no Wills and Kate sightings (a pity!) but the fragrant blooms in Kensington Gardens more than made up for their absence.  After all, you know how much I love a good photo op, and the brightly-coloured flowers provided an excellent backdrop for some family snapshots.

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Does this part of London strike your fancy? 

SHARING IS CARING

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