STOP THE TORTURE NOW: China Dog Meat Festival

Wednesday, 22nd of June 2016

Today I feel the need to write about an important subject, one that hits close to my heart: the China Dog Meat Festival.

As I am writing this article, I can not but help the tears running through my cheeks or the redness of my eyes. Being a person that tries the impossible not to cry in public, the nature of this subject is one of the few that make me do so. I do not need to be watching a video or listening to someone talking about this topic, thinking that this particular practice happens every year is enough to bring me to tears and make my heart sink.

This festival happens every year in Yulin, China, being also known as Yulin Dog Meat Festival, where 10,000 to 15,000 dogs are estimated to be consumed. It is held during the Summer because, according to the Chinese traditional culture, dog meat helps the human body cop with the heat.

I am not here to judge the practice of eating dog meat, despite the fact that I do not agree with it and would never try it myself, but to raise awareness to the violence and torture methods used to maintain this act.

It is believed that using methods of torture and abuse helps the animal meat taste better and raises the health benefits of its consumption. Live burnings, skinning dogs alive, stabbing, beatings, hangings, boiling them alive and cutting their paws while they still breathe are a few of this brutal procedures selected to prepare the meat.

This is not a cultural difference problem, it is about being human and having a heart, understanding that these creatures don't have a voice and can't fight back. It is not natural, it is abuse.

I have grown in a family of dog lovers, so I soon became one as well. 

When I was born, I was lucky enough to already have a "big brother", sure he had four paws, he was very hairy and instead of talking, he barked, but he was family. 

My parents had acquired a Epganeul Breton, also known as a Brittany Spaniel, just a year before my birth and called him Fisco, since my father worked in the financial area at the time.

He soon became my guardian, my partner, my best friend. I loved him with all my heart and I know he loved me the same way back, despite of my efforts to annoy him by pulling his ears, putting my fingers in his mouth or covering him with red lipstick. He had the calmest nature, definetely being a peaceful soul and a fervorous loyalty to his family.

The day he needed to be put down was and it still is one of the most painful memories I have. He was sick for quite a while and during his last months he had lost the ability to move well and spent most of his time laying down. I knew we had to do it, he was in pain, but I still tried to avoid thinking about it. He had his own sofa, where he used to lay down in the living room, and I remember that, when there was nobody home, I used to sing to him, hoping that would help him fall asleep or maybe even take away the pain.

He died at 16 years old, while I was 15 and I will forever regret not holding him a little bit more before seeing him go.

The next year, our house had never been so silent, there was something missing, no one was the same. We still had a few items, like shampoo, the colar and some toys that would reminds us of him but it was too painful, at some point the sofa disappeared, there was this huge gap in our hearts.

Only after that horrible year we had good news, we were getting a new puppy. This time the lucky winner was a Jack Russell Terrier, who was soon named Xico.

It was strange, the experience was completely different from the first, I did not have an older brother anymore, now we had a baby in the mix, one that could spend the day sleeping for hours or running around stealing toys and socks.

His personality is different, he begs for attention and can't sleep without his family, he is more needy, just like a baby would be. He is also spoiled, no place is off limits, the sofa, the bed, the table, he is the king and everybody is there to serve his needs and cuddle him until he falls asleep in our arms.

Being extra small also makes him a target for dressing up, which I always found ridiculous, but now I see myself doing it even more than the rest of my family (Halloween equals a pumpkin outfit, while during Christmas he is our Santa).

I love him and having been separated from him twice, once when I moved to Germany and now while I remain in London, I can honestly say it is incredibly difficult. When I skype with my parents is mandatory for me to see him and call him, not only to remind him of my voice but to make sure that he remembers I am coming back to him.

This is why is so difficult for me to accept this torture and abusive practices, because I know how dogs are, I have lived with them all my life and each one has its own personality, its own likings, fears and predilects. They are innocent souls who just want to be loved, they do not deserve to be skinned and boiled alive, they at least deserve a more humane way to die.

My heart goes to Marc Ching, an American activist, who keeps putting his life in danger by travelling to countries where these methods are allowed to rescue dogs from this fate. The Animal Hope & Wellness Foundation, his project, is a wonderful organization that helps rehome dogs and they deserve our support.

REMEMBER: This is about being HUMAN, so please help ending this cycle of cruelty.

From a girl standing for those who can't speak,

Mariana Fidalgo

Neal's Yard

Monday, 13th of May 2016

A few days ago, despite of the rain that seems to still be waiving around London, I decided to that the perfect way to spend a day like that would be to visit several museums, such as the Grant Museum of Zoology and the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology.

However, after two hours and without any rush to go back home, I started to explore the streets next to this places and found one of the most colourful corners of the city, Neal's Yard.

Located in Convent Garden, Neal's Yard is a small alley in that area named after Thomas Neale, a 17th century developer. 

It is a perfect place to take a photo and admire the many different colours that paint the seeing, but more than that it is every hipster's dream.

Containing several health food cafes and restaurants, being known not only for their products but also for their unusual decoration, is where people trying to run away from the mainstream culture go to hang out.

One of the most famous stores is Neal's Yard Remedies, a British retailer of organic natural health and beauty products. So, many people after a cup of tea or a glass of white wine in many of the cafés present in this area, go there to supply their cabbinets with this organic products.

I just went there to admire the architecture, but ended up noticing the growing fashion of organic and natural products in London.

From a girl admiring hipster's shopping,

Mariana Fidalgo

Grant Museum of Zoology

Sunday, 12th of May 2016

My first time in London was when I was sixteen years old and, as any newcomer to this city, my family and I visited all the major monuments and clichés associated with London, as one should.

Now, being not only visiting the city but actually staying here for a long period of time, I made it my mission to uncover another side to this huge metropolitan area, to discover its oddities and quirky side, things most tourists have no idea about.

Through several hours of research, I was able to come across the Grant Museum of Zoology.

This small, but quite wonderful and strange place is part of University College London, here in England and is now the only remaining university zoological museum in the city, housing around 68,000 specimens that cover the whole Animal Kingdom.

When you enter, you will be able to see that this room is full of preserved specimens, many of which are now considered endangered or extinct, such as the Tasmanian Tiger, the Quagga or the Dodo. It is also packed with skeletons and mounted animals.

It is open from Monday to Saturday, including bank holidays and it turns out is an amazing place for people who are interested in learning.

I loved my experience there, not only because I do love odd things, but also because I was able to get a lot of information from the exhibition.

From a girl getting new knowledge,

Mariana Fidalgo

Jimmy Carr: the comedy legend

Saturday, 11th of June 216

It finally happened, I saw Jimmy Carr, my all time favourite comedian, perform live on Wednesday night at Richmond Theatre.

It has been one of my biggest dreams to actually see this wonderfully funny man do what he does best, telling jokes to an audience. So, when I was able to get the last ticket available for the show, I didn't even think twice and just booked it. A few weeks later, the ticket came in the post and it started to seem more like a reality and not just a fantasy. 

I researched the theatre, since it is located quite far away from central London, to make sure I had my journey all planned out and that my chances of getting lost would decrease. To my amazement, when I got to the Richmond theatre's website, I found a PDF flyer with all the information necessary. It is more than just a panflet that states the location or the time a person should arrive to see the show, it is a helping mechanism for anxious people. This had directions to the theatre, pictures of the entrance and corridors, it showed what someone needs to do to find their seat, where the bathrooms are located or even what happens before and after the show ends. I had never seen such thing, but I found it fantastic how they took the time to actually provide this and it did help me out because when I got there, I already knew everything I needed, making it a stress free situation.

After taking three buses on a rainy day, I finally got to Richmond. Richmond is a suburban town in west London, so it is quite far away, taking me more than an hour to get there.

It is a very quiet place, mostly surrounded by couples, gardens and very few traffic so giving a feeling of being completely safe.

I arrived nearly around 18h30, I decided to go to Costa café to grab something to drink and eat, which I did in a small park in front of the theatre while waiting for the doors to open.

At 19h30, everyone started to get in and find their places and I couldn't believe how close I was to the stage! Sitting in the third row, I not only had direct vision to my comedy idol, I felt really close to him. Of course, I had my little fangirl moment, no I didn't scream but my heart was beating loud.

From beginning to end, I and the other people sat down on a sold out place couldn't stop laughing, and since this was the greatest hits tour, all his best jokes collected over the years were presented, making it a must see show for his fans.

Jimmy is not your ordinary comedian, he takes comedy to a all new level and it is not for everyone. He is known for his dark humour and edgy one-liners, not forgetting his signature laugh that makes it harder to stop smiling and his love for hecklers in the middle of his show.

Here is an example:

From a girl fangirling hard,

Mariana Fidalgo

An ode to tesco men

Thursday, 9th of June 2016

I have been using Tesco delivery services for about 2 months now and I couldn't be happier with their performance.

Their punctuality is impecable, last time I order my grocceries to be delivered between 9am and 10am, they were at my house as early as 9h05.

Surely their services come with a price, which depends on the day and hour you choose to have your shopping bags delivered, but I can't stress enough how much it really helps.

Since it is impossible for me to do my shopping in an actual supermarket, since I would need to hire a person to help me out with the bags or to actually spend my entire week going back and forward to the nearest one, ordering what I need online has been essencial.

The truck stops right outside my door and after they ring the bell, I just need to let them in into my building and they will go up and down the stairs, since I live on the second floor, to bring some plastic boxes, which are carrying whatever products I bought.

This men are gentlemen, to be completely honest, they are the nicest people I have encountered in London.

They help out unpacking my bags and are always ready for a chat. 

Most of them are emigrants, they understand the struggle of being a newcomer in a big city and, like me, most of them come from countries known for their weather, sunshine and beaches.

It is refreshing to have a little chat with someone that not only understands your experience, but that genuinley hears what you are saying whithout trying to flirt with you, it is just a relief.

So, a big thanks to all men who work hard at tesco, they are certaintly worthy of the biggest respect.

From a girl discovering the good in people,

Mariana Fidalgo

Computer problems

Wednesday, 8th of June 2016

First of all, I have to apologize to everyone who follows my blog since I haven't posted anything for twelve days and that is definetely way too long!

The truth is that I have been having huge computer problems since my batery fried and now the keyboard of my laptop stopped working, not enabling me to write down what I wish.

Basically, I now own a piece of technology with half of its abilities and making it only useful to watch videos, series or to save photos.

Luckly and since I also experienced similar problems with my laptop on my year in Germany (yes, this seems to only happen whenever I leave my country for more than a month), this time I came prepared and now I am back in business using an ipad to continue with the blog.

If you think about it, there is nothing more frustrating to an emigrant than computer or technology related issues, since it is the only thing that makes us feel connected with the world and people we left behind.

When a laptop stops working, panic strikes.

In 2014, just a week after my arrival in Bamberg, my laptop stopped working completely, there was no internet and no possibility for me to get in contact with my family and friends. I had to spend six months using my friend's wifi, which was in her apartment,through my phone, making it only possible for me to use if I was sitting next to my door in the kitchen. It is not unfair to say that it was the most uncomfortable thing in that all time.

Now, 2016, I find myself in a close situation but this time there is no friend to help me out, which doesn't make it any easier but I get by.

So don't worry, let the June writing commence!

From a girl struggling with computers,

Mariana Fidalgo

The Serpentine

Friday, 27th of May 2016

In Hyde Park there is a recreational lake called The Serpentine, also known as the Serpentine River.

It was created in 1730 for Queen Caroline and the bridge makes the division between Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.

Its name was choosen due to its snakelike appearance, since it was built in a curving way.

To get in there you have to pass through a tunnel and then you will be able to enjoy the view by sitting on the grass or walking through the bridge. It is a really nice place to hang out and there are always a lot of people surrounding it during sunny days.

In June, the lake opens for swimming but before there is a lot of activities taking place, such as: hiring rowing boats, the Peter Pan Cup and the Solarshuttle, which are solar powered boats.

The lake counts with many swans and geese that are always being fed by the children and you can usually find dogs running towards the water to refresh themselves after long runs, which is forbidden, but happens anyway. Of course, this brings a problem for the birds, which are vicious animals when threaten and one time they almost attacked a dog, if he had stayed 2 more minutes, it would have been wounded.

So just be careful with your dog in that area and you will be fine!

From a girl sunbathing,

Mariana Fidalgo

Italian Gardens

Thursday, 26th of May 2016

One of the most wonderful places to visit in London is the Italian Gardens, a 150-year-old ornamental water garden located on the north side of Kensington Gardens near Lancaster Gate.

It has a marble structure and a rose garden surrounding a beautiful water fountain, containing also a couple of ornament statues and urns, which are divided by five themes: the Swan's breast, the woman's head, the ram's head, the dolphin and the oval.

It has somehow a romantic feel to it since it is believed to have been a gift from Prince Albert to his wife Queen Victoria, who he much loved.

In this side of the park, you will not see anyone jogging, ridding their bike or walking their dog, this is mainly used for relaxing and enjoying the view quietly.

The roses planted in the garden bloom during the Spring, bringing a fantastic and colourful Italian feel to the view.

I have been here in both sunny and rainy days and I can admit that the view is beautiful either way, independently of the temperature outside.

It is definetely a place to stop by when you come here.

From a girl discovering many parks,

Mariana Fidalgo

Diana Memorial Fountain & The sculpture of Isis

Wednesday, 25th of May 2016

It is obvious how much the English love the late Princess Diana of Wales. From postcards and other tourist memorabilia to the various memorials placed across the country, she maintains a reputation of one of the most beloved royals in the UK.

In July 2004, the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, was officialy opened by Queen Elizabeth II, who was joined by Prince William and Prince Harry.

The fountain is located in the southwest corner of Hyde Park, just south of the Serpentine lake and east of the Serpentine Gallery and it tries to reflect the life of Diana, her spirit and the love she had for children.

It has a large oval shape and it is surrounded by beautiful green grass and colourful flowers, where you can see lots of couple enjoying their time together while their children bathe in the fountain.

But the most interesting fact about it is that the design itself has the goal of demostrating the life of the princess. The water flows from the highest point into two different directions, starting with the streaming of the water in a gentle manner, where it descents to a rough cascade, bubbling and making various shapes, before flowing down to the bottom pool where it all gets calmer. This aims to show both the happiness and turmoil of her life.

The all area near the memorial is actually inspired by nature and children. Just outside the small metal gates that surround the fountain, it is very visible the bronze sculpture of Isis, which was inspired by the Egyptian goddess of nature, installed back in 2009.

This was a big step for education, something that Diana cared about, since it was donated to raise money, over 2 million pounds, towards the Royal Park Foundation Education Centre.

It is a great place to go, especially when it is sunny outside and the temperatures are rising, since you will be able not only to appreciate the art that is displayed all around this area but you can also bring a book and rest while sitting on the grass and getting refreshed by the water splashes.

From a girl enjoying the culture,

Mariana Fidalgo

Speakers' Corner

Tuesday, 24th of May 2016

A few weeks ago, when London was stealing all Lisbon's sun and warmth, I went for a long walk crossing the entire Hyde Park, which is over 2.50 kilometres or 625 acres. I wanted to go and see the tradition of open-air public speaking at the park, where it all started. 

The area where the debates take place is called Speakers' Corner and the most famous one is located on the north-east edge of Hyde Park, nearest Marble Arch and Oxford Street.

The discussions are not scheduled, meaning that anyone who wishes to speak can turn up freely, step on the small podium and make a speech of any subject they wish, as long as it is within the law. There are times when the police is present to ensure control and avoid riots or conflicts, although their practice is mainly tolerant.

Since everyone has the right to free speech, it is expected tolerance from the members of the audience that gathers around, making it a unwritten rule than no one should be excluded for their personal views or beliefs. It is, however, possible to contest what it is being said and when a person feels offended they may make a complaint to the authorities.

Most events take place on Sunday, after 13h30, but if you go around 17h you will mainly catch people making a speech in arab.

It is very interesting to see how this tradition has survived so many years, it is indeed a part of England's history. And definetely exciting to be in the same place where figures as George Orwell and Karl Marx have spoken before.

From a girl glad for free speech,

Mariana Fidalgo

Bubbleology

Monday, 23rd of May 2016

London Spring is completely unpredictable, you can look at the sky and at the same time you will be able to see both the sun and clouds appearing with heavy rain. Most days I just wear a t-shirt and bring an umbrella with me, is quite odd.

Today was one of those days, so before the rain started to pour in, I decided to go for a walk in Pembridge Road, in the Notting Hill area where all the quirky shops and cafés are in.

I decided to enter this place called Bubbleology. Here is where this new Taiwanese phenomenon comes to place, the bubble tea, which combines a variety of refreshing milk or fruit teas, served mainly cold with tapioca balls (sometimes called pearls).

The "base" is made of green, black or white tea and then if you choose the fruit option, your drink will be infused with natural fruit flavourings, while the milk ones gets to be more similar to the structure of a normal milkshake. They have various flavours, such as: almond, jasmine, cocoa, vanilla, strawberry, mango, oreo and many more.

My choice was the apple fruit tea and it turned out to be a great one! 

Although is quite difficult to explain how it tastes like, since I had never had anything like it, I can just say it is a nice experience.

The space is also different than any ordinary café, it has a scientific theme. The employees wear lab coats and the all making of the tea process is done in front of you with typical laboratorial tools.

The regular size is about 500ml and is more than enough, it took me a couple of hours to finish my beverage, but is a good and refreshing option for a Spring London day.

From a girl enjoying her bubble tea,

Mariana Fidalgo

Waterstones

Sunday, 22nd of May 2016

When you spend more than a month without internet or any connection with social media and the outside world, you end up shifting your attention elsewhere. My refuge became reading books, actually, to be honest, a lot of them, more than 25 in just a couple of weeks. 

I came here with only four books in my bag, thinking I would be so busy that I wouldn't even have time to read them all, but I was completely wrong.

When I first came here, I indeed had a lot of things to do, like go to the bank to set up my account, call the television company saying I wouldn't be requiring their services, dealing with the phone company, the internet installation or even decorating the apartment, but most of those things took their time and so I came to have a lot of free time while waiting.

I decided to catch up on my reading, since the previous year I hadn't done so well in that department. Reading is one of the things I like the most, if you see my shelf, you will understand that I do tend to buy a lot of books but then most of them also tend to stay where I put them, since time is not always on my side.

But now it was different, I had time, too much time. I quickly finished reading "Lolita", "The Phantom of the Opera", "The Museum of Innocence" and "The Double" and then I found myself bored.

I started to research bookshops around my area and I found Waterstones.

This is a dream place for every book lover and it is almost impossible to go in there and not come out with a purchased book or two.

It became a place where I could just relax, browse through the many and different section shelfs, read some english books and not be bothered for a while, just the perfect place to be after some stressing weeks.

My presence there became frequent and I do now own a client's card that gives me discounts on future purchases.

My book collection grew more than I had expected and now the only thing that worries me is thinking about how I will manage to bring my new books back to Lisbon.

From a girl thankful for this place,

Mariana Fidalgo

London Burlesque Festival: The Drag Strip

Saturday, 21st of May 2016

A few weeks ago, while I was browsing through some websites to get ideas on what to do the next few days, I found out that London was hosting an international burlesque festival.

Immediately, I was intrigued. I have always liked the dancing art of burlesque and having been a long time fan of Dita Von Teese, one of the most famous personalities in that area, I just wanted to get the opportunity to see a live show and to understand, with my own eyes, what it really means being a burlesque performer (and since she lives in the United States and it will be rather difficult to see her any time soon).

Lucky me, it turned out to be the 10th annual extravaganza and so the stakes were higher than ever before. Producer Chaz and Betty Royal, two of the biggest names of the scene, prepared a all month event, with a variety of themes, such as: the Hollywood or Tattoo Revue, the Twisted Cabaret, the Nerd-lesque, the Big Bottom Bonanza or the Sexy Circus Sideshow. All of the events took place at the legendary Dingwalls, in Camden Lock.

I was very excited, but with more than 15 events scheduled, I still had to choose just one to attend. My choice was the Drag Strip. 

The Drag Strip is not at all a traditional burlesque performance, it actually breaks all the rules. The artists performing that night were no ordinary people, most were drag queens, having also drag kings (women who perform dressed as men), the boylesque and queerlesque theme was the most present, being so an over all gender bending performance.

The show started at 9PM, but as always, the case here in London is that you should arrived one hour before to get to your seats. I went on a bus to Camden Lock, which took me almost 45 minutes and got to the area a bit confused, since Dingswalls, to my amazement, is sort of a cave, being a little hidden from the eyes of people who never went there.

When I finally arrived, and I knew I was at the right place since most people were dressed as the 1950´s, I showed my ticket and took a place in the middle area of the arena.

At exactly 9PM, Ruby Wednesday, the drag queen who was hosting that day, emerged to the stage and did a little playback performance before starting to introduce the other numbers. I found out that burlesque also means humour, Ruby became not only the host but assumed also the position of a stand-up comedian.

The artist list included names from cities all over the world, from London to Helsinki, to Munich and Amsterdam. Names such as: Alfie Ordinary (the so called Drag Prince who performed a live version of "I Gotta Be Me"), the Itty-Bitty Tease Cabaret (a group of four women who went back to the 90's as a boyband), Lady Laverna, Lola Rogue and Melody D'Amour (women who stripped from a male identity to a female at the end of their show), Smashlyn Monroe (a new name on the scene, performing there for the very first time and assuming a cowboy like identity), Lydia L'Scabies (a famous drag queen that takes her singing performance to a all new level), ending with Lou Safire and Vivid Angel (two very recognized names).

The show lasted two hours, finishing at 11PM and I absolutely loved it, I became even more of a fan than before. The glamour, the glitter, the strip and mainly, the gender bending scene made me look at burlesque with a new set of eyes. 

From a girl in love with a new art form,

Mariana Fidalgo

Headmasters: the hairdresser (bad) experience

Tuesday, 17th of May 2016

Two years ago I decided to dye my hair for the first time, my colour of choice turned out to be red. Since that moment on, I have had my hair brown, red, black, with green and purple highlights, but still I found that red is my favourite.

To anyone who dyes their hair on a regular basis, one thing is known: the ink doesn't stay on for more than 2 months, so it is clear that a visit to the hairdresser or a do it alone moment at home is necessary to be repeated quite often.

I came to London after doing the all procedure at home, just a couple of weeks before my flight took place. Now, after a month and a half of being here, I was not happy at all with the state of my hair so I decided to take a gamble and go, for the first time, to a british hair salon.

I ended up going to a place near my house called Headmasters. The fact that it was near my house was one of the pros, but I had done a lot of research and gathered several opinions before, actually, doing an appointment there.

When I entered their salon, I found it quite modern and with top quality products, but appearances can be deceiving. 

My hairdresser for the day was a bulgarian lady called Elena. From the first moment we introduced ourselves, we had immediate problems, mainly with communication since she couldn't understand english very well and I, despite my best efforts, was not being able to listen to her quiet, almost like a whisper, voice and with a strong accent.

We spent around 20 minutes arguing about colouring, since I wanted to dye my hair in a red tone and she immediately refused to and then proceded to force me to chose another colour, like pink.

I was starting to get angry and losing my patience, so I decided only to cut and do a treatment to my hair.

As normal, the next step was to wash my hair, but this turned out to be more complicated than necessary. My head was pushed back while Elena tried to drown me, while forcing hot water down my all face and back. 

My patience was running thin, I was completely wet and with my mascara running through my face and neck, I looked like a clown. And by the way, the all time she was advertising products that I didn't need at all, making me feel like I was on Dragons' Den.

The cutting went fine, nothing special but then the nightmare came back. When it got to the part of blow drying my hair, and after I specifically told her I didn't want curls, I wanted a natural look, she proceded to do the exact opposite.

When I finally looked to the mirror, I was like Goldilocks. At that moment, I couldn't take it any longer, so with an obvious furious look on my face, I told her that she didn't do anything that I had asked her to do and that the final result was awful and not what was expected and agreed.

She tried to redo but I stepped out of the chair, with hair all over my back and dress (since she kept taking the towel that protects your hair from going inside your clothes) and went to pay.

She did try to apologize but it didn't help. I went back to my place, took another shower and did my hair the way I like it to be, but not before sending an email to their company describing my awful experience in their salon.

For one of the best hair salons in London, I was severely disappointed with the all procedure and now is quite difficult to trust another hairdresser here.

From a girl who wished she could erased that moment,

Mariana Fidalgo

China Town

Friday, 13th of May 2016

The first week of my life in London, when my father was still here, we decided to go for a walk, after dinner, to the Soho area in Westminster.

I was amazed by the neon lights, making it almost appearing to be daylight, the crowd, the noise and the movement. I saw myself falling in love with this city once again.

While on our walk, I became impressed by this huge chinese gate that was standing on my right side and begged to go there and see it from a closer point of view.

Only after I realized that I was entering China Town. 

This was my first time visiting a little bit of China, I have always seen american movies that portray their version of China Town and it always intrigued me, so it was a really nice surprise since I didn't even know that London had one.

When you go through this huge decorated gates, you feel yourself entering another dimension. Everywhere you look there are many asian restaurants and tradicional stores of the oriental culture.

Here is also where the Chinese New Year is celebrated, as well as many other typical asian festiveties, such as the Buddha Birthday that I hope to attend later this month.

From a girl finding other cultures,

Mariana Fidalgo

Biscuteers Boutique & Icing Café

Thursday, 12th of May 2016

Lately I have been on a personal mission of trying to find unsual places here in London, such as cafés with a quirky decorations, different types of products or with a nice outdoor sitting area.

Until now, I was lucky enough to find places like the Farm Girl Café or the Hummingbird Bakery, as I have previously mentioned in other posts. However, there is always a time when your luck runs out or you just fail to succeed your aim.

I was walking through Notting Hill after a very tiring day, I had been for a two hour walk in Hyde Park and I just wanted to find somewhere quiet and nice looking to relax and have something to drink before collapsing with dehydration, when I found this quirky store called Biscuteers Boutique & Icing Café.

When you are outside looking in, it looks almost like a fairytale shop and with the sun shining bright, the colors from the streets enhance the beauty of the glass window fully decorated with biscuits and flowers. I heard that when its raining, the colors of the buildings fade away but this store still manages to maintain a pituresque look, giving the sensation that you just entered a parisian boutique.

So far so good, I was quite enchanted with their outside door and window, and even when I entered the shop, the sweet picture maintained.

It was only when I sat down and looked at the menu that I got disappointed, there was not a variety of products and most of them were pretty expensive. I decided to order an apple juice, thinking it would be something refreshing and natural. To my amazement, I was giving a bottle of a packed juice and a glass.

I stayed there for a while and when leaving to pay the bill, I couldn't understand how I had just spent 2.90£ on that.

So if you want my honest opinion, don't go here to have a snack but if you want, it is a good place for a photo. 

From a girl severly disappointed,

Mariana Fidalgo