The Holiday (17 page)

Colin lifted her chin so her gaze
was level with his. "He said I needed to tell you I love you, which I do.
I have, I think from the moment I walked into your gallery and acted like a
bumbling idiot."

"You weren't an idiot,"
she said with a sparkle of humor. Then she sobered. "I love you too,
Colin."

They kissed, sweet and slow, his
hand threading into her hair and tipped her head back. She sighed into him, her
arms winding around him.

They broke apart, and before he
could say anything, she said, "Will you marry me, Colin? I'm asking, but
it's only a formality, because I'm already yours."

She held up her left hand. On her
ring finger was the Sea Pirate's diamond, seated where it belonged.

He kissed her knuckles, right
above the ring, and then kissed her again. "I'll marry you, Leilani
Wakida," he whispered against her lips right before he claimed
them—forever.

Someone
once said, "By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can
show."

It's
true.

London
flaunts where it came from and teases with where it's headed. It's been one of
the great cities of the world for tens of centuries. It's been built, looted,
attacked, bombed, and beautified.

The
thing I love most about London is the variety. It's a glorious combination of
city and nature. It boasts royal castles and slums, all with a stone's throw of
each other.

Did
you know that London's schoolchildren speak a total three hundred different
languages?

Personally,
I like to eat my way through London. The British cuisine isn't known for being
fantastic (bangers and mash, anyone?) but you can find pockets of deliciousness
in London. My favorites:

London
boasts the best Indian food in the world, outside India. If you're a fan of
curry, this is the place to indulge.
When one is in London, one must do as the British and tea. I have to admit that I
love
tea time. There's something so
appealing about taking the break in the day just to sit and pamper yourself.
All the fancy hotels offer lovely high teas—the Ritz, the Savoy, etc. If
you want to a side dish of shopping, definitely go to Fortnum & Mason. If
you're looking for something quaint and less expensive, go to the Greenwich Fan
Museum—there's something nostalgically sweet about sitting in the old
Orangery of a Georgian house and nibbling on cucumber sandwiches.
In the same way that I love little crustless sandwiches, I love eating fish and
chips out of a newspaper cone. Do it. Greasy cuisine at its finest.

To
work off the food, I like to walk. London is a great walking town—there's
always something to see. If you get tired of an area, hop on the tube and try a
different neighborhood.

Or
take a walking tour. You have choices: ghost walks, pub walks, film walks,
Shakespeare walks, Dickens walks, Harry Potter walks, Jack the Ripper walks...
Take your pick. The city offers whatever flavor you crave.

Leilani
would tell you not to miss the museums, and I'd have to agree. I haven't been
to an exhibit in London—anywhere—that I found lacking. Some
favorites include the British Museum, any of the Tates, Buckingham Palace, the
Tower of London, plus another couple hundred. You can spend weeks exploring all
the art and artifacts the British have.

It boggles the mind, but if you get bored with London it's easy to hop on a train,
bus, or plane and go adventure. You can even escape to Paris by train.

In London, the possibilities are limitless. Go experience them.

Kate

 
Travel to passion. Live your fantasy.
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