Paddington

After leaving Kensington Gardens, I wandered into the Paddington neighbourhood.

One place on my map had particularly caught my attention: Bathurst Mews.

Stepping into the mews felt like entering a completely different world.

The noise of London faded almost instantly. Instead, I found horse stables, charming little houses draped in flowers, colourful bunting strung across the lane and neighbours sitting outside together, enjoying the warm summer evening over food and drinks.

It was peaceful, intimate and full of character.

Eventually I continued towards Paddington Station, where another surprise was waiting for me.

Outside stands a wonderfully quirky sculpture called The Wild Table of Love—a dining table filled with beautifully crafted animals celebrating what appears to be a wedding feast. Visitors can actually sit at the table with the animals for photos, but there was quite a queue, so I happily admired it from afar instead.

Inside the station, another famous resident was waiting.

Paddington Bear.

Naturally, a selfie was mandatory.

Some tourist clichés are simply too much fun to skip.Read more