An Autumn Afternoon in Greenwich

If you've been spying on my Instagram lately, you may have noticed that I've been spending a lot of time in London. That's because Ben moved down South for his job and, well, I have the more flexible schedule (#studentlife).

One of the best perks of Ben moving to London is that we both get to go out and play tourist every so often. It's like a mini-vacation from Edinburgh without traveling too far (or spending too much money). There's so much more to London than Big Ben and the London Eye. And while these landmarks are great, it's been fun to see what the London area has to offer beyond this.

Where to start? Enter Greenwich. Effortlessly charming, historically significant, and filled with quaint restaurants and cafes, it's the perfect place to spend an Autumn afternoon.

Our first stop was Greenwich Market. This was probably the one spot that drew me to Greenwich in the first place. A local food and arts market set in a National Heritage Sight? Sounds right up my alley. As you do with any market, we made our way around the stalls, sniffing out what delicious bites we were going to choose for lunch.

The Vietnamese Bahn Mi sandwiches I saw on display were love at first sight. The name of this stall escapes me, and I can't seem to find it on the market's website, but I'm telling you it's fantastic. A rainbow of colorful veggies- both fermented and fresh- are the perfect pairing to the juicy pork that's freshly grilled just for you. Ben and I found a spot on a bench and each devoured half of the sandwich. Sharing is caring, after all.

Obviously, a half sandwich isn't nearly enough for lunch. So we went on the hunt again. After circling the market once again, we ended up right back near where we started at a stall called Victus and Bibo. It was drawing quite the crowd and smelled heavenly, so we thought we'd give it a shot. And boy, were we glad we did. Their gargantuan lamb and halloumi Mediterranean wrap (for just £6!) was not only big on size, but huge on flavor. It was truly out of this world. Think creamy halloumi, spicy lamb, tahini and yogurt, all wrapped up with fresh veggies. I thought I had died and gone to food heaven.

But the incredible eats didn't stop there. No, we had room for dessert of course. Ben had his sights set on churros from the start, and we were lucky enough to spot a pair of friendly ladies selling churros right by the entrance. Now, I'm used to dipping my churros in chocolate. But these girls had portable churros down to a T, and pumped these fried dough dreams with chocolate and dulce de leche so you could bring it with you anywhere. I could honestly lap up a bowl of that dulce de leche any day.

Filled to the brim with food, we headed out to explore Greenwich beyond its gastronomic offerings. Vital to the fabric of Greenwich is Cutty Sark- a tea clipper with a fascinating past. It was the fastest ship of its time, and has made countless global journeys. At this historical site you can immerse yourself in the world of those sailing on the ship, and see what it was really like above (and below) the deck.

But Greenwich's maritime history doesn't stop there. A light stroll alway, you'll also find the Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory. Here, you can step right on the actual Meridian line, straddling the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. You can also take a walk around the many museums and galleries which detail historical accounts of timekeeping around the world. Plus, there's a whole lot of beautiful clocks to feast your eyes on.

The views from just outside the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park are second to none. I can't even imagine how stunning they would be when London's foliage is out in full-force. I guess I'll just have to go back!

Between the fantastic food, beautiful scenery, and historic attractions, Greenwich will certainly be a part of London I'll return to time and time again. And hopefully there will be more London adventures to come!