As a seasonal change from Argentina’s winter, the UK was pleasant but as always, rained a lot. The reason for our previously unplanned visit was the wedding of our friends Jess and Joc, held in Castle Combe. Around this special day we were able to spend some time in London and Bristol and then head onwards to Paris.

I’ve always liked London, and this time was no different. Arriving in South London we were surrounded by African people in their colourful fabrics, Turkish kebab places and all manner of different accents and languages on the bus. It truly is a melting pot, and most of the time, it seems to be a very peaceful one. 

I was able to catch up with a number of friends whilst we were there. Craig, my friend from work and his partner Leroy met me for lunch which was a lovely treat! We also saw my cousin Gav and his wife Jen, who are very dear to my heart, for drinks. 

After a few days of soaking in metropolitan life we headed to Castle Combe to meet our lovely friends and see Jess and Joc get married. The ceremony and the reception were lovely – deep in the heart of the Cotswalds. I was pleased to note that there was the mandatory presence of a gossiping grandma and a joking Uncle that takes life all very lightly. Jess looked beautiful and incredibly happy, and Joc was a handsome groom. It was also lovely for us to see some of our friends from home, and we had a great time staying in Bristol with everyone for a couple of days after the wedding.

On that note, Bristol is fantastic! Great little cafes, a green, alternative culture, awesome street art and friendly people. We were looking for a shop in what was actually a private art space and the guy at the door offered to show us around, then gave us his email and invited us out for drinks! We also got to see the graffiti murals for their annual street art competition in the making. 

The house Jess had rented for the 2 nights was owned by a fairy who had decorated every inch of the place with an eclectic range of antiques. We were sleeping next to a doll with a cockatoo hat sitting in a rocking chair, but this wasn’t half as creepy as its headless counterpart on the stairwell! Toy soldiers stood next to symbols of the cross, overlooked by giant fairy wings. It was a truly bizarre place!

I left Bristol feeling quite an affinity to the city. If I was going to live in the UK, it may just be my first choice…