London is one of those cities that has something for everyone. It’s my last stop, and I saved the best for last for this Eurotrip 2022. This city checks all of my boxes:

• Tons of vegan options
• The birthplace of Goth
• Very cat-friendly
• Notable street art

The last time I visited London was in December 2018. I was so caught up in work that I didn’t have much much of a chance to get to know this city. This time was a better chance to explore more.

For most of this trip, I’ve been museum-hopping like it’s going out of style. While I enjoyed immersing myself in art and history, I decided instead to poke around the local establishments and see what gives this city its spark.

The world is your oyster in Camden Town, London

I stayed in Camden Town, a famed neighborhood that’s best known for its counterculture–a haven for punks, vegans, and queers. Shops and restaurants with colorful murals line the streets, as the rainbow Queer Pride crosswalks add a friendly message: “You belong here.” You could spend an entire day or two just wandering through Camden.

Staying in Camden is great, because there are so many options within a stone’s throw, especially with public transport. There’s the Camden Town tube station just a five-minute walk from where I stayed. The St. Pancras train station was also a 16-minute walk. The short-enough distance made it very convenient to see my friends in Brighton and Nottingham.

Favorite cafe at Think Coffee and Ink

During the day, the cafes are bustling with visitors topping up their caffeine fix or having a bite. A unique cafe called Think Coffee and Ink is a hip trifecta that consists of a coffee shop, a hair salon, and a tattoo parlor. It’s a non-profit creative space that gives back to the community and donates their profits to various charities. In addition to community efforts, they also help members of the house-less community by offering hot drinks and occasionally free haircuts.

Camden Market

I strolled to the popular Camden Market, a sprawling warren of restaurants, and shops selling vintage wares, souvenirs, and eclectic curiosities. It’s an international smorgasbord that has stuff that you just can’t find anywhere else. Whether you’re looking for glass mosaic lamps or a silver ring that might have magical powers (or curses), there is something for everyone in this market.

I wandered within the labyrinth of this vast market and encountered Cyberdog, a futuristic fashion shop that has avant-garde club wear for raves and festivals. Outside, two giant silver cyborgs flank both sides of the entrance. Inside the store, rainbow lights, florescent circuit boards, and cyborg mannequins glow under black light as techno music blasts you into a faraway galaxy.

I have essentially found my home planet.

Cyberdog offers next-level style in the form of holographic dresses, iridescent sequin coats with rainbow faux fur trim, light-up goggles, and baggy mylar space pants. While I prefer to stay shrouded in my black clothes, I’ve always appreciated rave fashion. It’s good to get new ideas of what to wear at the next festival, whether it’s goth or rave-style.

Eating vegan in Camden Town

There are several vegan restaurants, and most eateries offer at least one vegan option. If you’re vegan like me, you’ll have a field day in Camden!

My favorite spot was Temple of Seitan, which serves vegan fried chicken that delivers the perfect crunch. I got the Popcorn Bites, which were vegan chicken bites that are battered and deep-fried to perfection. Ordering was super easy and efficient. There’s a tablet at the front counter where you can put in your order and pay at the same spot. They will bring it to your table when it’s ready.

Rudy’s Vegan Diner is a popular spot for some familiar favorite meals, such as burgers, fries, and banana splits. If you’re in London and you know of a meat-eater who thinks they’ll miss out on a vegan lifestyle, this is where you take them. I tried the mac and cheese, plus a side of breaded dairy-free mozzarella sticks.

In Camden, Buck Street Market has shops and restaurants housed in colorful upcycled cargo containers. This eco-friendly market pushes sustainability for the more conscious consumer. All of the eateries have vegan options on the menu, and the retail shops offer ethical fashion and plant-based products. There are plenty of recycling points around Buck Market, and their food waste is composted to generate electricity to power the main grid. That’s so cool how they can convert food waste to make something new and useful!

A vegan red velvet cupcake from Clean Kitchen Club made a decadent treat. The rest of the menu had the usual favorites, such as vegan burgers, rice bowls, meatless wraps, and smoothies.

Camden Eye is a lively pub with a down-to-earth vibe. On Mondays, vegan menu items are 50 percent off! At £3, I couldn’t go wrong with some heavy hitters like the Seitan Strips: vegan deep-fried meatless strips that are reminiscent of chicken tenders with barbecue sauce.

The Regent’s Park

Regent’s Park is within walking distance of Camden Town. During this time of year, the 400-acre park is leafy, green, and the perfect place to run some miles through the numerous paths. If you’re more of a walker, you can take in the lush scenery at a leisurely pace. There are a few cafes to take a break in, plus a beautiful rose garden and a boating lake. This park is the home to many wildlife, including around 100 species of wild birds. There’s even a large open-air theater, if you happen to catch a play or musical.

Favorite spots throughout London

I’ve been into the goth subculture since the tender age of 13. Since London is the birthplace of goth, it was time to pay my respects by going to Slimelight, a goth night at the nightclub, Electrowerkz. A local person I had spoken to said that Slimelight is a weekly event. I checked for more information. For a popular club, there was only a handful of webpages, and the amount of information was slim. I went anyway, only to discover that Slimelight now only happens once a month because the event organizer died a couple years ago. There’s always next time.

ASMR at the Design Museum

The Design Museum is currently hosting a special exhibition: WEIRD SENSATION FEELS GOOD: The World of ASMR. ASMR stands for “Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response.” It’s a physical sensation of happiness or deep calm–sometimes a physical tingling sensation–that is triggered by sound, touch, and movement. It can be a subjective experience: what one person feels might be different from another.

According to the museum, people are using ASMR more as a form of self-medication against the effects of loneliness, insomnia, stress, and anxiety. This is a cue to its success and transcendental appeal.

In most museums, we visitors may not touch anything. In this exhibition, we are encouraged to touch the works of art and immerse ourselves with our entire being: physically, mentally, and emotionally. Gentle sounds, repetitive movements, and soft places invite you to stay for a while and just be present. Here I am chilling out and listening to Björk’s gentle whispers while art is spinning on a screen in the background.

In another room, Bob Ross episodes are playing–right next to original paintings that he did! Ross was an iconic painter who is most famously known for his instructional videos on how to paint a landscape. His soft voice and sense of humor have always been calming to me, and I think they fit perfectly in this museum.

Veto Meato

After the Design Museum, I went to the British Museum for a little bit, and didn’t stay for long. Sometimes the sensory overload can be overwhelming!

Fortunately, there was a cozy vegan pub nearby called Veto Meato. I had the Asian bowl, a nod to Korean street food that boasted ingredients like tofu, sesame, kimchi, and gochujang sauce. I was super stoked to find this because it can be hard to find vegan Korean food. So, this was a warm treat after all of that museum-hopping.

Afternoon tea with cats at Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium

One thing that’s quintessentially British is having afternoon tea. A traditional afternoon tea consists of tea, plus an assortment of mini sandwiches, cakes, pastries, and scones on a tiered set.

In my case, afternoon tea with cats at Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium in Shoreditch was very appropriate. This Alice In Wonderland-themed cat cafe has a few adoptable cats to have tea with. The whole establishment is one big cat playground with plenty of spaces for the cats to explore and chill out in. There are many shelves, cat toys, and suspended cat bridges for the kitties, plus a big tree with winding branches in the center of the room.

Visitors must follow the rules of conduct, as to keep the cats comfortable. Before entering the cat room, you must wash your hands and sanitize them. When you’re with the cats, let them come to you, if they choose to. They can come and go as they please. You can play with them, but leave them in peace if they’re eating or sleeping.

This vegan afternoon tea consisted of hummus and cucumber sandwiches, a brownie, a mini chocolate torte, a lemon poppy seed cake, a sponge cake with vegan cream, and a scone with jam and plant-based butter. It also comes with two different teas. When I ordered, the person at the counter recommended Lady Dinah’s blend, which was an earl grey infused with bergamot and rose. The second tea I had was darjeeling, which hinted black currants undertones.

To be honest, while the cakes and pastries were delicious, the sandwiches could have been better. The filling was a third slice of bread in the middle sandwiched between hummus and veggies. For the scone, traditionally clotted cream is served, and instead it was vegan butter. I still enjoyed dining with the cats, though. Here, the feline friends are the stars of the whole experience, rather than the food.

Lady Dinah’s is discontinuing the afternoon tea service at the end of June, but you can still enjoy tea other treats from the regular menu. You must make a reservation in advance. The time slots do fill up fast, so reserve an hour as soon as you can.

Doughnut Time

My last meal in London was a Pride-themed donut called “Scaredy Cat” from Doughnut Time. It features vanilla rainbow glaze, blueberry jam filling, and a vegan Candy Kitten gummy in the center.

To help the LGBT community, 10% of the proceeds are donated to Just Like Us, a charity who works with schools to improve the lives of young people within the community. Cats, pride, donuts, and community support: what’s not to love?

Street art in London

Everywhere I turn in London, there’s a vibrant mural just around the corner. Some of them are hidden, while others are more out in the open. The streets here are a street artist’s haven, the blank walls a canvas to beautify the city. These are a few of my favorite murals.

There were several murals that weren’t signed by the artist. But I don’t think they’re meant to be anonymous, because I’ve seen this style of mural before: cosmic abstract women with distinct contours and gradients throughout. If anyone knows who did these, please leave a comment.

I’ve become familiar with Urban Solid’s colorful 3D brains. As seen on the street art tour in Lisbon, Urban Solid wants to send a message about human connectivity. According to the artist’s website, “Urbanbrain is an active, living brain represented, which communicates the thought of him through ‘wireless waves,’ a graphic sign that in a few years has become an icon capable of creating an immediate connection link. The body, the smell, the emotion, the gestures are fundamental parts of communication that are thus left out, relegated to spectators of a show in which they were the main actors.”

To London and back

I really did save the best for last. London was everything I could dream of–and more! It caters to cat lovers, queers, counter culture, vegans, artists, and all sorts of folks! Even if you don’t identify with any of those, you can still find something that you enjoy. You’ll never run out of things to see or do. London is a city that’s really does have something for everyone.

Technology in the 21st century is fantastic. With entire social networks at our fingertips, we end-users can connect with others from different places, whether it’s within the same city or eight time zones away across the ocean. After exploring Brighton with Eli and James, it was time to discover a land that’s a bit further north to Nottingham with the guidance of my new friend, Catherine.

Catherine and I connected a few years ago on Instagram. It’s literally like being friends with myself if there were two of me. Catherine is practically my British twin: a fellow goth vegan cat lady who has run more marathons than I have–18 marathons and counting, plus three ultramarathons. Catherine is a hardcore runner; the vast majority of her free time is dedicated to covering great distances, including a 100km ultramarathon. She’s truly inspiring. She even had purple hair at one point!

When I asked her if she would like to meet up, she immediately offered ideas of where to go and what to do in Nottingham. As a longtime resident, Catherine knows the lay of the land and all of the hidden magic that rests within it. With her knowledge of notable landmarks in the area, she was able to plan a true goth field trip.

Day 1 in Nottingham

Catherine greeted me with a hug at the train station. It was so nice to finally meet my doppelgänger!

I noticed how calming her presence was. We both seem to be introverted cat ladies, and with that come comfortable silences. There’s the relief of being okay with not feeling the need to fill the silence with words. As an introvert, while I can handle long stretches of time alone, I am also happy just basking in another human’s presence.

Nottingham may appear as a quaint city, but I would soon find out what wonders lie ahead. It’s really nice to get out of the hustle and bustle of the big city and into the rolling green English countryside.

The V Spot

We first ventured into V Spot in Nottingham, which was a 100 percent vegan market. You could stock up on groceries, or even choose from a variety of sweet and savory treats in the cafe. A shoe rack displays many types of leather-free and animal-friendly footwear, while the wall next to it offered cosmetics without any animal products.

Fun fact: The British aren’t big peanut butter fans like Americans are. So, it is a little harder to find around here. We managed to find some at V Spot.

Divine Coffeehouse

After visiting V Spot, we had vegan lunch at Divine Coffeehouse. The cafe sold vegan sandwiches for cheap—a welcome break from the London prices! Catherine and I split a warm blueberry cinnamon roll, the shape resembling a muffin. The purple walls of the cafe really spoke to both of us.

Witch marks at Creswell Crags

Then came the real deal of our goth field trip in Nottingham: the witch marks at Creswell Crags.

We drove for an hour among the rolling hills in the lush green countryside to Creswell Crags, an ice age excavation site in a limestone gorge with at least 60,000 years of history. There are caves containing the eerie “Witch Marks.” What was mistaken for Victorian graffiti are actually 16th-19th century cave carvings that are speculated to serve as protection from evil spirits.

Until recently, they were hiding in plain sight. In 2018, Hayley Clark and Ed Waters from the Subterranea Britannica group happened to notice these mysterious carvings on a cave tour. That was just a few years ago! Can you imagine something like this being under everyone’s noses for centuries?

The term “witch marks” is a bit misleading, because they don’t actually have to do with repelling witches. Instead, they were used to turn away evil spirits of all kinds. Witch marks are also known as “apotropaic marks,” which mean “turn away” or “ward off.” Evil spirits were suspected to follow straight lines, so sometimes we would find witch marks depicting boxes. It’s believed that those boxes or squares would contain demons like a trap.

Why did people carve witch marks?

Evil is also thought to follow the flow of air. Traditionally, people carved ritualistic witch marks on doors, windows, and fireplaces—anywhere evil spirits can get in. Natural disasters, disease, famine, or violent forces were attributed to evil spirits. In a time where mass communication and modern science weren’t readily available, people back then didn’t want to take their chances. Maybe carving those marks was a way of taking back control and quelling fears?

What do these witch marks all mean?

We discovered repeating motifs and symbols of these witch marks. Some of the most common symbols were:

• A double ‘V,’ which likely stands for “Virgo Virginum.” It can also appear as an M upside down, for “Maria.” It’s believed to be a spell asking for the Virgin Mary’s protection against evil.
• ‘P’ stands for “Pace,” or “Peace.”
• Crossed I’s, which stand for “Jesus.” Back in the day, Jesus’ name started with an I for “Iesu.” An ‘I’ with a central bar was written as such in the 17th century. That’s one way these symbols could be dated: how certain letters are written.
• ‘R’ for Rex or Regina, though there’s a debate if that’s actually a witch mark.

Then there were some other witch marks that were speculations. For instance, there was one that appeared to be a 777. There could be a 1 carved in front of it, so it would depict the year 1777. But because the 1 appears so faded with the rest of the numbers, it’s possible that it’s just 777. One theory is that writing those three 7’s translates to 666 in Hebrew–which is believed to be the devil’s number. So, that would be the devil’s symbol in this case. Since these are only theories, that’s the fun of decoding the witch marks.

Finally, what is considered to be the largest witch mark appears to be a Merels Board, or Nine Men’s Morris, one of the oldest strategy games in the world. Merels Boards were used as witch marks, most likely because their maze-like form could trap evil and contain it.

Vegan Sunday Roast at Fothergills

Crawling through the limestone caves and taking in all of the mysterious witch marks made me and Catherine hungry again. Since it was a Sunday, Catherine suggested that we go to Fothergills for a British weekly tradition: the Sunday roast.

Traditionally, a Sunday roast consists of slices of carved meat, mashed potatoes and gravy, sautéed veggies, and maybe some bread stuffing. It’s reminiscent of Thanksgiving food that we have in the U.S. Our vegan version was an apricot and lentil roast wrapped in a flaky pastry shell, plus gravy that was more like a broth. It truly hit the spot after an afternoon of being spooked by witch marks.

For dessert, we both had a chocolate torte with vegan vanilla ice cream. The torte was so rich, that it was definitely going to put us to sleep once we got home. We savored every bite of this decadent dessert.

Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle, and the oldest inn

Of course, we had to take a peek at the bronze Robin Hood statue pointing his bow and arrow at the Nottingham Castle. I learned that Nottingham is where the world-famous Robin Hood tale originates: an altruistic outlaw who stole from the rich and gave to the poor.

Finally, we poked our heads into Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, a pub that has supposedly been established in the year 1189 AD–even though there’s no documentation to support this claim. According to legend, this was a stop for King Richard the Lionheart and his knights to have an ale, before heading off to fight the Crusades in Jerusalem in the 12th century.

The inn is nestled against the sandstone cliff where Nottingham Castle is built. Part of the inn is even carved into the cliff. Inside, there are cozy nooks to enjoy a drink in. Throughout the inn, there are artifacts and relics of Nottingham’s history. Below the pub, there’s a network of caves that was originally used as a brewery in the 12th century, since it was a good environment for making ale.

Day 2 in Nottingham

After having breakfast and coffee—and playing with her cat, Mavis—Catherine and I set off for another goth vegan adventure in the morning.

Wollaton Hall

First, we made a quick stop at Wollaton Hall, more famously known as Bruce Wayne’s or Batman’s lair in the 2012 movie, “The Dark Knight Rises.” We didn’t stay for long, but we wanted to appreciate the architecture. This was a good start for Day 2 of this goth Nottingham field trip!

Newstead Abbey

Set on extensive landscaped and wild gardens is the 12th-century monastery, Newstead Abbey. It’s famously known as the old residence of the revered Romantic poet, Lord Byron. The only time I’ve ever read his work was in my senior year of high school, when we had to take an old English literature course.

There’s an entire museum dedicated to Lord Byron. Other exhibits go into detail about the 800-year history of the medieval monastery. Instead of seeing the museum, we decided to walk around the labyrinth-like gardens of this grand 300-acre estate.

The expansive gardens range in style from the Spanish landscapes with trimmed hedges to bamboo groves of a Japanese Oasis. Walking trails in lush forests wind around trickling streams. Silent white swans glided over the lake with their fuzzy gray cygnets. All of this beauty under the overcast skies reminded me so much of Seattle.

In one of the gardens with a fountain, we saw a cat that almost looked like Mavis.

We heard a peacock squawk from afar and followed the sound. We walked along a stone wall and through a tunnel. And there he was in all of his magnificent glory! Just as we wondered if he was going to show us his full beauty, he stretched out, proudly displaying his shimmering blue and green feathers that look like many eyes.

Catherine and I could spend all day here. The medieval abbey, the lush gardens, and the trails were all mesmerizing, as were the resident animals that add even more charm to these grounds.

Bread & Butterflies

After walking through Lord Byron’s gardens, it was time to refuel before heading to the train station. Catherine took us to a little vegan tearoom called Bread & Butterflies.

Ivory lace and folded paper butterflies decorated the whole tearoom. Frilly teacups and saucers with floral designs were displayed on bookshelves and credenzas throughout, as various cakes under glass bell jars stood on the counter. Beside our table, a terrier lounged on the sofa.

When I’m traveling, I prefer to try the local dishes, rather than a familiar dish from back in my home country, the States. People have perfected the local dishes, and that’s one of the joys of traveling: trying the customary food of a given destination.

With that in mind, I wouldn’t order American pancakes. Instead, we both ordered a full English breakfast, which is still similar to a full American breakfast. It was technically lunch time, but you can have a full English breakfast any time of the day. It has everything you need: beans and vegan sausages for protein, toast and hashbrowns for carbs, plus fresh spinach, and grilled mushrooms and tomatoes for veggies.

What I also like is that, as with many traditional meals, everyone makes a slightly different version of it, such as the full English breakfast that I had in Brighton.

Hopkinson Vintage Market & Cafe

As the goth vegan Nottingham field trip was wrapping up, Catherine and I had some time to kill before I went back to London.

The Hopkinson Vintage, Antiques and Art Centre was right next to the Nottingham train station, which was a perfect way to spend some time before taking the train back. It’s a cafe, a vintage store, and an antique market all under one roof. There’s even a haunted museum that features shrunken heads, a devil’s toy box, kits for exorcisms, and many more curiosities.

The shop had two full floors of vintage wear, such as brown tweed coats with elbow patches and crushed velvet dresses with tinsel woven in the fibers. We didn’t buy anything, but if anyone wants to stock up on fashion from the 1970s before hopping on the train, this is one place they could find it.

Last thoughts on Nottingham

Nottingham showed that this city has so much more magic than meets the eye. From witch marks hiding in plain sight to centuries-old pubs with hidden underground cave systems, there’s always something waiting to intrigue us. I feel like I could live here for a year and still discover something new. This town is truly a treasure trove of serendipity, folklore, and curiosity. And of course, I now have a new friend to explore all of this with.