While my 27th birthday here in Prague was incredible in its own way (and gave me a rough time with that slowly aging number), last year I was lucky enough to celebrate my 26th birthday in London.
I know.
I generally have very specific birthday traditions. One that I am generally very stubborn about is my usual birthday dress (defined: that one dress that will always make you feel beautiful and confident and wonderful because that’s what you deserve on a birthday).
For some reason, the birthday dress seemed of monumental importance last year in London. I think after spending the summer sweating away in the Sichuan province, and being a giant, pasty girl next to those tiny, adorable Chinese roommates of mine (not to mention my tiny, fit American roommates), I hadn’t felt pretty in a really long time. My suitcase certainly did not hold this elusive birthday dress (mostly because I was carrying too many Chinese souvenirs around Europe…my packing skills leave much to be desired) so the hunt began.
After several stops in H&M, Zara, and the like, in a fit of desperation (it was my birthday the very next day!) I dragged E into Topshop near Hyde Park in London.
I think E has never forgiven me for making us go in Topshop, and, let’s be real, I might be a little scarred, too.
The music, the hip Londoners, the many brightly colored clothes with holes in weird places. I felt strangely old and out-of-place, a feeling I did not relish during this brief quarter-life crisis. (I don’t know about you, but I have millions of mini-crises daily, so this isn’t that unusual).
So, in a fit of I’m-26-and-I-do-what-I-want, I found a dress that fit (well, and that I could afford–there are many cute ones if you don’t have much of a budget).
I didn’t really work with any shoes or other shirts I brought, and weirdly, even in August, London weather doesn’t always support a spaghetti-strap dress. Still, I bought it, triumphant, and wore it on my birthday.
^^the infamous birthday dress!
While I do believe in the power of clothes to improve confidence, my London birthday would have been just as special with or without this dress. (Maybe this is wisdom you learn from age).
I did look a tiny bit cuter, I suppose, as we cruised around London on a red, double-decker bus, stopping for tea at Kensington Palace. I felt more and more beautiful as the day went on, but not really because of the dress. E and I had a great time, and I fell a little more in love with London that day.
^^you will probably get bored with Big Ben pictures but, I just couldn’t help myself! I love that thing!
Before my birthday, I’d been a little skeptical about the city. It seemed huge, and impersonal, and all of the sights I’d always dreamed of seeing were stuffed with millions of other people who had also always dreamed of seeing this things.
(Why does this phenomenon continue to surprise me?)
But on my birthday, we stopped at very few sites, mostly just soaking up the city, having too many macaroons (for the first time ever!) from a French bakery, and going up to the top of the London Eye, where champagne awaited us.
^^(This guy!)
We strolled along the South Bank while the sun was setting, hand-in-hand, and the much-awaited Big Ben reflected in the water and hid the sun. I couldn’t help but fall a little in love with London then, and I couldn’t help but feel a little less sad about turning a year older.
^^I guess I was trying to get artsy here. 
Welcome to Travel Tuesday!
Once again, I am thrilled to be hosting Travel Tuesday with Bonnie, Jessi, and Camila! I can’t wait to see what you all come up with this week.
Every week, Bonnie, Jessi, Camila and I each select one post from the previous week’s link-up that we particularly loved. Make sure to head over to their blogs to see who they chose!
This week, I am spotlighting Elena from Beautiful Hope and her post about the Castello di Amorosa in Napa Valley. I had no idea such a place existed in Napa, and I will make certain to visit there one day. I already love that area of the world, and her beautiful, sun-drenched photos will make anyone want to go!
Ready to link up?
1. SHARE a post about travel! From road trips to trips abroad and from past travels to dream vacations. You can write about travel tips and tricks, favorite places to stay, or anything in between! Just make it about traveling somewhere!
2. GRAB the lovely button above. If you run into trouble, just make sure to mention Bonnie, Amy, Jessi and Camila in a link! 3. LINK-UP goes live every Tuesday at 0800 GMT. Make sure to comment here, on the co-hosts blogs, and visit around!
TIPS:
1. Please only one linked up post per blogger. Save other posts for future link-ups!
2. The last Tuesday of every month will be a themed prompt if you want to join in!
3. HOP around and meet new travel loving bloggers! Check back to visit some of the newer travel posts!
What a lovely story! Happy birthday, and I hope you will proudly enjoy many more. Just remember, aging is a reason to celebrate because if you stopped aging, you’d be dead… This is how a middle-aged old lady sees it, anyway…
Haha good point! Aging is a reason to celebrate surviving this long 🙂 thanks for the wisdom!! and the birthday wishes! xo
Glad you had happy birthday in London! That dress is cute and glad you had such a nice day being a tourist in London.
Yes it was lovely 🙂 thank you!
The Birthday Dress – I love that idea! I was wondering why it had never occurred to me, and then I realized my birthday is in the winter 🙂 not such a dress-friendly time! Happy Birthday!
Haha maybe you can start finding a birthday sweater? or sweater dress? 😉
Your pictures of London are amazing, first! And I completely get that, I also thought London would be a bit impersonal and just huge! But you walk around there and, to be playing your game, I could see myself living there! Also, that dress is so cute (and perfect for afternoon tea of course!) and I like the idea! I started having a similar tradition a few years back, I think when i entered my 20s and I just love to pamper myself on my birthday and feel beautiful and confident! Glad your birthday in Prague went well! (and happy belated birthday by the way 🙂 )
Thank you !! and I could definitely see myself living there. Some areas did feel impersonal but some areas were just amazing :). I think I started making a bigger deal out of my birthday in my early 20s, too…any excuse to pamper myself 😉 hope you are doing well!
I love your birthday dress tradition! I never celebrated my birthday when I was growing up which I guess is part of the reason I don’t make a big deal out of my birthday but maybe I should treat myself to something memorable once a year! Love that dress on you! So pretty! Looks like you had a great time in London! Made me miss afternoon tea!
I love and miss afternoon tea as well! I always love birthdays–mine and everyone else’s–and I love my traditions. This year in Prague, though, I did wear a dress but didn’t hunt for a birthday dress…guess I had other things on my mind 🙂
I definitely have the same feelings about London as you did, which is why it’s never been on my travel agenda. But I know I’ll have to check it out one day…. thanks for sharing your photos and your story!
I really ended up loving London! So if you get a chance, check it out for yourself, too 🙂
Wow this looks like such a fabulous birthday! How awesome to be up the Eye for sunset – AND with champagne 🙂
YES it was fabulous 🙂 Now that we were up there at sunset I can’t imagine going up at any other time–just spectacular!
I could never ever get bored of looking at Big Ben. It takes my breath away! We were there to watch it chime midnight this NYE, which was fabulous! Your birthday dress was lovely!
I know! I love seeing Big Ben around every corner and have a million pictures of it :). Was London fun on NYE or way too crazy? I would love to go but I’m scared of the crowds haha.
It was both fun and way too crazy! We were so hemmed in and getting out afterwards was incredibly difficult. It was 4am by the time we got back to our car. That said – I have the best memories of that evening. It was well worth it – even if you only do it once.
God is there any city better fit for a birthday or basically anything? I’m so in love with London it hurts 😉 I’m glad you liked it after all and I’m pretty jealous of all your amazing Big Ben shots AND the London Eye picture. Gorgeous evening!
Really, a London birthday is pretty memorable 🙂 and it was a great day in weather too, which is finicky in London even in August !!
Happy belated birthday Amy, and welcome to Prague! How are you liking your TEFL course so far? CZ is a hard place to leave… I told everyone I was going to be gone for a year max. and yeahhhh that didn’t happen 😉
Your London birthday looks amazing too… I’d love to go up in the London Eye sometime when I can get over my fear of heights enough to try.
Thank you!!! I am so happy to be here. I kind of don’t ever want to leave but we’ll see how the visa thing works out…yuck. The TEFL course is INTENSE but almost over luckily! Do you start teaching again soon??
I’ve also heard that the London Eye is good for those who are scared of heights because the cars are so big and feel so steady! But, it’s still pretty high ;).
Thanks for reading!!! 🙂
Yes, TEFL is so intense! It seems like you’ll be finishing at a good time though (beginning of school year). I think the school year starts up next Monday so that’s when I’ll be back at it. But I’m still on a trip so I hope it won’t be a rough adjustment… back to reality and all 😉 Good luck with the end of the course and enjoy!