One afternoon, I went to explore Chinatown London by myself.
I have always been curious about the micro-cultures in different places, and Chinatown was a no-brainer place to go to satiate my curiosity in foreign countries.
Speaking of Chinatowns, I had been to Singapore Chinatown often when I lived there, usually to share a plate of green-chilli frogs with Fafa at Old Yan Kee. I have visited Sydney Chinatown and Melbourne Chinatown multiple times, sometimes alone. And we did a day trip from Tokyo to visit Yokohama Chinatown in Japan.
My point is:
I have always loved Chinatown
Chinatown London Is A Wee Bit Different
The first thing that stood out in Chinatown London was the Queen’s Jubilee banner with a picture of the Queen herself. That was a pretty unique sight.
Another sight I saw, snapped and loved was LGBTQ flags hanging side by side with the iconic red lampions.
Chinatown, for me, means yummy food, bubble tea, bursting colours and buzzing vibes.
Even though I somewhat felt and found those things and more in Chinatown London, it wasn’t up to my expectation. This Chinatown seemed quieter.
Everything, from the stores to the lanes, seemed bigger; therefore (for me, at least), it lacked the community feeling.
I went to Chinatown London semi-hungry, thinking I’d get something to eat there, but I felt too intimidated to go into some restaurants as everything felt grand.
Where were the hole-in-wall restaurants in Chinatown London, I wondered?
One more thing, I’m not sure whether any of you would agree with me, but I question the non-Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, including Vietnamese, Japanese or Korean restaurants. Tell me, am I splitting hairs here?
I made a few more rounds and saw a few things that caught my eye before calling it a day.
The next time I go to Chinatown London, I’d get a local friend to tag along because what I saw can’t be it.
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