A Morning In Chinatown

 

    The lanterns immediately stood out to me upon entering Chinatown, as each street within the area was lined with them. In addition, I immediately noticed the smell of food, as every other shop was selling its version of Asian cuisine. I found it particularly interesting that most restaurants offered extensive outdoor seating, with tents for shade being placed just outside their shop doors. This made me curious about how popular this area was, as it seemed that most restaurants were being forced to expand outwards onto the street. Another characteristic of the neighborhood which I enjoyed was the sort of closed-off streets, which allowed guests to walk around the shops and restaurants without worrying about traffic. The area was extremely diverse, with both tourists and native Londoners popping in and out for some photos and a bite to eat, as well as people you could tell lived or worked near the area, shopping at one of the Asian food markets. I believe all of these characteristics contributed to a very welcoming and safe-seeming urban environment by drawing me away from the more hectic areas of London and into a space of cultural exploration and appreciation. 

- Francesca :)