Five dry days in London. Yes, as remarkable as this sounds, we have been blessed with moderate, cool weather with no need to break out the rain gear. Not that rain would have dampened our spirits. We are truly enjoying our stay here, and exploring all that the city has to offer.
Our days are full, and we are seeing firsthand the many changes since our last visit 40 years ago
. One of the first things that strikes you is how clean the city looks. Nary a spot of litter; no graffiti. What a contrast to other major European cities like Rome or Paris, where both are ubiquitous. The other major difference is that, here, all the signs are in English, and, in contrast to previous trip, it's refreshing to hear English spoken on the streets. Mind you, it is sometimes difficult to understand their variety of the language, given the intonations and speed, but mostly, we are able to make out what the natives are saying. While I have yet to be called Guv’nor and Bonnie, M’lady, I have heard the occasional 'Cheerio’ thrown around, and it wasn’t even breakfast time. (Interesting factoid: before cars, people would call for their carriages by saying ‘chair ho’, which over time became Cheerio.)We have traversed the city doing exactly what tourists do—remarking on how expensive things are, but still spending money like drunken sailors. Yes, all the things you’ve heard about Britain being expensive are true
. Despite that, it is not to be missed. It’s a treasure chest of unique neighborhoods, a buffet of opportunities, which can be quite quirky or highly conservative. For instance, one day, besides being immersed in the usual cityscape, we visited a horrific torture chamber, ate dinner in a crypt (our table on a gravestone), and attended a candlelit concert of Mozart music in a cathedral. Each day has been this full of delights.Also, tourists above all else, we have visited all the usual sights, which have largely remained as they were during our last extended visit to London 40 years ago. We have been told that this is a good time of the year to come, as the holidayers are long gone, and the crowds are manageable. We saw this at places like the Tower of London, where we simply walked in to the display of the Royal Jewels (sorry, no pictures allowed). In July, this can be a 2-hour wait. It’s been like that everywhere we’ve gone. Clearly, this is a main benefit of traveling during the off-peak season
. In contrast, the Christmas season is in full swing here, and the streets are resplendent with brightly-coloured store decorations. The crowds on Oxford and Regent Streets, two main shopping areas, are chock-a-block with hordes of people carrying their purchases while trying to negotiate their way through the crowds. It seems a mix between the festive and the furtive.To our eyes, though, this seems a city that really works. Perhaps the recent Olympics provided an impetus for improvement, but the city positively sparkled. There is so much growth and change visible via the construction cranes, roadwork underway, and development everywhere. In a city over 2000 years old, so large and spread out, it presents a non-stop wonder to tourists like us. You see so much of the impact of the last several centuries in the architecture of its sights. The term 'British institution' really hits home, because time after time, you are exposed to these ‘institutions’. They can take the form of customs, establishments, behavior, or culture. People are quite reserved, and for the most part, considerate. Queues are orderly.
It’s all so civilized, darlings!
Loving London
Sunday, November 18, 2012
London, England, United Kingdom
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2025-02-16
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The Sunnies
2012-11-26
Hip Hip Hip and Cheerios right back at you! As is always the case, I am thoroughly loving your travel blog along with all of the tidbits of information encapsulated within! I can't believe you are already in Scotland....and I do hope you are having a lovely time there, as well!
Glad that Joel's gift to you is serving you well.....continue toe njoy and to blog! I feel as if I am right there beside you and Bonnie!
Continued safe travels and may the fun abound!!!
cissie.retired
2012-11-26
G'day to you both. So nice to read both blogs and find out how much you are enjoying this trip. Excellent. Our weather until yesterday, Sunday Nov. 25, has been wonderful, but now we feel a bit of winter moving in and we've seen some snow...even in the city!!
Everyone is fine here, enjoying life, staying healthy and looking forward to holidays. We are having a Chanukah and Christmas dinner with family and friends as usual. My grandsons are growing, wonderful and still so much fun.
Stay well, stay warm, enjoy yourselves and I look forward to your next installment.
Cecile