I live in a country where almost everyone has been to London at least once. Teenage girls say they loooove London, in the same tone of voice they use to talk about their new shoes. London is the place where all the female hipsters and aspiring writers want to live as soon as possible. Some bloggers even claim that their lives aren't complete without their annual trip to the city on the Thames.
Usually I ignore such proclamations. They just make me wonder: all those people who pee their pants when they hear the name London, do they even know what London is really like?
I won't say I'm an expert on London. I'd only been there once, back in 2012 when the city was turned upside down for the Olympics. Not exactly every day London, I guess. And all those stories about shopping adventures or spending all your time in a coffee shop, I don't think that's every day London either. You see, I think every city has a soul, something completely unique. Last week I spent five days in London and I tried to find that soul. Did I succeed? I don't know, but along the way I saw thousands of little things that make this city so special.
Once you stop fangirling over London and open your eyes, you'll see wonderful little things that you otherwise wouldn't notice. Like sumo wrestlers taking over street signs.
London is like a maze. I've never been very good with directions (except in Rome, for some reason I knew exactly where everything was in Rome), but London... I was lost at least twice a day. It's worth it though. London isn't one of those mazes that has a reward at the end, but loads of awards along the way. Like people blowing gigantic bubbles.
London is like fiction come to life. Yes, I'm talking about 221B Baker Street, but also the countless other places that are described in so many of my favorite books. But yes, I went to Baker Street. No, I have absolutely no idea who that lady in the background is, but the one with the awesome Batman sweater is me, of course.
London is a bit like the internet: there's always something exciting going on somewhere. You might not even know it, like I didn't even know that the rugby world cup was taking place a few miles from my hotelroom, or that I was at the cinema where Vin Diesel would appear just a few hours later for a premier. I discovered that latter a day later, when I was reading the paper.
London is like my high school classmate Jasmin: extremely popular, yet she always had time for everyone and was kind to the unpopular kids. I've heard more people speak obscure Eastern European and Asian languages than English with a British accent. But that's all fine. Everyone is welcome in London. I like to believe that if the world was a high school, San Francisco would be the laid-back kid that's half stoned in the back of the class, Adelaide it's laid-back but not stoned friend and London, that would be the kid that welcomes everyone to its table at lunch. Even the Chinese president, who was welcomed by hundreds of lanterns in Chinatown.
Sure, London isn't all awesomeness. I've seen one if its nasty sides too and will tell about it later. But for now, let me just say that I do understand why so many people love London.
Stay Awesome!
Usually I ignore such proclamations. They just make me wonder: all those people who pee their pants when they hear the name London, do they even know what London is really like?
I won't say I'm an expert on London. I'd only been there once, back in 2012 when the city was turned upside down for the Olympics. Not exactly every day London, I guess. And all those stories about shopping adventures or spending all your time in a coffee shop, I don't think that's every day London either. You see, I think every city has a soul, something completely unique. Last week I spent five days in London and I tried to find that soul. Did I succeed? I don't know, but along the way I saw thousands of little things that make this city so special.
Once you stop fangirling over London and open your eyes, you'll see wonderful little things that you otherwise wouldn't notice. Like sumo wrestlers taking over street signs.
London is like a maze. I've never been very good with directions (except in Rome, for some reason I knew exactly where everything was in Rome), but London... I was lost at least twice a day. It's worth it though. London isn't one of those mazes that has a reward at the end, but loads of awards along the way. Like people blowing gigantic bubbles.
London is like fiction come to life. Yes, I'm talking about 221B Baker Street, but also the countless other places that are described in so many of my favorite books. But yes, I went to Baker Street. No, I have absolutely no idea who that lady in the background is, but the one with the awesome Batman sweater is me, of course.
"Oh look, a flaming sword in the exact spot where I was three hours before the picture was taken!"
London is like my high school classmate Jasmin: extremely popular, yet she always had time for everyone and was kind to the unpopular kids. I've heard more people speak obscure Eastern European and Asian languages than English with a British accent. But that's all fine. Everyone is welcome in London. I like to believe that if the world was a high school, San Francisco would be the laid-back kid that's half stoned in the back of the class, Adelaide it's laid-back but not stoned friend and London, that would be the kid that welcomes everyone to its table at lunch. Even the Chinese president, who was welcomed by hundreds of lanterns in Chinatown.
Sure, London isn't all awesomeness. I've seen one if its nasty sides too and will tell about it later. But for now, let me just say that I do understand why so many people love London.
Stay Awesome!
