Second, London is in your face, over the top, over the moon, swinging, pulsing, at once the center of the universe and miles away in a cozy pub. It is thrilling. Clean (for the most part). Vibrant and peaceful. Security (both bobbys and event-based) is largely unarmed. Well, the palace guards - who used to carry muskets - now carry AR-15s, but the Beefeaters, local enforcement, horse guards, etc...they are stern, but pleasant, helpful, cheerful and stuffed with that British sense of humor that I love. ( I asked a docent at the Abbey if he could tell me where Sir Isaac Newton was buried. He said, "Yes, of course I can.")
The city is wildly diverse and embraces its throngs of visitors. In the states, that sort of diversity and close quarters is regular fodder for the evening news. Here, it rings with a rich chorus of voices: French, German, Russian, Italian, Middle Eastern, Spanish, Dutch, Australian, and several English accents from the Queen's to Common English. Local news talked of charitable gifts, holiday sales, tube disruption (and the head of transportation giving up his bonus because things had gone wrong one day), and the weather. There was no mention of police shootings, mass murders, child abuse/abduction, or Kim Kardashian. I realize we were probably getting BBC sanitized tourist news, but, I'm just sayin'.
As much as I hate standing in line for something, or being jostled about by rude people, or even rude people themselves, in my London tourist mind, it was all okay. I soaked up the atmosphere like a dry desert in a downpour, and I loved it. So, signing off from London: London Love!
Next: See you in York!
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