We leave for India in the morning. We've been in London for parts of the past two days. It actually feels longer. The flight from Denver was long and we were extremely glad to have a few days off the plane before the next leg.
As the whole world and we now know, London is a most amazing city. Our hotel room is near Heathrow which is many miles from the downtown core. But public transportation is very efficient. The "tube" or subway gets you just about anywhere one wants to go in the city. It's user friendly and utilized by throngs of locals and tourists alike. Yesterday we took and unguided walking tour to Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Cathedral, St. James Parkway and along the Thames River. The architecture is beyond awe. We were in the presence of over a 1000 years of history. But it's the people watching that is the real kick. What a cosmopolitan arena. People from the entire globe gather to this epic city. And everyone it seemed was having the time of their lives. From the start we noticed just how good natured Londoners are. Before we would even ask for directions someone was offering advice. It didn't take long to find out though that everyone had a different idea of which direction or bus we should take.
People seem so much happier here and in better shape. Of the thousands we observed reveling through the city few were over weight. People were not necesarily super athletic, or pencil thin, but rather quite normal. Fashion rules and the varied attire and wild and chic hair cuts added much to our delight. When Europeans talk about holidays they are referring to the long vacation and travel time workers enjoy every year rather than the orgy of mandatory spending and eating we annually and frantically participate in. Pubs close down here at the reasonable hour of 11pm, not 2am. There are lots of restaurants, but way fewer fast food options. Lovers are everywhere and unabashed in diplaying affection. It seems to be a more casual relaxed way of being that our hurried lifestyle prevents. Faces are softer, quick to smile and engage in interaction. A casual observation reveals a refreshing lightness and a love of life look and feel from the managerie of people congregating in this grand city.
We knew before arriving that London is very expensive. But we didn't expect the hotel to charge extremely high prices for amenities we're not used to paying for, especially when we paid so dearly for our tiny room. Internet service, 10 pounds for a half hour, an extra tea bag? 3 pounds, airport/hotel shuttle which is a ten minute ride/4 pounds each. The exchange rate is the best it's been in years for the US dollar. But it's still $1.70 for each pound.
The news here as everywhere is the devastated world economy. One of the biggest stories is Obama's presidential campaign. The Brits and their papers love him. They predict and hope for a landslide victory and feel his ability to govern and lead will set the States and the interconnected world on a far better course.
Today we slept in until noon. Ahhhh, holidays! Ruth got her hair cut and I got a massage. This evening we saw the theatre production, "Stomp." Percussion created by janitorial tools; brooms, trash cans and lids, match boxes and plastic bags. It was so creative and loads of fun. Everyone left happy and revved. Afterward we found a pub and toasted our farewell to London and the start of our Indian adventure.
As the whole world and we now know, London is a most amazing city. Our hotel room is near Heathrow which is many miles from the downtown core. But public transportation is very efficient. The "tube" or subway gets you just about anywhere one wants to go in the city. It's user friendly and utilized by throngs of locals and tourists alike. Yesterday we took and unguided walking tour to Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and Cathedral, St. James Parkway and along the Thames River. The architecture is beyond awe. We were in the presence of over a 1000 years of history. But it's the people watching that is the real kick. What a cosmopolitan arena. People from the entire globe gather to this epic city. And everyone it seemed was having the time of their lives. From the start we noticed just how good natured Londoners are. Before we would even ask for directions someone was offering advice. It didn't take long to find out though that everyone had a different idea of which direction or bus we should take.
People seem so much happier here and in better shape. Of the thousands we observed reveling through the city few were over weight. People were not necesarily super athletic, or pencil thin, but rather quite normal. Fashion rules and the varied attire and wild and chic hair cuts added much to our delight. When Europeans talk about holidays they are referring to the long vacation and travel time workers enjoy every year rather than the orgy of mandatory spending and eating we annually and frantically participate in. Pubs close down here at the reasonable hour of 11pm, not 2am. There are lots of restaurants, but way fewer fast food options. Lovers are everywhere and unabashed in diplaying affection. It seems to be a more casual relaxed way of being that our hurried lifestyle prevents. Faces are softer, quick to smile and engage in interaction. A casual observation reveals a refreshing lightness and a love of life look and feel from the managerie of people congregating in this grand city.
We knew before arriving that London is very expensive. But we didn't expect the hotel to charge extremely high prices for amenities we're not used to paying for, especially when we paid so dearly for our tiny room. Internet service, 10 pounds for a half hour, an extra tea bag? 3 pounds, airport/hotel shuttle which is a ten minute ride/4 pounds each. The exchange rate is the best it's been in years for the US dollar. But it's still $1.70 for each pound.
The news here as everywhere is the devastated world economy. One of the biggest stories is Obama's presidential campaign. The Brits and their papers love him. They predict and hope for a landslide victory and feel his ability to govern and lead will set the States and the interconnected world on a far better course.
Today we slept in until noon. Ahhhh, holidays! Ruth got her hair cut and I got a massage. This evening we saw the theatre production, "Stomp." Percussion created by janitorial tools; brooms, trash cans and lids, match boxes and plastic bags. It was so creative and loads of fun. Everyone left happy and revved. Afterward we found a pub and toasted our farewell to London and the start of our Indian adventure.
No comments:
Post a Comment