London

the playing mantis
the playing mantis Posts: 2,129
edited March 2013 in The cake stop
what with all the (2) threads about holiday cities, NY and LV, do people from overseas view London in a similar vein? do those in the UK who live far from London think of it like that.

i personally dont, but then only live in in mid essex, and went to uni and work in london. i suppose i take it for granted as am so used to it.

how do others view it?

Comments

  • Giraffoto
    Giraffoto Posts: 2,078
    I'm not a fan (and also originally from Essex). But then with the exception of Sydney, I've yet to find a big city that I like
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  • thegreatdivide
    thegreatdivide Posts: 5,802
    London’s a nice place to go for a quick visit, but any more than a couple of days and I start freaking out.

    I lived in Toronto on and off for 4 years and I loved it. It’s a great example of a city that works. I need to go back there soon.
  • simonhead
    simonhead Posts: 1,399
    I try and avoid the place if I can, I guess living only a few miles away I take London for granted and there are some good and interesting bits..........however there is so much more of the UK to see than London.
    Life isnt like a box of chocolates, its like a bag of pic n mix.
  • ooermissus
    ooermissus Posts: 811
    Great city.
  • islwyn
    islwyn Posts: 650
    Lived here for 6 years and ask myself the same question, to foreigners get excited about coming here.
  • verylonglegs
    verylonglegs Posts: 3,949
    Is the start of this article what prompted the question?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21934564
  • team47b
    team47b Posts: 6,424
    A Portuguese friend went to visit that London, when they came back I asked them what they thought, they said...

    ...It was OK but there was nothing to eat :shock:

    All that wonderful variety of 'foreign' food available, but it wasn't like the food at home, I thought only the English in the 1970's thought like this:D

    they didn't get to Stockwell then.
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  • ooermissus
    ooermissus Posts: 811
    team47b wrote:
    A Portuguese friend went to visit that London, when they came back I asked them what they thought, they said...

    ...It was OK but there was nothing to eat :shock:

    Hah hah. Knew an Italian who went abroad for the first time - and came back with the same reaction. He'd been in Paris!

    I think we forget that in some European countries people still go most of their lives without eating foreign food.
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    London is a massively important city in world history, and that influence can be felt wherever you go in our capital. That's why so many people come to visit, despite the obvious drawbacks (everywhere's a rip-off, crap weather)
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    Into my fourth year living here and deep down I love it.

    2 things you need to enjoy it: a lot of energy and a bit of money in your pocket.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    when I go there it is usually with loads of enthusiasm but I soon become overwhelmed by the size, travelling required to get around and see things and general impersonal nature of the place.

    However, the Perils went there for a few days last August and stayed in Covent Garden. I don't know whether it was just the Olympics but there was such a great atmosphere and feeling of goodwill that you don't normally expect in London. I bet everyone is back to being miserable, ignorant b8stards now though.
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  • seanoconn
    seanoconn Posts: 11,318
    when I go there it is usually with loads of enthusiasm but I soon become overwhelmed by the size, travelling required to get around and see things and general impersonal nature of the place.

    However, the Perils went there for a few days last August and stayed in Covent Garden. I don't know whether it was just the Olympics but there was such a great atmosphere and feeling of goodwill that you don't normally expect in London. I bet everyone is back to being miserable, ignorant b8stards now though.
    It was just the Olympics and correct.
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  • jezzasnr
    jezzasnr Posts: 225
    love london, could never live there...
    Over the years i've worked there quite a bit, and also had some great long weekends.
    great galleries & museums. Houses of Parliament tour was wonderful, plenty of food choice & some great old pubs.
    ....like it's golden
  • graham.
    graham. Posts: 862
    I only ever go as a tourist and I love it, I try to walk everywhere as you miss so much on the underground.
    A good while ago I was wandering around as a gormless tourist, pondering how you can be surrounded by so many people,yet be so totally alone and anonymous. A taxi pulled up against the busy pavement I was walking on, I stopped to let the occupant out, he was the only person to make eye contact with me that day or to acknowledge my presence with a "thank you"...It was the short, fat camp chef from Ready, Steady, Cook!

    930102.jpg
  • seanoconn
    seanoconn Posts: 11,318
    Graham. wrote:
    I only ever go as a tourist and I love it, I try to walk everywhere as you miss so much on the underground.
    A good while ago I was wandering around as a gormless tourist, pondering how you can be surrounded by so many people,yet be so totally alone and anonymous. A taxi pulled up against the busy pavement I was walking on, I stopped to let the occupant out, he was the only person to make eye contact with me that day or to acknowledge my presence with a "thank you"...It was the short, fat camp chef from Ready, Steady, Cook!

    930102.jpg
    Hey!! That's not him. Not all baldies look alike you know, baldist!
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • seanoconn
    seanoconn Posts: 11,318
    seanoconn wrote:
    Graham. wrote:
    I only ever go as a tourist and I love it, I try to walk everywhere as you miss so much on the underground.
    A good while ago I was wandering around as a gormless tourist, pondering how you can be surrounded by so many people,yet be so totally alone and anonymous. A taxi pulled up against the busy pavement I was walking on, I stopped to let the occupant out, he was the only person to make eye contact with me that day or to acknowledge my presence with a "thank you"...It was the short, fat camp chef from Ready, Steady, Cook!

    930102.jpg
    Hey!! That's not him. Not all baldies look alike you know, baldist!
    Apologies. I was thinking of Masterchef :oops:
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • hmm interesting reading. i think i am blase about it, there are many things i have never done/visited/seen, that people who only visit as tourists occasionally have done. working here means im in such a rush to get away during the week that i dont even consider coming here for a day out etc unless its very specific ( a show, sporting event etc).

    talking of celebs i have seen, franco zola in canary wharf tesco, rob green in a club in hoxton and best of all, phil from time team. i was on my way to uni walking through lincolns inn fields and he walked towards/past me with his silly hat on muttering to himself! if i wasnt so starstruck i would have got his autograph
  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life itself.
    Ben

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