I had the opportunity to visit England on many occasions, and on every trip, I’d try to think about how I could manage to live there permanently. It’s such a magical country, but then I’d think about how cold it gets (very), and how rainy it is (very), and decide my home in Virginia was better suited for this girl who must wear socks to stay warm even in the summer! Every building, every little village, is filled with history. In the United States, we’re impressed with a building that’s 150 years old. In the UK, the castles and cathedrals go back to the year 1200! So, walking through a building that has been standing for 800 years is common place.
And I don’t know how anyone would ever get tired of visiting London. It has an electric energy. The city is an eclectic blend of very old architecture, like the Tower of London, Big Ben, and the House of Parliament, and very new architecture, like the oddly shaped skyscraper the locals call “the gherkin”, because it looks like a big shiny pickle rising up in the air. It is a meticulously clean city, bustling with people, the roads filled with those bright red double decker buses, and those classic black taxis. Their subway system (the “tube” or “the underground”) is easy to navigate, and fun to ride (Mind the Gap!).
At Christmas time, London pulls out all the stops! Lights and trees are everywhere! It’s very hard NOT to be in the Christmas spirit when walking or riding through the streets of London this time of year, whether it’s visiting the famous Harrod’s department store, or just driving across Tower Bridge, or stopping for tea and little finger sandwiches at one of Fortnum and Mason tea rooms. There is no bad time to visit London, but if you get the chance, visit London at Christmas!
Someday, London, I’ll get back to you! This pandemic can’t last forever!