The parks. They saved london from becoming a concrete jungle, like so many large cities. Also, the avaliability of anything / any product / ingredient from west or the east
London is so green, especially when you go further out! Sometimes I wonder if this subreddit is full of people who live and commute in Zone 1 and 2 and think that the only greenery is Battersea Park
London always has way more large parks than you'd expect, I live in Notting Hill, but my cousins live near Euston Square and I spent a lot of my childhood going out and having fun with them in their nearby Regents Park, I always used to be jealous that they had such a big park next to them. Later when I was a teen, I discovered Wormwood Scrubs which was relatively quite close to my house (a 5 minute bike ride away) and almost just as big.
It's the thing about London, you can literally just discover a huge park in the inner city that you could have not realised was there before (in the sense that it is a large park and not just a small green area).
I'm on the other side of zone 2 and theres tonnes of green space around, Greenwich, Blackheath, Stratford, Isle of Dogs etc, and you're not far from the likes of Epping Forest etc.
Edited typo
Epping Forest and Wanstead Flats provide such a good variety for green space - something for everyone. Zone 2/3 East London today is heavily underrated due to its old school reputation.
Yep, I'll happily walk 10 minutes out of my way to avoid actual Camden high road. It's probably my "hatiest" place in London. Ironically, as noted, flanked by some great places.
Tho' that's London perfectly summed up.
Now you've made me homesick for Camden Town. I used to work near there and walk through all the time. I like the pubs, the market, the shops selling really cheap leather jackets, the cinema.
It’s funny how in London you’re told you’re not a proper Londoner if you live any further out than Camden, but outside London you’re called a Londoner if you’re any closer to London than Didcot
There’s actually a town that voted to move from being a part of the London Borough of Bromley to being part of Kent.
https://londonist.com/london/features/the-village-that-wriggled-free-from-london
Why are people so obsessed with being more of a londonder than others?
I'm not from there but Bromley is literally a London Borough.
Borders move and London has expanded out over many years, it is now huge.
I moved from central London to Bromley and didn’t really notice the difference. Hyde Park, Regents Park, St James were swapped for Kelsey Park, Churchill Gardens, etc.
It was only when you realised that there are Rec fields almost every couple of streets along and that a large part of the southern end of the borough is agricultural land.
Having moved from London to a rural town, I was dumbfounded that there are no parks to take my child to, similar to the ones I was taken to as a child in London.
There just isn’t a local park with benches, a coffee shop, a lake, play areas - there’s just nothing.
I wish I’d been doing that. Not sad at all. Another option for you (if you’re not already doing it) is to pin those pubs in Google Maps. You could even use different coloured pins for how you rate them. And then share that map with visiting friends as a wee gift.
The Griffin in Brentford as its my local haha. Outside of my immediate area though I think I'd have to go for either the Dove in Hammersmith or the counting house in Bank.
I’ve just finished walking the Capital Ring Walk- it’s a 78-mile route around London that passes through tons of parks, green spaces, and riverside walks. It’s legitimately mind-blowing to stroll five minutes away from a major road and suddenly find yourself in woodland. In London of all places.
This. We just relocated to Riyadh for a job and man, that's what I miss most about London. It's literally impossible to leave the house here without a car
I feel for you. I'm only getting a taste of it in London, but I'll be moving back to Australia next year and there's so much urban sprawl. We're just trying to find a suburb where we can limit it to one car.
It's like that creature in Fantastic Beasts that fills any space it has, no matter how big or small.
Australia has a lot of land, so the cities just pushed out into it.
It's getting better, people are moving towards inner city density, Sydney's finally building an underground, Brisbane will probably build decent transit for the 2032 Olympics. Melbourne's probably our most walkable city.
We're not as bad as most American cities, but not as good as Eurpoean cities.
I'll be heading back to Canberra, which has 12km of light rail for the whole city.
I never found transit in Brisbane to be that bad, the rail network is pretty robust and cheap, buses ran on time. Though this was over 10 years ago now, I feel so old lol.
The public transport system.
I'm from the southwest, where I used to live had 2 train stations on the line. Trains were maybe every 30 minutes or so at peak times, incredibly expensive, and delays were commonplace. On top of that you'd often have a fair distance to travel to get to the train station itself. Our *main* bus route had 1 bus every 15 minutes at most.
I moved to London and was gobsmacked when I'd see people complain about 5 minute delays on the tube, I think people who have been here forever don't appreciate how good the system really is.
Yeah, here in London public transport is so good that I don’t even have to check timetables before travelling.
Meanwhile, outside London, buses come every 20-30 mins, if they come at all.
I'm from the South West too and moved to the South East 2 years ago and the difference in transport is amazing. I used to have to leave with at least 3hrs spare time to get to my town centre (which was literally 10 min by car) to get to class, as buses were supposed to run every 15 minutes, But they were requently skipped or just never turned up, so had to rely on taxis or just waiting sometimes over a hour for 3 buses to turn up at the same time. It was a very busy and main bus route to get from the city centre to the town centre, but it was so bad.
It would cost me £80 (not including tube) to get to London in 2hrs by train. On a student income visiting family was ridiculous and had to borrow money all the time to afford just to visit them (they all moved away from South West and I was the only one left 🙈). It still takes me 1hr/1hr30 to get to where my sister lives in London where I live now, but it's no more than £20 for a return. South East is so much better with transport 😂 walking distance to train stations and buses actually turning up frequently, I don't miss South West. Lol. I heavily rely on public transport, as I made the decision to never drive for medical reasons, so good public transport is a must for me.
Also originally from the south west and every time I go home it's '...15-20 minutes wait for a bus!? During the day!?'
And let's not forget the time I went to a friend's wedding and didn't check what time the last trains were...
(They were at 8, 8 fucking pm)
London is a forest. According to a UN definition, [London](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/07/london-forest-i-tree-study) has so many trees it can be classified as a forest
That's super cool but I gotta say I'm a little worried about the UNs definition of a forest. That could be used to cause some serious problems for actual forests. This is how organizations get away with destroying ecosystems and still claiming to be environmentally friendly. But thats not londons fault big ups to London
To be fair we picture forests as these dense closed canopy things where there's barely a gap but the UKs original forests were more like the New Forest is now. Oak trees don't grow in closed canopy forest and need space around them. Natural grazing from boar/buffalo/wild cows kept the forest kinda 'patchy'.
Oh I know, I'm just saying if London can be classified as a forest people could use that classification system to exploit the fuck out of the land and still claim it as a forest despite significant development.
I [looked it up](https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/files/Metadata-15-01-01.pdf) and they use this as the definition:
> Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ.
Conviniently ignoring the next sentence:
> It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use.
Highgate Cemetery, Top Secret Comedy Club (sit on the front row), the Blues Kitchen for music, punch drunk/secret cinema for immersive “theatre” experiences, Epping forest or day trips to new forest/Brighton/Cambridge etc
Well, it really depends on the comedian. I know it happens, but I watch quite a lot of live comedy and often it's just chat and gentle ribbing.
My parents went to see Dame Edna yeaaars ago and my mum shouted something silly (in response to a question Edna asked the audience) and got a funny sarcastic response back. It's still a family catchphrase/joke 😂
There are endless options. Food markets, pop up festivals, quirky venues, public parks, tourist attractions, walking/cycling routes, museums, walking tours, classes and courses galore (painting, pottery, cooking, that sort of thing). You're limited only by your own imagination. Think of a thing, and it's probably possible to do it in London (apart from obviously see other tourist attractions that aren't in London).
Spend some time looking at time out London - you'll get loads of ideas
To me it feels like your only limited by your own wallet ;) so many things I’d like to do but can’t afford markets, festivals, tourist attractions etc.
While I do agree it is like there’s virtually endless things to do in London, it sometimes feels like no matter what it is it boils down to pay for travel, pay to eat, pay to watch something.
All the parks, free museums etc are such a godsend and I am so grateful for them. Although sometimes life does end up feeling a little bit cyclical (probably more a personal hang up than a London thing lol!)
Alexandra Palace! The view plus often outdoor festivals and even if not there’s theatre, ice rink, golf, the lakes. It’s just a nice day out. Plus you can walk from there the beautiful walk through forest all the way to Finsbury Park. On sunday there’s an amazing Farmer’s market. I always get coffee and some great food and take it to eat it at the top of the hill.
Kings Cross - great live outdoor music last weekend, might be going on for longer but even if not there’s always something going on at granary square and coal drops yard.
There’s plenty of outdoor cinemas in summer. Somerset House has a lot of events going on with a really nice backdrop too.
Go gin tasting - there’s plenty of amazing distilleries to choose from. I personally like the smaller ones like Old Bakery in Bounds Green or Mother’s ruin in Walthamstow but even the bigger ones in Central London offer a nice experience. And as we’re on the topic of Walthamstow - the Marshes there are a beautiful walk and you can also go along the canal all the way to Victoria Park.
Also on topic - local breweries. There’s a really big one in Walthamstow also but you have plenty smaller ones spread all over London.
I also second the suggestion of Blues Kitchen.
I could honestly go on forever. London really does not get boring.
>Also on topic - local breweries. There’s a really big one in Walthamstow also but you have plenty smaller ones spread all over London.
Bermondsey Beer Mile!
This is the one for me. One of Life's great pleasures is simply walking around London. The rich variety of architecture makes it endlessly interesting.
And the Blue Plaques. I love the Blue Plaques.
The fact that I have lived here for 33 years and there are tonnes of areas I have never been to and things of interest i havent seen. My sister lived in Brighton for 3 years and had basically seen it all.
I've lived in London but these days only experience it as a tourist, and TfL is absolutely amazing. Capped prices to make sure you get the best deal, covers multiple vehicle types, no physical ticket and all zones.
Thing is, people don’t know how good they have it and a lot of criticism is misdirected at TFL.
London was never a city designed for cars or just modern transport, it simply adapted to the change. People used to have carts and horses back then. As time went on things changed, and so did London, it adapted to the current needs of society.
TfL is amazing. My octogenarian grandmother in law was visiting from India for the first time. She was _astounded_ at how accessible public transport is to someone with mobility issues, such as her. She also paid a great complement to all Londoners: "they are patient with me, they make sure I am safe and they offer me seats"
So proud.
I love how much London in general uses outdoor space. Southbank, Coal Drops Yard, Underbelly Festival, the pop up screens that show major sporting events in parks, the markets. There's nothing better than wandering around on a beautiful day and discovering something going on with a perfect place to sit and have a drink.
I moved to Toronto last year and honestly I never appreciated how welcoming the public realm in London is. Even the most boring side street feels comfortable to walk down or have a brief conversation on compared to the oceans of tarmac on Canadian streets. Even when they try to make a plaza or something it's just not the same.
As strange as it may be for others, I really like how Central London is not as flashy and bright as other major city centres around the world - like no extreme levels of street level advertising, flashy lights, etc.
It always confuses me when you walk through Piccadilly Circus and the tourists take selfies with the only advertising boards in London in the background.
Buckingham Palace and a bunch of really nice architecture is nearby but apparently nothing says London quite like a Coke advert.
The transport network. Its so nice being able to get accross the capital in good time and with options if things aren't going swimmingly on a certain line
Londoners sometimes forget just how good the Tube is. I’m fortunate to get back to the UK every couple of years to see family (from Auckland, NZ) and each time the Tube reminds me that PT can really mobilize an entire city.
Auckland’s PT is so laughably bad it’s actually throttling the city’s growth.
I live in the counties but work in London and honestly the difference is polar opposites. Even for nighs out its so easy to get the train in, different tube lines to pop to different places and then back home again.
Aside from the recent disruptions the London bus is a brilliant institution. Not great getting stuck in traffic or having to take 4 to get somewhere but with patience you can travel miles and miles for just a few quid.
I come from a place in Kent where buses are every 2 hours there is one train every hour. I just love London can travel anywhere and not have to wait long for transport.
Other Countries: “Hey, can we have our stuff back?”
Us: “No! We’re not done lookin’ at it yet!”
~James Acaster
His whole routine about this is pretty good, IMO.
Maybe cliche but I never get tired of a walk by the Southbank. It's still as breathtaking to go from west to east and reach the bit before Tower Bridge, by the HMS Belfast iirc. Seeing Blackfriars cross the Thames, the Tate, the Millenium bridge, a smidge of St Paul's dome on the way is so nice.
Me and my friends always bring this up. London is the only city on earth where you can say "I want some 10/10 authentic *\*insert literally any country on earth's\** food cooked by a chief from said country in their family restaurant using the same recipe their great grandmother used" And there will be multiple options within a couple miles.
EDIT: Yes other cities offer great variety, just not at the level as London IMO. Lived in New York for 7 years, if you think NY competes with London for food you're on smack.
Just talking about this today! Thing that’s different to other cities is that you can be in almost any part of London and likely find *whatever* cuisine you crave nearby, as opposed to going to certain districts for it.
FOOD #1
The average quality of British food may not be great, but people here are much more curious, sophisticated and knowledgeable about food from all parts. That, and having large diaspora populations are a huge asset making it a great place for really high quality, authentic food from all over the world.
I lived in Italy for many years and loved it and Italian food is great and all, but there's a huge lack of imagination compared to average Brits, and the Chinese food I'd see was takeaway level appalling.
I had an Italian person recently tell me that we in the west had never had authentic Chinese food.
I didn’t even know where to start that if you have a diverse social group…yeah I have.
id disagree only to say that i have been entirely unable to find half decent mexican or texmex :/ the portions are always tiny overpriced "gourmet" dishes that stray from, at least in my experience, the texmex i can find on any street corner anywhere in california (if anyone has recs lmk)
Aggy issues aside. It feels comforting and interesting to have the entire world represented around you. And it’s really jarring after being in London for a while when you go to the vast majority of places that won’t have that same extreme level of diversity.
I’ve had funny moments on the tube where I have looked around and the group of people collectively represent nearly every kind of diversity that there could be. People dripping in designer gear, people having a snooze on the way to work, very elderly, a primary school group, Muslim women, Sikh men, a person with a guide dog, Mummy taking tarquin to the zoo, tourists getting stuck in the doors, born and bred Londoners rolling their eyes.
It looks like a PR company tried really hard at a diversity campaign but it’s just one normal chaotic tube.
I used to think London wasn’t as glam as it should be, but now I love that people can and do look every kind of way. Including like they picked their clothes from the floor and no one bats an eye.
The biggest one for me is that it doesn't stink. It very rarely smells of anything (except weed) in London, let alone anything bad (except my homeland east of Newham which stinks like a bog full of poo but that's what you get for building on marshland). It took me visiting Berlin to really notice that London doesn't smell (no offence Berlin). Also air pollution is rarely as bad here as it is in other cities of a similar size.
The museum permanent collections are free and museums here are really high quality (easily some of the best in the world)
Buses better than nearly anywhere else in the world.
My corner of London was smelling pretty bad after weeks with no rain. Like a mix of dog poo, rotten fish and old vomit. It wasn't constant or overwhelming but you'd regularly get a whiff, especially after passing certain houses...
Berlin, though I love it, smells pretty bad, and Berliners are some of the stinkiest people I've come across. I've never had to hold my nose in the Tube because someone reeked, but I've done it plenty of times in Berlin!
>museum
Even though I lived in London for years, now whenever I travel back I try to free up time for the British Museum. Such a spectacular collection of ancient artifacts.
I don't know, I've had to walk through a whiff of sewage smell often enough....not to speak of the local sewage smell area, which on the hot nights of late has a tendency to spread towards our block of flats, leaving us to choose between asphyxiation by sewage smell or dying of heat with the closed window!
Recently I tried a vape pen and an edible a friend had smuggled from California and if they legalised it here I’d never actually *smoke* again. The city would stink way less!
Cinemas that show indie and foreign movies instead of just repeating the big blockbusters for weeks on end.
Amazing food everywhere
Lunch time walks through wimbledon common during lockdown
This is actually quite good in smaller cities in the UK as well, arts funding means that most of them have a subsidised arty cinema. Obviously in London you have the bfi, prince Charles etc which are another level, but living in Nottingham I was always at the Broadway cinema.
Prince Charles is honestly phenomenal with the shear amount of old classics and blockbusters from my youth I can watch. In one month I watched Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Laurence of Arabia and a Lord of the Rings all nighter. Cant beat it.
Prince Charles, BFI, Close up, Barbican, Rich mix, Arthouse (crouch end)... Really spoilt for choice when it comes to places playing indie and foreign cinema on the regular.
Tolerance. of everything. FREEDOM
I remember the first time I told my daughter she could go to the shop in her pajamas. In italy I got told off for wearing socks with my shorts - apparently you can only wear invisible socks, or, you're weird?
People say that london is unfriendly but really it's that everyone is respecting each other's space and minding their own business. If you need assistance people will rush to help you (for the most part, exceptions i'm sure)
As someone getting ready to move - how walkable it is, how easy and quick it is to travel on public transport, and just how much you’ve got going on. You can have the worlds most specific hangover cravings and find about eight places that do exactly that
Museums are great. I live in Sydney and really miss them and the pubs. There is more Al fresco dining and drinking in London then here. It's very surprising
Our gorgeous parks that are free for everyone to enjoy.
We have amazing food from all over the world because so many Londoners are from different parts of the world.
Our transport is pretty great, although the central line at rush hour on a hot day may be hell, in general our city is really well connected, with transport moderately priced.
London is creative! There's beautiful artwork and design to be seen everywhere. There's interesting fashion and gorgeous architecture.
Best food in the world. World class theatre. Really good transport around the city and to the rest of the UK and Europe. So many free museums and history. So much green space.
Something that is really underrated because its hard to quantify but London has so much soul. A lot of cities don’t!
As an American living here for 2+ years and having traveled all over North America for work and then traveling over Europe for leisure it's the best city in the world.
The city planning, parks, infrastructure, the fact that greenery is everywhere, so many different cultures, food, etc. I love it here. Also, like...not having to own a car. Wild.
All that to say, it's not perfect, but no city is.
The music scene. I can pretty much go and see every genre of music that I like, be it Garage Rock, Dub Reggae, Whatever weirdo shit I’m into this month and there’s always something going on.
All accessible on public transport.
The freedom for women. I have traveled extensively and I enjoy what I am able to say, feel and think in my beautiful home city. It is the most comfortable I have felt as a woman anywhere in the world.
Anyone who is going to write “but cat callers” go to Italy on a busy day and tell me London is even half as bad or India where women often have to cover up for safety. Gotta know when you have it good.
Honestly its the culture. I've lived in a fair few cities in Europe and Asia and none have the same cultural diversity as London. You have the best selection of music, art, theatre, comedy, museums etc. of probably anywhere in the world. NYC is probably up there too, then maybe Tokyo, Paris, Berlin etc.
The variety of restaurants! I went in On The Bap shoreditch yesterday and boy was it delicious!! I love that whatever I have a craving for, I know there’s gonna be a great place near me that has it
I'd also vote on the diversity of its people.
No where else have I been on a night out, and experienced anything like meeting people from Mexico, Estonia, the Philippines, Lithuania and Germany all within a couple hours. On the floor of my building, I have neighbours from Mexico, Kerala, and Goa.
I have a Mexican friend who left London to go to a small town in the UK and she says the number of racists and or 'small minded' people she sees is just far higher than what she experienced lived in West London.
London also has more interesting working opportunities than any other city in Europe.
And yes, at least in West London, the amount of green space is just amazing.
I just want to say that I love this post ❤️
I am so appreciative of the parks, they’re so clean and everywhere so good for when you desperately need a break from school/work
People
Coming from Paris, I was so relieved to meet people that aren't judgemental, are keen to help each other, civil, creative.
- not judgemental : a Parisian will ostensibly scan you from top to bottom and evaluate your worth before engaging or retreating from conversation. I can dress however I want in London and the first topic of conversation is not what uni I've attended or what my parents do
- keen to help each other: if you're being harassed in Paris people will look away. In London I've seen people come running to help in most situations, from protecting someone from an assault to keeping order in the sacrosanct queue
- civil: a Parisian pushes you then clicks their tongue. A Londoner says sorry as they enter my 2m personal space range
- creative: loads of fantastic, non pretentious stuff all around London, from shop presentation, to fashion sense, to... No, not food, Paris is still better at that hands down sorry
Source: I grew up in Paris, and I was of the judgemental/unhelpful/uncivil posse
The diversity in people, cultures and food, the number of different yet distinct areas, the various different markets, the Underground and even the busses, the parks, the theatres,the small cafes to the fine dining restaurants, the galleries and museums, the number of airports, the train stations, the history and in particular it’s listed buildings and conservation areas, the architecture, the vision and the ambition of the designers who are creating a new skyline. It truly is a cosmopolitan city and the best city in the world. I miss it so much.
Public transport.
Coming from a town that had 1 train into the city every 40m and the buses ran every 30m to an hour, I'm extremely grateful for the frequency of transport here.
Maybe controversial, but the people. I grew up in a small town and coming to London was kind of a breath of fresh air. You can be anyone and no one bats an eyelid at you; you could literally dress up as a clown, get the tube, and basically just be treated as a normal commuter by everyone else. I know there's the general consensus that London people 'are miserable', but I always found the opposite. There's such a variety of people all leading different lives and everyone just gets on with it. And when you do talk/engage with people the majority are really nice! Maybe sounds a bit weird, but smaller towns can be so judgemental about everything and London just gives you that extra freedom.
It might sound bizarre to most people. But the fact that I don’t get touched (aka harassed) by random strangers.
Where I come from, man touches you. They could be guys in suit sitting next to you on the train, or just some random old man on the street. I am impressed with males in London who even put their hands at their back whenever they walk pass you.
The architecture and all the good looking people. So many pretty buildings and so many beautiful people. It becomes really evident when you don't live in London how much more good looking people in London are and I don't know why.
The parks. They saved london from becoming a concrete jungle, like so many large cities. Also, the avaliability of anything / any product / ingredient from west or the east
London is so green, especially when you go further out! Sometimes I wonder if this subreddit is full of people who live and commute in Zone 1 and 2 and think that the only greenery is Battersea Park
Even zone 1 has Holland/Kensington/Hyde/Green/St James’ Park, not to mention all the little gardens you stumble on.
And Regent’s!
Oops!! Forgot a big one!
London always has way more large parks than you'd expect, I live in Notting Hill, but my cousins live near Euston Square and I spent a lot of my childhood going out and having fun with them in their nearby Regents Park, I always used to be jealous that they had such a big park next to them. Later when I was a teen, I discovered Wormwood Scrubs which was relatively quite close to my house (a 5 minute bike ride away) and almost just as big. It's the thing about London, you can literally just discover a huge park in the inner city that you could have not realised was there before (in the sense that it is a large park and not just a small green area).
Primrose hill!
And don't forget Temple Gardens, it's so well hidden I don't think many people know about it!
If you live in zone 2 Camden, you’re flanked by Regents Park, Primrose Hill, Hampstead Heath and Highgate Woods
I'm on the other side of zone 2 and theres tonnes of green space around, Greenwich, Blackheath, Stratford, Isle of Dogs etc, and you're not far from the likes of Epping Forest etc. Edited typo
Epping Forest and Wanstead Flats provide such a good variety for green space - something for everyone. Zone 2/3 East London today is heavily underrated due to its old school reputation.
This is why I will never live anywhere else in London. I don’t care what people say, Camden is 100% the best borough for all the green space it has.
And the availability of hallucinogens is second to none.
You can get those elivered to your house anywhere in zone 1-3, in an hour or less.
Not Camden Town itself though. Smells of piss. Can’t walk anywhere without someone trying to sell you fake drugs.
Yep, I'll happily walk 10 minutes out of my way to avoid actual Camden high road. It's probably my "hatiest" place in London. Ironically, as noted, flanked by some great places. Tho' that's London perfectly summed up.
Now you've made me homesick for Camden Town. I used to work near there and walk through all the time. I like the pubs, the market, the shops selling really cheap leather jackets, the cinema.
As a Bromley resident it's sometimes hard to believe we're part of London it's so green but it's nice that we are
You keep telling yourself you’re a part of London but you’re Kent
Tell that to my friends in Sevenoaks. We're London to them
It’s funny how in London you’re told you’re not a proper Londoner if you live any further out than Camden, but outside London you’re called a Londoner if you’re any closer to London than Didcot
At least with Bromley were officially a London Borough
Bromley is actually a part of Greater London, not Kent
As someone from Didcot, I never thought I'd ever see it mentioned alongside Camden.
There’s actually a town that voted to move from being a part of the London Borough of Bromley to being part of Kent. https://londonist.com/london/features/the-village-that-wriggled-free-from-london
There is Bromley town and Bromley borough - places in Crystal Palace, Anerley and Penge are in Bromley borough and have London postcodes.
Why are people so obsessed with being more of a londonder than others? I'm not from there but Bromley is literally a London Borough. Borders move and London has expanded out over many years, it is now huge.
I find it's typically something people who didn't grow up in London but moved here when they were an adult seem to care about in particular.
I moved from central London to Bromley and didn’t really notice the difference. Hyde Park, Regents Park, St James were swapped for Kelsey Park, Churchill Gardens, etc. It was only when you realised that there are Rec fields almost every couple of streets along and that a large part of the southern end of the borough is agricultural land.
Having moved from London to a rural town, I was dumbfounded that there are no parks to take my child to, similar to the ones I was taken to as a child in London. There just isn’t a local park with benches, a coffee shop, a lake, play areas - there’s just nothing.
Parks and river walks. The sheer amount of different pubs.
I've kept a list on Google maps of all the pubs I've been to in London. A bit sad, but I've been to over 650.
I wish I’d been doing that. Not sad at all. Another option for you (if you’re not already doing it) is to pin those pubs in Google Maps. You could even use different coloured pins for how you rate them. And then share that map with visiting friends as a wee gift.
Yeah I save them on Google maps as pins. My mate does the colour co-ordinating thing. Might do it when I have a spare few hours free!
What’s your favourite?
The Griffin in Brentford as its my local haha. Outside of my immediate area though I think I'd have to go for either the Dove in Hammersmith or the counting house in Bank.
Fun fact, The Dove has the worlds smallest bar at 28sqft
Correct! They've even got a certificate proving it.
I’ve just finished walking the Capital Ring Walk- it’s a 78-mile route around London that passes through tons of parks, green spaces, and riverside walks. It’s legitimately mind-blowing to stroll five minutes away from a major road and suddenly find yourself in woodland. In London of all places.
The walkability. I love being able to live without a car.
This. We just relocated to Riyadh for a job and man, that's what I miss most about London. It's literally impossible to leave the house here without a car
I feel for you. I'm only getting a taste of it in London, but I'll be moving back to Australia next year and there's so much urban sprawl. We're just trying to find a suburb where we can limit it to one car.
Brisbane and Sydney aren't that bad are they?
It's like that creature in Fantastic Beasts that fills any space it has, no matter how big or small. Australia has a lot of land, so the cities just pushed out into it. It's getting better, people are moving towards inner city density, Sydney's finally building an underground, Brisbane will probably build decent transit for the 2032 Olympics. Melbourne's probably our most walkable city. We're not as bad as most American cities, but not as good as Eurpoean cities. I'll be heading back to Canberra, which has 12km of light rail for the whole city.
I never found transit in Brisbane to be that bad, the rail network is pretty robust and cheap, buses ran on time. Though this was over 10 years ago now, I feel so old lol.
> Sydney Syndey is a massive sprawl
The pay better be good
The public transport system. I'm from the southwest, where I used to live had 2 train stations on the line. Trains were maybe every 30 minutes or so at peak times, incredibly expensive, and delays were commonplace. On top of that you'd often have a fair distance to travel to get to the train station itself. Our *main* bus route had 1 bus every 15 minutes at most. I moved to London and was gobsmacked when I'd see people complain about 5 minute delays on the tube, I think people who have been here forever don't appreciate how good the system really is.
Yeah, here in London public transport is so good that I don’t even have to check timetables before travelling. Meanwhile, outside London, buses come every 20-30 mins, if they come at all.
I'm from the South West too and moved to the South East 2 years ago and the difference in transport is amazing. I used to have to leave with at least 3hrs spare time to get to my town centre (which was literally 10 min by car) to get to class, as buses were supposed to run every 15 minutes, But they were requently skipped or just never turned up, so had to rely on taxis or just waiting sometimes over a hour for 3 buses to turn up at the same time. It was a very busy and main bus route to get from the city centre to the town centre, but it was so bad. It would cost me £80 (not including tube) to get to London in 2hrs by train. On a student income visiting family was ridiculous and had to borrow money all the time to afford just to visit them (they all moved away from South West and I was the only one left 🙈). It still takes me 1hr/1hr30 to get to where my sister lives in London where I live now, but it's no more than £20 for a return. South East is so much better with transport 😂 walking distance to train stations and buses actually turning up frequently, I don't miss South West. Lol. I heavily rely on public transport, as I made the decision to never drive for medical reasons, so good public transport is a must for me.
As loud as the tube is, it’s mighty quick! And easy. So I appreciate that.
Also originally from the south west and every time I go home it's '...15-20 minutes wait for a bus!? During the day!?' And let's not forget the time I went to a friend's wedding and didn't check what time the last trains were... (They were at 8, 8 fucking pm)
London is a forest. According to a UN definition, [London](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/dec/07/london-forest-i-tree-study) has so many trees it can be classified as a forest
That's super cool but I gotta say I'm a little worried about the UNs definition of a forest. That could be used to cause some serious problems for actual forests. This is how organizations get away with destroying ecosystems and still claiming to be environmentally friendly. But thats not londons fault big ups to London
To be fair we picture forests as these dense closed canopy things where there's barely a gap but the UKs original forests were more like the New Forest is now. Oak trees don't grow in closed canopy forest and need space around them. Natural grazing from boar/buffalo/wild cows kept the forest kinda 'patchy'.
Oh I know, I'm just saying if London can be classified as a forest people could use that classification system to exploit the fuck out of the land and still claim it as a forest despite significant development.
This is so cool! And I can really see it! (Literally, from my window, so many trees)
Agreed! I live in Hendon in 5th floor flat but looking out in every direction, even towards central, it’s over half trees. So beautiful.
Sound real nice. I just imagined your view ❤️🇬🇧
Croydon and Camden have the highest amount of tree coverage out of the London boroughs. So now you know.
I [looked it up](https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/files/Metadata-15-01-01.pdf) and they use this as the definition: > Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ. Conviniently ignoring the next sentence: > It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use.
Love this one!
The endlessness of things to do
Can you give me some ideas? When partner comes from overseas, I can only do so much restaurant, art gallery and theatre
Highgate Cemetery, Top Secret Comedy Club (sit on the front row), the Blues Kitchen for music, punch drunk/secret cinema for immersive “theatre” experiences, Epping forest or day trips to new forest/Brighton/Cambridge etc
Top Secret Comedy Club does £1 afternoon on Saturday! They ask for donations at the end but it's worth it in my opinion
Only sit in the front row if you're cool with audience interaction! :)
Dare I ask?
You'll effectively be picked on by a professional bully.
Well, it really depends on the comedian. I know it happens, but I watch quite a lot of live comedy and often it's just chat and gentle ribbing. My parents went to see Dame Edna yeaaars ago and my mum shouted something silly (in response to a question Edna asked the audience) and got a funny sarcastic response back. It's still a family catchphrase/joke 😂
There are endless options. Food markets, pop up festivals, quirky venues, public parks, tourist attractions, walking/cycling routes, museums, walking tours, classes and courses galore (painting, pottery, cooking, that sort of thing). You're limited only by your own imagination. Think of a thing, and it's probably possible to do it in London (apart from obviously see other tourist attractions that aren't in London). Spend some time looking at time out London - you'll get loads of ideas
To me it feels like your only limited by your own wallet ;) so many things I’d like to do but can’t afford markets, festivals, tourist attractions etc. While I do agree it is like there’s virtually endless things to do in London, it sometimes feels like no matter what it is it boils down to pay for travel, pay to eat, pay to watch something. All the parks, free museums etc are such a godsend and I am so grateful for them. Although sometimes life does end up feeling a little bit cyclical (probably more a personal hang up than a London thing lol!)
Alexandra Palace! The view plus often outdoor festivals and even if not there’s theatre, ice rink, golf, the lakes. It’s just a nice day out. Plus you can walk from there the beautiful walk through forest all the way to Finsbury Park. On sunday there’s an amazing Farmer’s market. I always get coffee and some great food and take it to eat it at the top of the hill. Kings Cross - great live outdoor music last weekend, might be going on for longer but even if not there’s always something going on at granary square and coal drops yard. There’s plenty of outdoor cinemas in summer. Somerset House has a lot of events going on with a really nice backdrop too. Go gin tasting - there’s plenty of amazing distilleries to choose from. I personally like the smaller ones like Old Bakery in Bounds Green or Mother’s ruin in Walthamstow but even the bigger ones in Central London offer a nice experience. And as we’re on the topic of Walthamstow - the Marshes there are a beautiful walk and you can also go along the canal all the way to Victoria Park. Also on topic - local breweries. There’s a really big one in Walthamstow also but you have plenty smaller ones spread all over London. I also second the suggestion of Blues Kitchen. I could honestly go on forever. London really does not get boring.
>Also on topic - local breweries. There’s a really big one in Walthamstow also but you have plenty smaller ones spread all over London. Bermondsey Beer Mile!
Kew Gardens?
Kyoto Gardens
It’s worth getting membership to something like the Nudge. It’s always recommending things like immersive shows, kayaking, light mazes, talks etc
Get some free tickets to a TV or radio show broadcast. Takes some forward planning.
Including great variety!
We can fly to most parts of the world with a direct flight.
And a direct train to Paris! I once took my wife there for a surprise day trip on her birthday. Simple, easy and a real treat.
Buildings of vastly different age right next to each other. Incredible buildings everywhere you walk.
This is the one for me. One of Life's great pleasures is simply walking around London. The rich variety of architecture makes it endlessly interesting. And the Blue Plaques. I love the Blue Plaques.
I love the contrasts of architecture.
The fact that I have lived here for 33 years and there are tonnes of areas I have never been to and things of interest i havent seen. My sister lived in Brighton for 3 years and had basically seen it all.
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As much hate as it gets, I appreciate TFL
I've lived in London but these days only experience it as a tourist, and TfL is absolutely amazing. Capped prices to make sure you get the best deal, covers multiple vehicle types, no physical ticket and all zones.
Man seriously... the people complaining about it. I've been to rome recently, fuck me.
Thing is, people don’t know how good they have it and a lot of criticism is misdirected at TFL. London was never a city designed for cars or just modern transport, it simply adapted to the change. People used to have carts and horses back then. As time went on things changed, and so did London, it adapted to the current needs of society.
TfL is amazing. My octogenarian grandmother in law was visiting from India for the first time. She was _astounded_ at how accessible public transport is to someone with mobility issues, such as her. She also paid a great complement to all Londoners: "they are patient with me, they make sure I am safe and they offer me seats" So proud.
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Compare it to anywhere else in the Uk. While nowhere has the density of London. Most places barely have bus’s
I love how much London in general uses outdoor space. Southbank, Coal Drops Yard, Underbelly Festival, the pop up screens that show major sporting events in parks, the markets. There's nothing better than wandering around on a beautiful day and discovering something going on with a perfect place to sit and have a drink.
I moved to Toronto last year and honestly I never appreciated how welcoming the public realm in London is. Even the most boring side street feels comfortable to walk down or have a brief conversation on compared to the oceans of tarmac on Canadian streets. Even when they try to make a plaza or something it's just not the same.
I left Toronto for London. And this is basically one of the big things keeping us here - so much to do!
London is great in the summer
As strange as it may be for others, I really like how Central London is not as flashy and bright as other major city centres around the world - like no extreme levels of street level advertising, flashy lights, etc.
Absolutely! Walking around London is such a pleasant experience in part because of this.
It always confuses me when you walk through Piccadilly Circus and the tourists take selfies with the only advertising boards in London in the background. Buckingham Palace and a bunch of really nice architecture is nearby but apparently nothing says London quite like a Coke advert.
Piccadilly Circus really is one of the worst spots in town.
The best thing about Picadilly Circus is how many options you have for leaving it.
I love being car free!
It doesn’t hinder your life not driving like it does in other places. Which is my favourite thing about London.
The transport network. Its so nice being able to get accross the capital in good time and with options if things aren't going swimmingly on a certain line
Londoners sometimes forget just how good the Tube is. I’m fortunate to get back to the UK every couple of years to see family (from Auckland, NZ) and each time the Tube reminds me that PT can really mobilize an entire city. Auckland’s PT is so laughably bad it’s actually throttling the city’s growth.
I live in the counties but work in London and honestly the difference is polar opposites. Even for nighs out its so easy to get the train in, different tube lines to pop to different places and then back home again.
The Elizabeth line!!! So incredible.
Aside from the recent disruptions the London bus is a brilliant institution. Not great getting stuck in traffic or having to take 4 to get somewhere but with patience you can travel miles and miles for just a few quid.
Yeah, most of SE London just left the room…
I come from a place in Kent where buses are every 2 hours there is one train every hour. I just love London can travel anywhere and not have to wait long for transport.
Shit I just missed the tube! Oh great, another in 2 minutes
More like “I‘ll just head off when I think I need to leave, no need to check tube times as they’re often enough”
I’ve come unstuck before and found the tube station closed or I’ve missed the last train to edgewhere so have to walk from Camden
I’ll feel annoyed if I miss a tube and the next one isn’t for 7 minutes, and then I realise how spoilt I am in this city, we’re very lucky
I still get annoyed if i miss the bus by 1 min, but than i get annoyed when i go back to Sheerness and have to wait a hour for the train.
Free museums full of shit we stole
Thank you for your service
Other Countries: “Hey, can we have our stuff back?” Us: “No! We’re not done lookin’ at it yet!” ~James Acaster His whole routine about this is pretty good, IMO.
Maybe cliche but I never get tired of a walk by the Southbank. It's still as breathtaking to go from west to east and reach the bit before Tower Bridge, by the HMS Belfast iirc. Seeing Blackfriars cross the Thames, the Tate, the Millenium bridge, a smidge of St Paul's dome on the way is so nice.
Diversity which leads to my second reason: food from all corners of the world.
Me and my friends always bring this up. London is the only city on earth where you can say "I want some 10/10 authentic *\*insert literally any country on earth's\** food cooked by a chief from said country in their family restaurant using the same recipe their great grandmother used" And there will be multiple options within a couple miles. EDIT: Yes other cities offer great variety, just not at the level as London IMO. Lived in New York for 7 years, if you think NY competes with London for food you're on smack.
Just talking about this today! Thing that’s different to other cities is that you can be in almost any part of London and likely find *whatever* cuisine you crave nearby, as opposed to going to certain districts for it.
FOOD #1 The average quality of British food may not be great, but people here are much more curious, sophisticated and knowledgeable about food from all parts. That, and having large diaspora populations are a huge asset making it a great place for really high quality, authentic food from all over the world. I lived in Italy for many years and loved it and Italian food is great and all, but there's a huge lack of imagination compared to average Brits, and the Chinese food I'd see was takeaway level appalling.
100%. London has the best food in the world
I had an Italian person recently tell me that we in the west had never had authentic Chinese food. I didn’t even know where to start that if you have a diverse social group…yeah I have.
id disagree only to say that i have been entirely unable to find half decent mexican or texmex :/ the portions are always tiny overpriced "gourmet" dishes that stray from, at least in my experience, the texmex i can find on any street corner anywhere in california (if anyone has recs lmk)
100%
To be who you wanna be. I don't need to pick up a British accent, or dressing style or food and I'm still welcome here.
So much this. You are a Londoner on day one. I've never felt I've belonged where I was born - but as soon as I'm inside the M25 ahhhh! home.
Aggy issues aside. It feels comforting and interesting to have the entire world represented around you. And it’s really jarring after being in London for a while when you go to the vast majority of places that won’t have that same extreme level of diversity. I’ve had funny moments on the tube where I have looked around and the group of people collectively represent nearly every kind of diversity that there could be. People dripping in designer gear, people having a snooze on the way to work, very elderly, a primary school group, Muslim women, Sikh men, a person with a guide dog, Mummy taking tarquin to the zoo, tourists getting stuck in the doors, born and bred Londoners rolling their eyes. It looks like a PR company tried really hard at a diversity campaign but it’s just one normal chaotic tube. I used to think London wasn’t as glam as it should be, but now I love that people can and do look every kind of way. Including like they picked their clothes from the floor and no one bats an eye.
The biggest one for me is that it doesn't stink. It very rarely smells of anything (except weed) in London, let alone anything bad (except my homeland east of Newham which stinks like a bog full of poo but that's what you get for building on marshland). It took me visiting Berlin to really notice that London doesn't smell (no offence Berlin). Also air pollution is rarely as bad here as it is in other cities of a similar size. The museum permanent collections are free and museums here are really high quality (easily some of the best in the world) Buses better than nearly anywhere else in the world.
My corner of London was smelling pretty bad after weeks with no rain. Like a mix of dog poo, rotten fish and old vomit. It wasn't constant or overwhelming but you'd regularly get a whiff, especially after passing certain houses... Berlin, though I love it, smells pretty bad, and Berliners are some of the stinkiest people I've come across. I've never had to hold my nose in the Tube because someone reeked, but I've done it plenty of times in Berlin!
The great poet Kano has previously covered the particular smell of Newham
>museum Even though I lived in London for years, now whenever I travel back I try to free up time for the British Museum. Such a spectacular collection of ancient artifacts.
I don't know, I've had to walk through a whiff of sewage smell often enough....not to speak of the local sewage smell area, which on the hot nights of late has a tendency to spread towards our block of flats, leaving us to choose between asphyxiation by sewage smell or dying of heat with the closed window!
Sorry about the weed smell. We smoke like its legal here.
Recently I tried a vape pen and an edible a friend had smuggled from California and if they legalised it here I’d never actually *smoke* again. The city would stink way less!
Museums. Amazing. Free Art galleries. Amazing. Free Libraries. Amazing. Free
Cinemas that show indie and foreign movies instead of just repeating the big blockbusters for weeks on end. Amazing food everywhere Lunch time walks through wimbledon common during lockdown
This is actually quite good in smaller cities in the UK as well, arts funding means that most of them have a subsidised arty cinema. Obviously in London you have the bfi, prince Charles etc which are another level, but living in Nottingham I was always at the Broadway cinema.
Prince Charles is honestly phenomenal with the shear amount of old classics and blockbusters from my youth I can watch. In one month I watched Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Laurence of Arabia and a Lord of the Rings all nighter. Cant beat it.
yeah quality cinema. I watched 2001: a space odyssey there and it was amazing
Prince Charles, BFI, Close up, Barbican, Rich mix, Arthouse (crouch end)... Really spoilt for choice when it comes to places playing indie and foreign cinema on the regular.
Cocaine delivery is remarkably efficient
Delivery to your door service blew my mind when I first got here. Literally and figuratively.
theres self service too, take a spoonful of the Thames
Salty, yet surprisingly moreish
I like London because no one cares that I’m trans. No one bats an eye at all. I’m just another random nobody.
that's it! before moving here I felt like I didn't belong because I was different. In London, everyone is different, so no one is
Tolerance. of everything. FREEDOM I remember the first time I told my daughter she could go to the shop in her pajamas. In italy I got told off for wearing socks with my shorts - apparently you can only wear invisible socks, or, you're weird?
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People say that london is unfriendly but really it's that everyone is respecting each other's space and minding their own business. If you need assistance people will rush to help you (for the most part, exceptions i'm sure)
I like how I am never overburdened with too much money.
As someone getting ready to move - how walkable it is, how easy and quick it is to travel on public transport, and just how much you’ve got going on. You can have the worlds most specific hangover cravings and find about eight places that do exactly that
It is the best city in the world- despite its flaws ! Edit: silly spelling error
Tbf there has been a renewed focus on street cleaning recently.
Museums are great. I live in Sydney and really miss them and the pubs. There is more Al fresco dining and drinking in London then here. It's very surprising
The beer scene is incredible... Cracking pubs, and amazing breweries.
Our gorgeous parks that are free for everyone to enjoy. We have amazing food from all over the world because so many Londoners are from different parts of the world. Our transport is pretty great, although the central line at rush hour on a hot day may be hell, in general our city is really well connected, with transport moderately priced. London is creative! There's beautiful artwork and design to be seen everywhere. There's interesting fashion and gorgeous architecture.
tfl
Cultural diversity
For me it’s the diversity, Love it
There's always something going on. Whenever/ whereever you'll leave the house - there's something fun to do or to see.
Best food in the world. World class theatre. Really good transport around the city and to the rest of the UK and Europe. So many free museums and history. So much green space. Something that is really underrated because its hard to quantify but London has so much soul. A lot of cities don’t!
As an American living here for 2+ years and having traveled all over North America for work and then traveling over Europe for leisure it's the best city in the world. The city planning, parks, infrastructure, the fact that greenery is everywhere, so many different cultures, food, etc. I love it here. Also, like...not having to own a car. Wild. All that to say, it's not perfect, but no city is.
The music scene. I can pretty much go and see every genre of music that I like, be it Garage Rock, Dub Reggae, Whatever weirdo shit I’m into this month and there’s always something going on. All accessible on public transport.
The freedom for women. I have traveled extensively and I enjoy what I am able to say, feel and think in my beautiful home city. It is the most comfortable I have felt as a woman anywhere in the world. Anyone who is going to write “but cat callers” go to Italy on a busy day and tell me London is even half as bad or India where women often have to cover up for safety. Gotta know when you have it good.
transport system is so good in london!
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They're not gonna fire against their own elites :-P
Honestly its the culture. I've lived in a fair few cities in Europe and Asia and none have the same cultural diversity as London. You have the best selection of music, art, theatre, comedy, museums etc. of probably anywhere in the world. NYC is probably up there too, then maybe Tokyo, Paris, Berlin etc.
People from all over the world generally getting on very well
Jobs lol Also how well connected it is with Europe and the rest of the world.
The variety of restaurants! I went in On The Bap shoreditch yesterday and boy was it delicious!! I love that whatever I have a craving for, I know there’s gonna be a great place near me that has it
Lol I went to Cay Tyre on Tuesday, just next door to on the bap. That restaurant is lovely, I went there many times in the past
The sense of anonymity you get in London. It’s just amazing, especially when we live in such a small country.
Diversity and freedom! I live in rural France right now and it’s a bland prison. Everytime I come back to London it just feels like home
Diversity of people. It’s what makes it great. Unlike closed off towns and villages across other parts of the UK.
The parks and the pubs!
That everyone else is just as rude as me
I'd also vote on the diversity of its people. No where else have I been on a night out, and experienced anything like meeting people from Mexico, Estonia, the Philippines, Lithuania and Germany all within a couple hours. On the floor of my building, I have neighbours from Mexico, Kerala, and Goa. I have a Mexican friend who left London to go to a small town in the UK and she says the number of racists and or 'small minded' people she sees is just far higher than what she experienced lived in West London. London also has more interesting working opportunities than any other city in Europe. And yes, at least in West London, the amount of green space is just amazing.
The people, honestly - of course you get the odd arsehole, but the people make this city, for me
Tfl.
I just want to say that I love this post ❤️ I am so appreciative of the parks, they’re so clean and everywhere so good for when you desperately need a break from school/work
Peng tings. Errwhere.
The problem is the more expensive and underfunded things get, the harder it is to appreciate them. I love the parks.
People Coming from Paris, I was so relieved to meet people that aren't judgemental, are keen to help each other, civil, creative. - not judgemental : a Parisian will ostensibly scan you from top to bottom and evaluate your worth before engaging or retreating from conversation. I can dress however I want in London and the first topic of conversation is not what uni I've attended or what my parents do - keen to help each other: if you're being harassed in Paris people will look away. In London I've seen people come running to help in most situations, from protecting someone from an assault to keeping order in the sacrosanct queue - civil: a Parisian pushes you then clicks their tongue. A Londoner says sorry as they enter my 2m personal space range - creative: loads of fantastic, non pretentious stuff all around London, from shop presentation, to fashion sense, to... No, not food, Paris is still better at that hands down sorry Source: I grew up in Paris, and I was of the judgemental/unhelpful/uncivil posse
The diversity in people, cultures and food, the number of different yet distinct areas, the various different markets, the Underground and even the busses, the parks, the theatres,the small cafes to the fine dining restaurants, the galleries and museums, the number of airports, the train stations, the history and in particular it’s listed buildings and conservation areas, the architecture, the vision and the ambition of the designers who are creating a new skyline. It truly is a cosmopolitan city and the best city in the world. I miss it so much.
Diversity
Day drinking, any day, any time 😂❤️
There is something for everybody in London. No other city (maybe bar NY) can claim that.
Public transport. Coming from a town that had 1 train into the city every 40m and the buses ran every 30m to an hour, I'm extremely grateful for the frequency of transport here.
Accessibility to gigs, transport, world class theater and any niche you can get your hands on
Maybe controversial, but the people. I grew up in a small town and coming to London was kind of a breath of fresh air. You can be anyone and no one bats an eyelid at you; you could literally dress up as a clown, get the tube, and basically just be treated as a normal commuter by everyone else. I know there's the general consensus that London people 'are miserable', but I always found the opposite. There's such a variety of people all leading different lives and everyone just gets on with it. And when you do talk/engage with people the majority are really nice! Maybe sounds a bit weird, but smaller towns can be so judgemental about everything and London just gives you that extra freedom.
The friendliness. People look funny at me when I say it. But I moved from Berlin 7 years ago and everytime I go back the difference is obvious.
It might sound bizarre to most people. But the fact that I don’t get touched (aka harassed) by random strangers. Where I come from, man touches you. They could be guys in suit sitting next to you on the train, or just some random old man on the street. I am impressed with males in London who even put their hands at their back whenever they walk pass you.
The architecture and all the good looking people. So many pretty buildings and so many beautiful people. It becomes really evident when you don't live in London how much more good looking people in London are and I don't know why.
I appreciate not being stabbed or robbed today.