Ten Things I Loved in London (and thereby the UK)

Seen on the District Line

I'm going to do one of those list articles from online magazines that my students are always using in their papers even though I tell them it's for reading on the toilet. But what the hell...everybody's doing it.

There was a lot to love in London town, but these ten things I will actually miss a lot when I'm back here in the States. If anybody thinks I left something important out, they should write it in the comments.

Doxy in Kensington Cafe

1) Public Toilets

In London, the doors on public bathrooms go all the way the floor for more complete privacy. But how can you look under the door to make sure you won't bust in on someone, you ask? No need to worry, because the doors in these bathrooms actually lock - all of them. I think I only ran into one door that didn't lock perfectly and that was at the train station, which I'm not sure counts. You do have to take some stairs to get to them, but the public bathrooms were always a pleasant surprise. They all smelled nice or at least decent, there was always soap (good soap...not that industrial pink crap), and there was almost always a heat dryer that actually worked.

Doodle in Ealing Cafe

2) Eco-Friendly Bag Rule

In London, you had to pay anywhere from 1-5p if you got a bag from a grocery-type store. The bags you would be buying were sturdy, reusable plastic, but you didn't want to pay every time, so you always brought a tote bag around with you. I just folded mine up in my purse. I did buy a Tesco bag, which I used as a laundry bag for the rest of the trip. Now when I see the pile-up of Walmart crappy plastic bags at home, I feel sick. It really was no trouble to carry that tote, and if I had to pay for every bag, I would definitely remember to bring it instead of leaving it on my back seat each time. When I think of how much trash I didn't generate...

Changekfosters

3) The Tube

Now not all the students will agree on this, but I absolutely loved the London Underground public transportation system. It was easy to find, easy to understand, and took you pretty much anywhere you wanted to go. If you had the TFL go app, or better really, the Citymapper app, you could sort out which line you needed to ride and plan your trip pretty easily. Then you just hop on and zone out, the din of the track and the people either lulling you into solitude or blocked out by your earphones. I found it meditative, though not when it was overcrowded. Usually though, if you waited for the next one, there could be more room, and the next one usually came fast.  (The buses were good too...a little less peaceful, but a good way to see the city for sure.)

Poems on the Underground

4) Eco-Friendly Electric Switches

It's really not that hard to conserve energy when you can just flip a switch instead of pulling out a damn plug every time. It's pretty easy to get in the habit of flipping that switch too. These types of switches are also safer and more grounded. 

St. James's Park

Scones with jam and that good shit...

Victoria Embankment Gardens

5) Weather

I suppose this depends on where you're from. Some would say the weather in London sucks, and sure, it wasn't sunny a lot. But I'll tell you this - there was never ice on the roads and sidewalks, making you take your life in your hands every time you go outside. There was only the tiniest hint of snow, instead of the frigid blanket that falls on us several times in February. It rained, sure, but not the flood-inducing torrents we get in Spring. The cold was rough sometimes, but it never got below freezing and was usually in the area of 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit (or the early teens Celsius.)

Before Heathers the Musical

6) Theater

In the States it's hard to get to the theater if you don't live in a big city, and either way, it's very expensive. It's rare that something comes to town I want to see. In London, there were SO MANY shows - some musical and some not. You could see a different show every week easily, and that would actually be affordable, because the price is much more reasonable. It was often no more expensive than going to the movies here in America. It sometimes felt like going to the movies, too, which was neat. I saw The Mousetrap, Heathers the Musical, a shorter version of MacBeth, Small Island, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I enjoyed them all, but The Ocean in particular was amazing.

Still: Ocean at the End of the Lane

7) Marmalade

It's not that easy to find here, and the Smuckers version is a little watered down. Marmalade, if you don't know, is like orange jam. It's got bits of orange peel and can be very tart or very sweet depending on the brand. It never sounded appetizing to me, but I was dealing with a lot of dry mouth in those jet-lagged mornings after the trip, and I found my homestay's marmalade made my saliva glands go apeshit. Then I just got a taste for it. Of course Hyvee doesn't carry it. (Hyvee sucks.)

Before MacBeth at the Globe

8) Museums

There are so many of them, and every one I saw, big or small, was awesome. You can look at the previous posts for more detail, but London museums had it going on when it came to miniatures and recreated environments. They were also great at highlighting individual stories and really immersing visitors in history. The list of those I posted about is by no means comprehensive either.

National Theater before Small Island

9) Dog-Friendliness

There were dogs everywhere: in pubs, in cafes, on the tube. Lots of very cute very good dogs. It makes sense, as there are so many parks. I really missed my dog, so it was nice to see. I wish places around here were more open to dog patrons. So what if people have allergies. Take an Allegra, dude.

With pancakes & giant berries...

10) Clotted Cream

Butter fell asleep and dreamed it was ice cream. And you can't find it anywhere around here.