Hello from London

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   thekidandblueposted 13 years ago

   Anyone from London or ever visited? Tell us what you think of this beautiful city of ours (can you tell I'm pro London).

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      AdsenseStrategiesposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I lived there four years. Tooting, Wimbledon, and Battersea

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         Clem-Blemposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Great areas of SW London. I live in Fulham, by Chelsea harbour

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      MAMBORDposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      After living in NYC and others cities, I can say London is the perfect place to live. I mean to live. Mayfair is the area where I like to have a walk and a couple of pints when I come back to London.

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   tantrumposted 13 years ago

   I love London ! I've been there a lot of times.
   I have been living in Pinner, Walthamstow, Finchley, West Kensington,and  Hackney

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   thekidandblueposted 13 years ago

   I've lived in Clapton, East St Market, Covent Garden, North Kensington, Angel, Walthamstow, Russell Square, Paddington and Notting Hill. phew.
   
   I love Dalston, Southbank, Hyde Park and the Square Mile on weekends.

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      tantrumposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I forgot Dalston!
      Some places in London  I like are ,the Heaths, Chelsea and Regents Park area.

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         krajiposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         I visited London a few years ago for one weak and I liked it a lot. I visited a lot of things at that time (parks, museums, greenwich, madam tussauds, london eye, aquarium, 2 musicles ...). I was in the middle of april and weather was really nice. Despite people say it is showering there all the time, I have only a few showers during breakfast and quite sunny during day.

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   CMHypnoposted 13 years ago

   I've lived in London and the surrounding area since 1978.  Sometimes its easy to forget what a great city it is.

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   kirstenblogposted 13 years ago

   I am in the west london area, ealing. and love it!

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   myownworldposted 13 years ago

   I moved to london two years ago (after living in paris for 5!) and though there is rarely a city as beautiful as Paris, it never won me like London has.  It's electric the kind of energy London has....vibrant, muti cultural and alive...and it just makes a home in your heart!

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   EmpressFelicityposted 13 years ago

   I went to uni in London and lived there for six years after I finished my degree.  As a student I stayed in South Kensington and Raynes Park, followed by Tottenham and Streatham Hill post-college.
   
   Much as I love London I don't think I could go back there to live (too expensive, high-pressured and crowded), although I'd never say never 'cos you don't know what's around the corner.  Having said that, I don't get to visit it as often as I'd like and have completely lost my city reflexes, so to speak.

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   wrenfrost56posted 13 years ago

   I have been to London a few time's and I love it. There is so much to see and do.

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   liswilliamsposted 13 years ago

   I love the hustle and bustle,lots of activity, great holiday, not to stay for me though, I need sunshine

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    Alexpteposted 13 years ago

    Hello!
    
    I live near London and love going there, it's a great place.

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    thekidandblueposted 13 years ago

    My biggest problem is living so close to so many awesome things that I always put doing things off because they are on my doorstep.

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    The Bardposted 13 years ago

    Ah London. Dr Johnson said that a man who is tired of London is tired of life! Well I'm exhausted. I'm lucky that I can divide my time between the capital and another home in the Philippines. I first came here from the north east in 1977, and later got married, bought a house and had three kids. (Who can't leave home because property prices are way above their means and renting is an extortion of which they would be fools to consider).
    
    I live in west London five miles from the centre. If I enter it by car I must pay £8 congestion charge and if I forget to pay after midnight on the day it goes up to £10. 24 hours later it will shoot up to £60. When I'm in the zone I need to find a parking space which will cost me £1 for every 15 minutes. Hammersmith and Fulham are a bit cheaper, but Kensington and Chelsea milk it for all that it's worth. If I overstay for a minute I'll get clamped and I'll have to pay £200 to get the car released. If I park in a designated NCP car park I will be charged £15 for two hours.
    
    If I got a bus it would cost £2 for one stop. Unless I buy an Oyster card, which costs £5 for the privilege and then must be loaded in advance to get on the bus or tube.
    
    As a driver I subsidise councils who think they have a divine right to penalise me with instant fines of £50 for parking infringements or entering a bus lane which is an automatic £100 fine. CCTV is in abundance, and a simple drop off will result in a penalty. There are several London boroughs which have individually more CCTV than the whole of New York
    
    Many great traditional pubs are a shadow of their former selves and if not closed become themed drinking dens which account for the fact that anti-social behaviour is rampant. You can't sneeze on the street without some poncy jobsworth exercising authority, and they like most of the Metropolitan police have lost all common sense. Ghettos abound, gangs are rampant, and the once great capital of empire is nothing but a sleazy unkempt den. The London Underground is a something to be avoided. 
    Sure, there are free museums but everything else will cost an arm and a leg, but if you're happy walking around what's left of the Victorian and Edwardian streets then presumably it won't cost much.
    
    For the tourist, Westminster and the City of London are the draws, but why on earth would they wish to venture to Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, Willesden, Harlesden, Kilburn, et al?
    
    The final ignominy is a ferrous wheel on the banks of the Thames near the Houses of Parliament. The London Eye is nothing more than a reflection of a once proud city that has capitulated to crass Disneyesque commercial largess with no regard to history. Indeed, it is a monument to a government that treats it's nation with contempt, and wishes to obliterate the very essence of it's soul.
    
    By all means visit London, but look forward to getting out quick. England awaits in her glory, as does France, Holland and Germany. They are a better bet, and haven't lost their dignity.

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       Black Lillyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Tower Hamlets, and especially some areas of Newham are a must-see for any tourist (including "olympic" Stratford). Just to understand, that London is not all nice old buildings and cosy streets.
       What on Earth they hope to see in Willesden or Kilburn...have no idea. Even Brixton is better
       
       I like the City very much, and Canary Wharf on a warm summer evening. Also Camden Town, Portobello Market, Covent Garden, Knightsbridge + Kensington/Chelsea, places around Southbank and Tower Bridge...

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          thekidandblueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          Indeed! they are mostly residential areas
          
          Tower Hamletls has all these:
          Brick Lane
          Cable Street - site of the Battle of Cable Street
          Hawksmoor's Christ Church, Spitalfields
          site of two historic Royal Mints
          Tower of London
          Victoria Park
          
          I cheated to get a list quickly by going to wiki

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             Black Lillyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             Yes, but also Whitechapel - every time I pass through that I wonder is this still London or even UK...
             
             Forgot to mention - Chinatown (Chinese New Year coming soon - would be spectacular). And of course, SOHO

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    Cagsilposted 13 years ago

    Hello

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    thekidandblueposted 13 years ago

    Cor blimey guv'nor I'll have a cup of Rosie while I put me Plates up, cheers me old China.

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    curioxatposted 13 years ago

    I;m now in Brighton but visit all the time. I had some great years there living in stepney green - bricklane rocks! :-)

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       thekidandblueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       Brick Lane is indeed awesome.
       
       I love getting a Salt Beef Bagel but I don't like the touts from the restaurants they drive me nuts. Some of the shops are great too, some real finds to be had. Weather you like fixed wheel bikes or vintage clothing, Great music or original art. It's one trendy place to be.

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          Drwibbleposted 13 years agoin reply to this

          I heard that most of the bikes being sold in brick lane are stolen. Is that still the case?

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             thekidandblueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

             All the shops look reputable, but who knows these days. god i sound old

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    frogdroppingposted 13 years ago

    I keep passing through London on my travels. It feels like the city I live in, the difference being I can understand what everyone around me is saying
    
    I'm a country girl so any city is a great place to visit but when it comes to living in one - not my cup of tea

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       thekidandblueposted 13 years agoin reply to this

       I've been a city boy my whole life but i know what you mean about being great to visit.

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    WriteAngledposted 13 years ago

    I grew up in Ealing and loathed it for its dullness and suburbian mentality. When I was still at school in the 1960s, it was possible to travel into the West End and the City relatively cheaply. I made the most of that time. Most of my holidays were spent wandering around central London, visiting museums and art galleries. I joined the Friends of the Royal Shakespeare Company and saw some wonderful performances at their former home in the Aldwych Theatre. One memorable year, I took out a 25-concert season ticket for the Proms, including the Last Night.
    
    With time, however, the price of travel increased as did the price of event tickets. The Tube became increasingly ghastly. By the time I turned 18, it was too expensive to travel in from the suburbs. Although central London offered a rich cultural life to those who could afford it, the suburbs were dead. I left to study in Bristol and found a far richer life at much lower prices.
    
    Since then, I have lived in Bristol, Zagreb, Bristol again, Sheffield, Nottingham and now semi-rural Wales. There is no way I could afford to live in London, nor would I wish to do so. The price of my current home would perhaps buy me a lavatory or a garden shed there. I drive a Prius, so am not subject to the congestion charge, but, having driven through central London a couple of times, there is no way I will submit myself to that level of aggression and hostility again. The Tube is even more dire and expensive than before. Someone described the London Tube as the "armpit of Europe", which I consider a generous assessment.
    
    I do visit my younger daughter in Wimbledon, but have very little desire to subject myself to the rip-off transport and events offered by London. In addition, I cannot stand the filthy streets, shoving crowds, rudeness and general feeling of unsafety, especially once the sun goes down.

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    Karina S.posted 13 years ago

    I would like to visit London

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    Red_Hot_Daveposted 13 years ago

    I used to live in Islington, but now reside in Hertfordshire.

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    Dame Scribeposted 13 years ago

    My Dr is from London. Love her accent while others, well, was hard to understand would love to visit but probably get lost lol

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    James Markposted 13 years ago

    Wonderful city: when I'm there I think it's better than Paris, and vice-versa, but they are so different you can't really compare them. The QEII walk along the Thames (Tower Bridge to Tate Modern, or further if you have the time) is very good and takes in a lot of interesting things (Borough Market, The Golden Hind, The Clink, The Globe replica, Millenium Bridge, St Paul's, the Tower of London and St Katherine Dock plus ancient and modern architecture  - all wonderful to see, and plenty of restaurants and cafés.
    
    I recommend doing the South Bank heading west, then back towards the Tower. Take your camera, a good memory card and spare batteries!

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    torimariposted 13 years ago

    Hi there and welcome. I'd love to visit London and am strongly considering going to grad school there or in England generally.

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    CrystalStarWomanposted 13 years ago

    I really should go to London more often - it's only about an hour and a half on the train...
    
    The last time I went was to see a Dr Who exhibition in 2008 - which was great

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    L. Andrew Marrposted 13 years ago

    I live about an hour away from London -
    
    I genuinely hate the place.

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    zzronposted 13 years ago

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