I love lots of things about London, perhaps nothing more than its wonderful multiculturalism. To walk down Queensway at night past the Middle Eastern, Ethiopian, Chinese, Indian, Thai and Tibetan restaurants with reggae blasting is one of the great joys in life. It's a city where the whole world meets.

I'm half asleep, but we just returned from London about 3 hours ago, and it was hot, hot, hot!

I'd say meet someone and interact with people who live there. Having lived there for a number of years, we spent most of the time going from one friends's home to the next and staying with friends. While we hit a couple of the tourist spots (London Eye, Tower of London, Legoland -- yes, we have a kid, Greenwich), I'd say going to country pubs with friends, bringing each other up to date, kicking back and just renewing friendships was the best.

In hot weather, take busses -- the old ones have the best ventilation. The tubes in hot weather are horrible -- I'm still not amused at what they replaced the old Central line trains with -- i.e. no ventilation.

Yesterday we spent our last day at V2003 in Chelmsford, hanging with about 10 of our friends, listening to music. A great, but tiring way to finish our trip, although we were forced to stick a couple of beer-stained towels in our luggage. Coldplay was phenomenal, as was Echo & the Bunnymen. One thing I did learn was that they continue to provide beer and wine long after people (especially the 18 year olds) should stop. You pretty much have to ignore the barfers and the pee-ers to listen to the music later on, but it can be done.

Ira

Hearing that you enjoy the London Eye so much makes me disapointed that I mistook it for an over priced ferris wheel.

I don't think that you were mistaken, Calamari.

Why did that have to put right where it destroys the view? It's worse than the Eiffel tower.

Hello Ira

Frankly, I must agree. My kids kept saying, "when can we go over there to the carnival". Surprised that Prince Charles did not stop that idea in it's tracks.

I hope this is one of those times when your dry humor is just to subtle for me. :-)

Grasshoper

Sorry, but I am not trying to be funny. Hope you are not offended by my opinion.

Of all the places I have traveled in Europe (and the UK for that matter)London is my least favorite place (well maybe tied with Den Hague). That said, the way London's history figures into literature (at least that to which I have been exposed) is unsurpassed. That would be the best thing about London for me. Unfortunately, it is difficult to imagine Dickensian (is that a word?) London, even while in the middle of the city. I think that is why so many of us enjoy London Walks, because they help us see the other London. In a place like Paris or smaller towns in the UK it is (IMHO) less important to have someone tell you what's important or historic, because you FEEL it.

I love the history that is everyplace, the people and the cab rides. The atmosphere is just great. We stayed at the Thistle Victoria hotel and would go and watch the people at victoria station. It is hard to explain what makes London such a great place. I've been there twice and everytime I come home I want to go back.

Taxis. I could ride around in a London cab forever. I just love everything about them. The shape of the car, the chatty drivers, the jump seats, and most of all, the fact that you don't have to fold up your stroller to get into one.

And pubs. Love them. Love how they are filled with neighborhood blokes talking about football and cricket. Love the beer. Love a Pims on a hot day. Love how the Brits drink at lunch.

And the Tate Modern. What a cool museum.

And english breakfasts. Nothing cures jet lag like room service of two fried eggs, sausage, mushrooms and tomatoes. Mmmmmm.

I agree, nothing like a hot beer on a really hot day.

To me,London is charmless,dirty, over-priced,over-crowded and way over-rated.
Aesthetically it's become a shadow of its former true self which ended circa 1965 by selling itself as a historical and trendy theme-park (over there is Dickenstown,over there Royalville and to the left passed Lloyd-Webber Tripe Borough is Theatreworld) to the history-hungry and fashion challenged masses (oooh!It's British!It must be good!!!).
Any indigenous life-force,elegance and creativity it once had has long departed and either lives far outside of the city,is imported or thrives in New York,Barcelona,Copenhagen,Madrid,Paris,Milan,Antwe rp,Munich...etc
However as a repository of shiny dead things (The crown jewels,its museums,
its ersatz pubs,its shops, its equally fictitious Olde Tea Shoppes,the Royal Family,Madonna...etc)it is unsurpassed and worth a day trip or two.

Hey tiggle,

No need to mince words, here. Tell us what you really think. :)

Tiggle

I really enjoyed your contribution. It was very amusing. Sounds like you may have even stayed at a place known as the Kensington Park Apartments which would put anyone off London. Thanks for sharing your views, a few of which I also share.

London reminds me of my birthplace and home for the first 18 years of my life, Chicago. Love it!!
John

ttt

Well Tiggle you are entitled to your views but I as a Brit I find them unpleasantly exaggerated and focusing purely on the negatives.

As guy from the country, I lived in London for 2 years. As a massive international city it felt hurried and crowded but it also has a lot of great things to see and experience.

Charmless? Reading the messages on this board seem to show that a lot of people are charmed by London. There is wealth of things to do and London is made up of many boroughs with their own atmospheres and cultures. It's not just Madame Tussaud's you know.

Dirty. Yep - well I've been to New York and Paris - and I won't be eating off their streets either. I guess you won't being going to Athens...

Overpriced. Yep - it's ranked seventh in the world. New York and Paris aren't too far behind (in 10th and 11th place)

Over-crowded: 20th populous city - behind New York which has over 600,000 more people. I suggest you look beyond Oxford Street and seek out the more peaceful parks and squares.

Shadow of it's former self: What happened in 1965? Was this some watershed in London history we weren't taught in school? You mean it didn't freeze itself in time - and had the audacity to modernise, progress and yes...market itself? Unlike New York,Barcelona,Copenhagen,Madrid,Paris,Milan,Antwe rp,Munich...etc

Dickenstown: And which particular part of the London theme-park is this?
Dickens wrote about and visited many parts of London. He is a Victorian writer who reflected London rather than vice versa. You can easily go through London without seeing a reference to him...unlike Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Royalville: Yep we have a royal family (boo)and who aren't, despite appearances, dead shiny things and we have Buck Palace. All fairly restrained - have you seen the Palace of Versailles - or even Washington DC? They're interesting if you are looking for overblown royalty or aspiriational monumentualism.

Theatreworld: Yep there is a Theatre District. How appalling. With over a hundred musicals, drama and comedies in London - there are currently only three Lloyd Webber musicals. It not the 1980's now. Of course if you can't find anything you like here you can also see the Flemish production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in Antwerp.

History hungry: Why would any tourist visit a city to see it's history?

Fashion challenged masses: So that's us fodorites then? I guess you will be sitting on the front row at the next fashion circus in Milan.

It must be British! It must be good!: Sure when I go to the States I love all the cultural differences. I suppose you never get this feeling when you are in Paris and enjoying the french way of life.

Any indigenous life-force,elegance and creativity it once had has long departed and either lives far outside of the city: Hmmm, judging by all the up and coming artists, writers, scientists, thinkers etc London has nutured since 1965 - I don't Munich is going to give it a run for it's money.

Shiny dead things: Yep - London has a lot of crappy souvenir shops selling funny policeman's helmet's and pictures of Princess Di and Winston Churchill. It also has a few touristy pubs and tea shops (again avoid Oxford St and Carnaby St). You know I found Niagara falls full of touristy crap but I still enjoyed the falls. Welcome to capitialism. But London is still awash will tons of decent genuine British pubs of a wide variety. And criticising the crown jewels and museums...you must really hate the Metropolitian, the Lourve etc and all those other museums in your favourite cities.

Worth a day trip or two: Well I reckon only Paris and New York are culturally diverse and interesting as London. And they have similar big city problems too. The other cities you mention - well I bet I could easily write up a 2 week iternary for a visitor to London and I doubt Barcelona,Copenhagen,Madrid,Milan,Antwerp or Munich could even compete.

So you don't like museums, history, theatre or crowds. It seems to me you don't like cities...


Message: To me,London is charmless,dirty, over-priced,over-crowded and way over-rated.
Aesthetically it's become a shadow of its former true self which ended circa 1965 by selling itself as a historical and trendy theme-park (over there is Dickenstown,over there Royalville and to the left passed Lloyd-Webber Tripe Borough is Theatreworld) to the history-hungry and fashion challenged masses (oooh!It's British!It must be good!!!).
Any indigenous life-force,elegance and creativity it once had has long departed and either lives far outside of the city,is imported or thrives in New York,Barcelona,Copenhagen,Madrid,Paris,Milan,Antwe rp,Munich...etc
However as a repository of shiny dead things (The crown jewels,its museums,
its ersatz pubs,its shops, its equally fictitious Olde Tea Shoppes,the Royal Family,Madonna...etc)it is unsurpassed and worth a day trip or two

Pretty much everything, the last time I went was in May, I had not been there in 18 years. I went to the pub across the street from the House of Commons and saw people drinking their pints outside. I asked if it was ok to drink outside in London, the guy turns to me and says, "Hey, thats the House of Commons over there, you can do whatever you want here". I love it!

I've been to London three times and it is one of my least favorite cities to visit.

My daughter on the other hand loves it.

Was in Italy year and a half ago and ended with 3 days in London.

Big city and not very charming. Weather was a bit cool (ok) but drizzled all day on the 3rd day.

Definitely has some attraction but just didn't feel comfortable with the city.

Love Paris, Italian cities, Switzerland.

London no.