The good and the bad

[gordonzola]

(This list is undoubtedly incomplete)

Good things:

+ legally drinking in public, including on the trains!
+ being able to order/being offered tea by people who actually know how to make it. (no luke warm water and a bag delivered to the table)
+ neighborhood pubs
+ weird "American" t-shirts that are never quite right: "South Dakota High School Cows", "New York City National Champion 1979" etc. Quite trendy.
+ Flamingo 50 @ the Arts Café
+When I said I went to the "Stolen Art Museum" not a single person didn’t understand I meant the British Museum’s Greek and Egyptian collections. (The Americas section was closed. I hear there are more Native American artifacts there than anywhere else in the world.)
+ Cheese tour at Neal’s Yard Dairy
+ Not working
+ My Friends who are living there. Including an acquaintance African-American guy who was truly annoying the Brits by saying he lived in "Pimplico". They’d correct him, saying properly, "No, it’s Pimlico" and he’d respond, "Now that I’m there, it’s Pimplico".
+ East End accents
+ People saying "Blimey" with absolutely no irony.
+ Trying to teach Londoners to say "Whatevs".
+ The TV show "YFOM"*


Bad things:

- Police/ambulance sirens now sound just like the USA. All those great punks songs ("White Riot", "Babylon’s Burning" etc.) just wouldn’t have sounded the same.
- "Ragtime", the musical.
- Pubs close too early.
- Tube shuts down too early.
- Bank holiday Monday in Brighton. At least I got to see a friend who would have been working otherwise, but you’ve never seen so many bad tattoos on pasty skin.
- English fashion. I thought London would be a better dressed city.
- My friend Betty’s insane dog, Zane, aka Bastard. Serious foot fetish. Into foot licking, which isn’t so bad, but also into foot biting if you try and get away. Will hump your leg at any opportunity. English bull terrier: all muscle and teeth.
- Too short a trip


*This deserves its own post so I’ll explain it, don’t worry.

Comments

[missruckus.livejournal.com]

i love london! i also hate it at the same time. but right now, the love overpowers.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

love, hate, as they say, they're often in the same place. I don't know if I'd want to live there but it was a great trip. An hour subway ride on vacation is an adventure, when one is working it's an ordeal.

[fightingwords.livejournal.com]

hee. i'm thinking about going there this summer. how long were you there?

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

I was just there two weeks, but I had a great time. It didn't seem long enough. You're welcome to borrow my map and guidebook if you want. Do you know people there?

[fightingwords.livejournal.com]

unfortunately, i'd only be able to stay for about 10 days. i was in london briefly in 2000, when i had friends living there. now, i'm afraid, i'll be on my own. hopefully, i can find a cheap hostel or something. and -- thanks for the offer of the maps and guidebooks; i just may take you up on that.

[greasyspoon.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you had fun!

Are you glad to be back?

I can see where the siren thing could be a bummer. You're right about the ol' English punk anthems.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

It wasn't quite long enough but I'm glad to be back in some ways. I'm still on vacation for two weeks so that takes some of the edge off coming home. I'm going north next, probably.

[mazette.livejournal.com]

generally, london fashion consists of trainers (sneakers) and trousers! i was mocked for wearing non-trainer shoes by my British friends.

as for the rest.. you're making me miss the UK.. drinking on trains, taking the train to Brighton, eating chips and mushy peas (recommended!), proper tea, blackcurrant Ribena, the NFT (Nat'l Film Theatre), and so on...

if you get the chance, check out the gay Bhangra club in the East End! look in Time Out or ask around, it's sooo much fun.

xo

[mazette.livejournal.com]

oh, you're already home.. i didn't realize.
oops.