London, Day 13, Friday, October 18, 2018 – Our Last Day in Europe, continued
Paris and London are so different, and very unexpected to me. Paris is a quieter, Morse reserved city, whereas London is more brash, more in-your-face. I really expected it to be the other way around!
Things we have learned in London:
1). When Londoner’s say ‘mind the gap’ on the trains, they mean it!
2). Do not mess around with the British Guards. They may look like toy soldiers all dressed up with furry hats and all kinds of ceremony, but they carry Uzis and know how to use them!
3). Londoners believe in working up-escalators.
4). There are very few crosswalks because most pedestrians don’t both with them anyway.
5). Even if it doesn’t look like a street, be careful because it probably is one, and there will be a car trying to use it.
6). Londoner’s drive very expensive cars, have the same disregard for personal space behind the wheel that Parisians do, and generally put cars in places that cars should never go.
7). Londoners start their kids early on razor scooters. I’ve never seen scooters with training wheels before.
Ta-ta!
To see Paris and London back to back was an incredible experience. I had studied British Literature and British History in college, and at one point, knew far more about England than I did my own country. I had always thought that I would just love London. I was very blasé about seeing Paris. I went, because that was where Sharon had planned to go with our other friends. I’d never been particularly interested in France or Paris.
To my surprise, I absolutely adored Paris. I was completely enamored with the city, and have already gone back again, and am getting ready to go a third time, shortly. (A very short visit, albeit, but, as has been said, ‘Paris is always a good idea’. I can always be talked into going to Paris.). And again, to my surprise, I’ve found I really love France. I’d like to retire there. Ah, well, dreams are free.
I love architecture, and Paris was a marvel. It’s a city of secrets, as well, as the street facing side of most of the buildings are but a small piece of the whole, and door ways often lead into courtyards to park cars, and which lead to other courtyards, gardens or buildings. It’s also a city of gardens, museums, and statuary in odd, out of the way corners. It’s a city that will take a lifetime to explore.
London, on the other hand, was a disappointment. There were many reasons for this, none of them the fault of the city. I had studied the London of 300 or more years ago, and that city only exists in small pockets, thanks to the bombing in World War II, which leveled much of the city, and most of Europe, for that matter, Paris being an exception. Therefore, it’s a city of architectural schizophrenia. Two stunning, ancient towers are now connected by a steel and glass monstrosity. A modern bridge hides the old, ornate, stone pillars.
There were other differences as well, but none set up the juxtaposition of the two cities quite as well as our boat rides on the respective rivers. In Paris, the Seine was quite, the stone promenades on the banks elegant and unmarried. Beautiful homes and gardens lined the banks. All was exquisite and of impeccable taste. And it was sunny the day we were on the river, and the water blue and serene. Paris is careful, hides it’s secrets well, and is constantly plotting ways to maintain it’s graciousness and elegance
The afternoon we were on the Thames, it was gray and rainy, and the water was churning. There were wells from the current behind bridge pillars, showing the violence of the strong current, and barges anchored and working in the center of the river. London is brash, and a working city. It’s crowded, and a mix of old and new, one on top of the other. It’s a melting pot of peoples and cultures, all busy about their business, and unapologetic about the crazy skyline.
I would like to see more London. It is no longer the city I studied, but it is fascinating in it’s mix of the old and modern, and the lack of overall planning. I plan to go back in 2019 (already have the plane tickets!) and want to really explore. It may not be the city of my dreams, but it is an amazing place with a lot more to uncover.
Touchdown in the Colonies, Chicago, Illinois, USA, Saturday, October 19, 2013
We are back in the Colonies. We are now in Chicago awaiting our connecting flight to Seattle. Since Sharon is a member of United, we are waiting in the lounge. Both of us are tired, and ready to be home.
We also are convinced that anytime we are taking any type of transportation, we are in the farthest gates/platforms/cars possible. We have been from the end of one terminal to the opposite end of a different terminal in airports in four countries. We are now headed to gate 21. Out of 22. The best was the Eurostar train. Our seats were in carriage 2. The carriages were about twice the length of a normal train. We got on the platform at carriage 16. Nothing like hiking a mile for your train car!
Anyway, we’ve had a wonderful trip, and it will be nice to get home!
And this is the trip that started it all. It’s now 2018, and we’re getting ready to embark again. I’ll continue to work at getting the old blogs up, but they will be interspersed with new adventures.
Thanks for coming along with me!
S.
Suzanne’s Travels 