London - A World Class City
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With its history reaching over 2000 years, London has everything one could ask for in a vacation - well apart from guaranteed sunshine! It has superb hotels, top restaurants and amazing sights. Coupled with nightlife that is just difficult to match anywhere else in the world, London is truly one of the must see destinations. If you have a bucket list, then this city must be on it!
Born in America I have lived in London for 10 years now. In that time I have had loads of friends and family over! Now to help others along this website is for you. It gives you a few ideas on what to expect, what to see and where to eat! |
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London is one of most diverse capital cities in the world. Every religion you can name is practiced in the capital and tolerance of difference is held as an incredibly important facet of modern life. For many visitors, London is a shock to the senses, its not just only the accent you will notice, but the fact that anything goes in the capital. Coming from the polished United States some are often amazed at the gritty nature of the streets and people (you will notice the infamous English smile!)
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Londoners
To begin with people who live in London like many other capital dwellers are busy, busy, and busy! What can appear to be rudeness isn't usually that, it's just that what might seem odd to you is quite normal to them! If you travel on public transport you will immediately notice that people rarely talk to each other, and if they do it is generally on the quiet side. |
London Time
Los Angeles TimeAmericans will often stand out because they are the only ones talking loudly! For many tourists Londoners are aloof and standoffish. To a certain extent that is true but if you get the chance once you have scratched the surface they can be some of the funniest, kindest and most loyal people you will ever meet.
Having said that a word of warning, many Brits find it quite shocking when Americans tell them their life story in the first five minutes if meeting each other. Such information will often lead to you receiving strange smiles. Brits can be very reserved and it may take a while to warm up them!
Having said that a word of warning, many Brits find it quite shocking when Americans tell them their life story in the first five minutes if meeting each other. Such information will often lead to you receiving strange smiles. Brits can be very reserved and it may take a while to warm up them!
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I always tell friends and family the same thing when they come to London - just be aware of some Anti-American feeling. For many British the last Gulf War and the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan may prompt them to utter statements about America that might make you feel uncomfortable. Generally these people are not nasty or mean, just that talking about politics and history is quite normal.
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Five things we would do with American visitors 1. Travel on the underground (get a Oyster Card)
2. Visit the Tower of London 3. Go to Camden (eccentric place - nearest tube Camden Town) 4. Go to Brick Lane for a curry 5. Have a drink in a real English pub |
In addition many people in London hold George Bush directly responsible for many issues in the world, and he is generally seen as a figure of fun. President Obama on the other hand is seen as one of the best things to happen to the States for years!
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Trust me! You will need one of these!
 
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Healthcare has to be mentioned! Many British are intrigued by the Obama Care Act and having grown up with the National Health Service (NHS) free healthcare is seen as the norm and a right in the United Kingdom. They may ask you questions about it. Be warned whilst they may say many negative things about the NHS they are generally very proud of it, and get very defensive if you question the normality of it!
You might have noticed that the British are a very odd lot. I would thoughly recommend "Watching the English" by Kate Fox to really understand them. |
The United Kingdom some would argue is a fading world power. Having gone from owning and running most of the world they now have the fifth biggest economy in the world. Many will utter very negative statements about their country. It is not because they are unpatriotic, its just that they don't shout about it.
Some of what I have written may sound a bit odd but trust me, apart from the weather (it does stop raining sometimes) the United Kingdom and London especially is a great place to live. It has to be because I married a London Policeman and this is now my home.
Some of what I have written may sound a bit odd but trust me, apart from the weather (it does stop raining sometimes) the United Kingdom and London especially is a great place to live. It has to be because I married a London Policeman and this is now my home.
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British Sense of Humour (note the spelling!)
Even know after being here for many years at times I have no idea where British people are laughing at something. They reveal in the oddness in life, the bizarre nature of the world, but rarely tell jokes. Instead Brits will die laughing if someone raises an eyebrow in a certain way, maybe at a certain time. They love to pull your leg and will often say things to wind people up, just to have a laugh. If you want to have a look at some clips of classic British comedy check out the links below: Blackadder goes Forth, a comedy about the First World War. Click here Dad's Army, a comedy about the Second World War. Click here Harry Enfield, very funny show. Click here, Click here Ricky Gervias on the Late Show - What not to say to British People! click here The British reveal in moaning, love to crack jokes, and have probably the strangest humour in the world. A good read to get in the swing of things is Dara O'Briain "Tickling the English." The weirdest thing about British humour is that no subjects are taboo. There are comedians such as Jimmy Carr that really push the boundaries at times. Remember this is the same country that made a comedy film about suicide bombers! London Habits
You may notice on public transport that people are reading. London has two daily free newspapers, theMetro in the morning and the Evening Standard. It is not unusual to find loads of these around the tube network and buses. Always worth reading just to get a handle of what is happening in the world. |
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For many Americans it comes as a shock to the amount of copy that is concerned with foreign affairs. For a different spin on the world check The Sun, The Daily Mail, The Telegraph or the The Guardian.
You will notice that Brits love a drink and unlike the States it is quite normal to drink in the street. In fact one of the nicest things to do in London when the sun shines is grab some beers and sit in one of London's stunning parks. Pubs are everywhere in the capital, in fact it is often said there is one on every street corner! Children are usually more than welcome in pubs, especially if you are eating. Jay walking is not an offence in the United Kingdom, and you will find Londoners will just launch themselves into traffic to cross a road. If you feel unsure about doing this (and you will) just look for pedestrian crossings which are designed to safely guide people across. There are two types. The first will mea you have to press a button and wait for the green man to cross. The second is called a balecia beacon. These are orange globes on top of black and white poles with white hashes across the road. If you want to cross just stand on the kerb next to the pole and traffic should (!) stop. Be warned. If you want to cross just be ready. People will honk if you you stand there by mistake! Cycling has become increasingly popular in London so just be aware of the two wheeled vehicles in London Streets. Finally remember Brits drive on the other side of the road so just keep that in mind when crossing the road. Always look left.
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Crime
Brits love it when Americans that London is dangerous. They will often smile or even roar with laughter! To many the US is dangerous and the right to bare arms is often seen as ludicrous in the UK.
Brits love it when Americans that London is dangerous. They will often smile or even roar with laughter! To many the US is dangerous and the right to bare arms is often seen as ludicrous in the UK.
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Gun controls in the the UK are some of the strictest in the world. Only the police are allowed to carry CS spray or pepper spray and they are technically classed as firearms. Do not bring in any kind of weapons into the UK. You do risk being arrested. You can carry a penknife on you, but it must have a non-locking blade and be able to fold away. The blade can not be more than 3 inches long. Anything in the UK can be classed as a weapon, and you must not carry an item for self defence. I know it sounds odd, but it does work.
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Remember in an emergency dial 999 not 911!
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Like all other countries in the world, there is crime. In London just take the normal precautions. Just keep your valuables on you but don't get paranoid. There are pickpockets in the capital but as long as you look after your cash you will be ok.
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