England top 10: Picture Blog

 

1. The big red buses and telephone booths are the perfect symbols for London, they truly are everywhere. From the crowded downtown streets to the quiet  residential roads, the color red is simply unavoidable.  

  

2. In the States we have freedom of speech but here in London they’ve
taken it to a new level…. Speaker’s Corner. Every Sunday afternoon
people gather to discuss and debate current issues of religion,
politics, and whatever else comes up. Some go weekly and even stand up
on ladders to better address the crowd, while others are just tourists
seeing what all the fuss is about. Either way, it’s a great forum to
freely speak your mind.

    

3. The motorcyclists in England are dedicated and determined. In most cities, once winter hits the bikes go into hibernation, but not here. Numerous brave riders dawn their warmest clothes possible and hit the road even in the frigidest of weather. I for one have thoroughly enjoyed this sight after months of nothing but little mopeds, which don’t even begin to compare to the mighty roar of the real thing.

 

4. The British have the best winter coats. I knew Londoners were going to be posh and stylish, but I wasn’t prepared for the entire country to look amazing in their winter gear. From young to old, male to female, they know how to pick their coats.

        

5. England is magical. From the quaint and cute small towns to the hustling and bustling capital, there is just something special about this place. Not surprisingly, London has taken the lead on my “favorite cities we’ve been to” list.

   

6. The London tube is aptly named, it is indeed shaped like a tube. At
first the giant tube like structure feels almost claustrophobic, but
once you’re comfortably seated on the squishy tube seats it seems
altogether cosy.

 

7. Yes they speak English here, but no it is not the same. We were all thrilled to be in a country where we could understand everything, but we were wrong. The British have quite a few different words…. litter – trash… to let – to rent… chips – french fries… crips – chips, trousers – pants… pants – underwear… just to name a few. The latter can be quite funny if you attempt to complement someone’s pants in public.

      

8. Charity stores, like Oxfam, are one of London’s many hidden treasures. These second hand stores can be compared to Salvation Army or Goodwill in the States, but they are smaller and have better items. For instance my winter boots… only 12$  🙂   

9. London is one of, if not the biggest melting pot in the world. In our little neighborhood it took me three days to see someone who looked even remotely English. Everywhere you look there are people dressed in their native clothes, restaurants boasting all kinds of ethnic foods,  and every other person you pass is speaking a different language, some of which I have never even heard of before. So if you can’t afford to travel the world, just come to London and you’ll get a similar experience.

10. Everywhere you go in London someone is watching you. It is quite possibly the most videoed city in the world. Camera’s follow you from corner to corner, store to store, and even on the buses and trains. With over 4.2 million camera’s in Britain chances are I’m being watched right now.