London is the epitome of regal opulence, starting with the Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the Changing of the Guard and countless royal palaces and monuments. There are also the iconic black cabs, the London Eye for the best views of the city and those red telephone booths that still work and tourists love to take selfies in. But for me, what was most striking was the similarities to New York City. Maybe I am feeling a bit home-sick but London made me feel at home….

First A Bit of History

It is probably fair to say the history of England is part American. I still remember much of it from my history classes in high school. Not to mention the countless TV drama series and movies that illustrate how these two countries came together and came apart. England, once the greatest empire with colonies throughout most continents, extracting wealth and labor from all over the globe only to lose it all. This extraction of wealth came at the expense of underdeveloped countries of which the Transatlantic Slave Trade was born and England played a leading role (that I did not learn in high school). Much like most of Europe, England has a rich history that goes back as far as the 10th century and has done a decent job of preserving and adapting to today’s times. The monarchy is a good example of how the old has adapted to a new world (Long Live the King!).

Arriving in London

  Originally, I had only planned to be in London for two weeks, but decided to stay a third week to manage the growing persistent backache I have been experiencing since I started traveling. I also wanted to visit an ENT doctor as the hearing on my left ear continued to be a problem. I had already scheduled these appointments before I stepped foot in London at the Harley Street Hospital. For my back and sciatica, I underwent an outpatient surgical procedure. The next day my pain dropped by 50% with the possibly of lesser pain in the weeks to come (there are no guarantees). Prior to the surgical procedure, I met with the ENT doctor who extracted ear wax that was stuck to my eardrum. The ear wax removal prescribed by the doctor in Italy was never going to work. After a week in London, I was feeling 90% healthier and much happier. I decided to extend my stay for another week to allow me to continue to immerse myself in all that is London.

First three weeks I stayed in the Chelsea neighborhood, an affluent community (much like NY Chelsea) with a vibrant business district. For my fourth week, I stay in a Hotel Apt residence, mainly studios with front desk service located in the Tower Hill district, a five-minute walk to the London Tower Bridge (also a great location). Weatherwise, it was way too cloudy and rainy in London. More than 50% of my time there was either cloudy or partially raining. In July, the weather was still 60+degree–eternal spring.

So, What About London?

OMG, the minute I arrived in London, I felt like I was back home. After 8 months of being on the road in countries much different from yours, you do become home sick. London is like being in NYC …everything about it reminds you of the US. More importantly, you can read and communicate in English, less isolating.

Some Reflections on the Parallels Between New York City and London

The city of London is sometimes referred to as the European New York (probably by New Yorkers) and honestly there is some truth to this. Starting with the architecture in neighborhoods like Chelsea and Notting Hill, you see the townhouse version of what we know as brownstones in New York, Newark and Boston (19th century urban design).

London’s architecture contains huge glass towers much like NYC mixed in with so many historical sites (castles, fortresses and citadels). A skyscraper city it is not.

London is twice the size of New York City with 32 boroughs compare to NYC’s five. Population size is not that much different with NYC packing in more density.

Green Park (the Royal Park) reminds you of Central Park, right smack in the middle of this urban oasis not too far from Buckingham Palace (Central Park is bigger and more sophisticated). However, London has many more parks you can walk to.

London is known for its iconic Black cabs much like New York Yellow cabs (London cabs are more traditional and stylish).

London’s main theater district (West End) is similar to NYC’s Broadway in so many ways except pricing. London theater is so much less expensive (more on this later).

London’s Piccadilly Circus reminds you of New York’s Times Square, but less gritty and dirty. You can walk over to the Soho district next to Chinatown, coincidentally similar to NYC.

The Underground (subway) known as the Tube is an amazing piece of infrastructure compared to the NYC subway. I was struck by its enormity. It is clean, efficient, easy to follow, and safe. I never got lost or confused using the Tube practically every day. The NYC city subway is dirty, gritty, unsafe (and it stinks). The worst part is the confusion to get from A to B. There is no graffiti on any of the stations I went to or on the train. How do they do this?

Hands down, New York City museums are better than London as there are so many more to choose from (not the case in London). However, many of the museums in London are free (kudos here) with a charge for attending new exhibitions.

Cost of living for both cities is absurd. Both are too high. When you add the currency exchange rate for US citizens, it is even more costly. Concerns about the economy and inflation wiped out the conservative right-wing party during its fourth of July election (let’s hope US does the same).

Lastly, one more notable comparison is the multiculturalism of both cities. Unlike Italy, where Black and Asian residents are not mainstreamed, the opposite is true of London and NYC. In London, much like New York City, you see significant numbers of black and brown people in all socio-economic strata consistent with both cities being the center of wealth, power and culture.

What To Do in London

The city offers so many entertainment venues to choose from. First thing is to sign up for a walking tour and/or bus tour to familiarize yourself with Westminster and Central London. Next, learn to use either the Tube or the bus …public transportation is king here. Cabs and Ubers are a bit expensive and not as necessary.

 Historical sites — I mostly walked by them and only visited the Westminster Abbey Cathedral. The church is defined as both a religious and cultural institution preserving the country’s history and the monarchy. Besides learning about England’s history, the cathedral contains the tombs of kings, queens and their relatives buried there for centuries. The irony was to learn how many of them were beheaded by their own king or queen.

Neighborhoods— I visited many of London ‘s neighborhoods and marketplaces for shopping and lunch starting with Westminster, Piccadilly Circus, Chelsea, Soho, Chinatown, Notting Hill, Tower Hill, Portobello Marketplace, Borough Yards and Camden Marketplace. My photos reflect these places.

Afternoon Tea—  A bit pricey but quite enjoyable, especially for a tea lover like myself.

Museums — I attended the National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, Modern Tate Museum, Wallace Collection Museum, The British Museum of History. All of them are free.

Theater Shows— I gorged on theater, having attended six shows at one third of the price you would pay in New York for top row seats. Gorgeous buildings, some smaller than NY Broadway theaters. I mostly booked matinees, getting there early to walk the area, have lunch, or stay later for dinner. I managed to see the following shows: The Lion King (creative and sweet),Wicked, (confusing and disappointing) Cabaret (not as good as the movie), Moulin Rouge, (superb, better than the movie), Slay Play (provocative, exotic and difficult to process), Tina Turner (electrifying), and Les Miserables (magnificently somber).

Connecting with People— During the pandemic, I connected with two women, one from Austria and the other from France. Both have made London their home. During the last four years, we have stayed connected through each others newsletters and I was thrilled to meet up with each of them for the first time. Besides connecting with my internet pals, I got to talk to so many Americans and British folks conversing about everything, including our awful politics.

Final Note

I found my stay in London to be delightful and as close to home as I am going to get over the next four months. I found British society much more welcoming and relatable. I will always love New York, but London I will not easily forget.

My photos reflect many of the neighborhoods and places I stayed or visited, the city’s architecture, and its people. I included British characteristics and iconic symbols such as the red telephone booths, its black cabs, double-decker buses, pubs and the quirky habit of the English standing outside their favorite pub drinking beer (it’s quite popular). As always, click the center of the photo for a full view of each photograph.

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