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London

I used to live in South East London and loved it. Greenwich Park is one of my favourite places. However, the dirt and fear of crime was a pain. One of the things I lost most though is the history just about wherever you go. The history of the Thames - have you ever walked underneath it, through the Greenwich foot tunnel? It looks like a large public convenience but it's a cool thing to do.

Sorry there's no poem! :)
 
Clara said:
The history of the Thames - have you ever walked underneath it, through the Greenwich foot tunnel? It looks like a large public convenience but it's a cool thing to do.
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We used to do that when I was a kiddy. My parents were quite cruel and took me to the park to ride my bike. Hills are character building apparently. Gorgeous park though. Got to play on the Cutty Sark too.
 
Litany said:
Who are you to decide which parts of London count as the 'real' London? If anything Central London, the City of London is more 'real' than Greater London which is merely a borough.

There is no city on the planet that doesn't have problems. If you hate it so very much then move. If you hate the whole of England and all its inhabitants as much as you constantly profess then leave. It's quite simple really. :rolleyes:
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Lit, I do love ya, but sometimes you really talk out of your botty :)

1) I'm NOT deciding what is the real London. This is very simple: Central London is nothing like the rest of London and therefore it's not representative of London, IE: where people REALLY actually live. IE: Real London.

2) Do try to think for a moment. Yes, its very obvious that I hate it. Now, since you know this fact, do you think I would move if I had the money and resources to move? What is the obvious anwser? Yes.

I have not left. So what do you think the anwser is? I CAN'T move right now. Give it a few years and I will certainly look at the option of moving from the country. Right now finacial and other obligations keep me here.
 
I would love to go see london and it would be fun to play "spot the south african".Apparently there are already 40 000 of us living in the uk with most established in london but everyone's always complaining about the weather is it really that bad?Keep in mind my skin goes about three shades darker in summer here.
 
Marquis Rex said:
I don't know you at all Irene, and I can see you don't know me at all, but pleased to "meet" you and am looking forward to getting to know you better on this forum.

Ok, so I haven't read the book you recommend (yet), but I've seen from my EXPERIENCE.

As for the career and money aspect, I know it's not "cool" to say this, but over here Mechnics and train drivers get paid the same if not more then I do, and I'm a professional engineer with a degree and Masters. I would be getting 2-3 times as much over there. It's the union driven professions that are driven up over here- that makes life better here for less educated people and life better in the USA for people like me. Anyway, its not about to happen, I've been trying to get to the USA for over 4 years now mais sans success….
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Mr. Rex,

Apologies if my caution offended you. As you have made the trip over here, seen something of the other side, and seem to find something redeeming in it, then I wish you all the best in your efforts to expatriate. I know other people who have tried the same experiment and, well....one of them still has a certain way of saying, "Nantucket" that would make you think it was the worst invective in the English language. :)

Best of luck to you,

Irene Wilde
 
Ah, blind patriotism! I am glad that you like it here so much. Great that you owe an allegiance to a bit of land!

How the HELL am II slagging off you and your family? Why do you take it personally? Can you please stop jumping to unfounded conclusions and putting words into my mouth? If I mean something, then I will say it, and until that time can you just read what I have written?

OK, TRY and spot the difference between the two sentences below.

1) Litany and her family and every single person in England ( including myself, my friends and my family are all scum.

2) I think that there are a lot of problems with the U.K and a large percentage of the poeple here ( NOT ALL )

Do you notice the diffence? No, you don't annoy me but your constant assumtions, judgements, you constanty jumping to unfounded conclusions and putting words into my mouth is a little irritating :)

FOR THE THIRD TIME: this is really not that complicated. I am NOT deciding which bits I like and which bits i don't like. Look, it REALLY is simple.

A1) Central London has lots of old buildings and pretty monuments
A2) Greater London has not.

b1) Central London has nice european style cafes where you can have coffee and talk
b2) Greater London has not

c3) Central London has a vast selection of places to eat
c3) Great London has not, unless you count the chippy or the greasy spoon.

e3) Central London has many theaters
34) Great London has not

f) Central London has many museums and sights to see
f) Greater London has not

g) Central London has VAST parks
g) Greater London has not, although, it does have some nice parks.

It's a matter of contrasting what one place has and what one place has not got. People DON'T live in central London. Central London has many things that greater London has not got. It has NOTHING to do with me deciding things or me deciding what I like or what I don't like. Now, is that so difficult to understand?
 
Umm yes, now yey for London :D Hmmm.

Irene - very good poem - sadly Lies was awarded the bus, but for you, I think I can dig out an 'I Love London' keyring. Tada!

Wabbit, I wish you'd stop saying a large % of the people in the country are numptys - you can't know that, you haven't met them! (How often have you been out of London incidently?) I'd rather you said something a little more accurate and a little less offensive. Please. :)

Marquis - I don't know why, but I thought you were Spanish :)
 
Freya, obviously I have been out in London recently, as I live here. It would be very hard for me not to go out into London.

When I last looked we live in a democracy ( well.. kinda :D ) and I can say what I please. If I don't like it here then I am entitled to say it, it's my right :) If you have something constructive to conter my arguments, then please post it.

As I said to Litany, why do you take it personally? Did I say I HATE EVERYBODY that lives here? That would be silly, now, wouldn't it? Do I hate the people I work with? Do I hate my friends? Do I hate my family? Well, in fact, I don't hate anybody. And I don't hate you!

All I am saying is: This country has a LOT of problems. It's nothing personal. If you wanna blindly wave the flag for queen and country, fine. I don't have to like it just because I was born here, now THAT'S silly.

I really wish in this enlightened age we are beyond blind patriotism.
 
SillyWabbit said:
Freya, obviously I have been out in London recently, as I live here. It would be very hard for me not to go out into London.
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Out of, little Wabbit, out of.
 
AH! My mistake :)

Oh, ok, yes I have been out of London :) I find it the same all over. it IS a lot better outside of London, I give you that. I find it strange that people keep assuming that I don't like the uk because a) I love in London and b) I live in a horrible area ( I don't ).

Have you traveled Freya? I mean, have you been to places other than the U.K and seen how they live? Not just as a tourist and go look at stuff?
 
Yeh, I was going to say.... Wabbit slow down - do you not remember that race with the tortoise?! Out of London...

And this has nothing to do with patriotism as far as I'm concerned, just the fact that you seem to be on such a downer about the people of England. But I'm glad you clarified you don't hate me :)
 
Yeh I have, I've been lucky enough to spend time in France, Spain and Germany - not at all in a tourist capacity. Germany is by far and away my favourite, I like the climate and the German language entertains me no end. But I'd still live here anyday. Just never London. Unless someone offered me a fantabulous job there, paying millions and millions, cos then, to be fair, I could probably fly in everyday :)
 
I'm into blind patriotism! I was in London (yes, the lovely Central London bit) just recently and I stopped just to hear Big Ben chime. Awww, it swells the heart ;)

I love London to visit, but I couldn't live in London. Too expensive. I adore Charing Cross Road - especially that Romance, Crime and Fantasy bookshop. The whole of the downstairs section is fantasy and sci fi. I spent a criminal amount of money there.

I like going to see bands - I was up there to see The Living End (Australian punk outfit) at the London Astoria and it was brill. We also took in the British Museum during the day, which was also immense. So yes, I like London, but only the touristy bits. Going to London to see the other bits would be like going to Portsmouth to check out the houses :eek:
 
I need sleep. I thought that said 'going to Portsmouth to check out the horses' then, and couldn't quite figure out what was special about Portsmouth horses.
 
Irene - no insult taken, if you had made reference to my mother or worse still, my beloved cars, then I might have been offended, I just felt the need to clarify.

Freya and Lies I can't believe you thought I was Spanish!! *LMAO*
I can't think why.....Some people have thought French from the "Marquis" part.
Litany I didn't realise you were a cockney sparra, thought you would have a deep husky poew-sh voice!
Im not going to touch Litany and Silly Wabbit with a barge pole, I think we should lock them together in that mythical room!
I have to admit I used to really hate London when I was younger and lived there. I was confused and a kid, and had nasty excuses for friends...
[Now I just don't have any friends :p]
Just to clarify I wouldn't say I HATE London or England anymore, I hope no one judged my last post in that way. I'll alway be British. I just meant that in my current walk of life, being single and an engineer, and various other lifestyle choices (such as being into road trips) the USA suits me quite well right now. I feel sure that if I was married and had joined insidious metroland ( the surburban sprawl, of 9-5ers, with kids, the Volvo Estate and the wife and gardening every Sunday) the UK would suit my priorities better-esp with schooling costs being what they are in the US [ but then being in metroland I would pretty much be brain anyway!] I know if I ever emigrate I'll really miss the UK and I do enjoy going back to London every weekend, even now.
 
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