There are loads of overused words (that typically make no sense in most cases) in travel writing, like ‘quaint,’ ‘mecca,’ or ‘nestled,’ and oh my, the horrible phrases! Phrases like ‘best kept secret’ or ‘treasure trove’ make me want to die – actually, I think a little bit of me does actually die every time I read a phrase like that... The point of this rant is that I think ‘melting pot’ is another one of those horrid phrases, and as you can see I’ve broken my own rules – but if it weren’t for 100% accuracy and for lack of a better phrase, I would never have done so.
When I was growing up, London, England always seemed to be a happening place, full of culture, tea and history – while all of that is true, it’s also the least bit ‘English’ than most of the other parts of the country. London is such a big, sprawling place that very little of the country’s real culture carries enough weight in the various areas of the city to make it feel 100% authentically English. And because of my misconception, or rather, naive preconditioned imaginations of the place, I was rather taken aback by the variety of people, food, cultures and neighborhood lifestyles. Truth be told, I had to refocus my mindset and ditch my expectations for London, so that I could experience the place fairly.
London is one of the most interesting and unique places on earth, where a little bit of every place around the world has come together under one banner, per say, where everything has melded as one. Everywhere you look, other cultures hold a firm grasp, influencing the foods, the stores, the events and the arts, allowing one visit to almost make you a dedicated world traveler. While there are separate districts and neighborhoods that have particularly stronger influences from foreign cultures, most of London thrives with a mix of some of the best things about a lot of the most interesting and unique cultures on earth.
I found it particularly interesting to leave my hotel in London and to simply hop on the Tube and hop off at the most random stops, which I had no idea what I would see there. I definitely found a lot of the most intriguing places that way, but what this wandering travel technique showed me, was the various sides or shades of the city who those who inhabit it, calling London home sweet home. My first visit was different than I expected – perhaps neither completely good nor bad, but I will absolutely visit again, with a fresher mindset, and less expectations – because I know London has a lot of beauty to reveal, whether it’s its complicated history or modern flare.
London is one of the most interesting and unique places on earth, where a little bit of every place around the world has come together under one banner, per say, where everything has melded as one. Everywhere you look, other cultures hold a firm grasp, influencing the foods, the stores, the events and the arts, allowing one visit to almost make you a dedicated world traveler. While there are separate districts and neighborhoods that have particularly stronger influences from foreign cultures, most of London thrives with a mix of some of the best things about a lot of the most interesting and unique cultures on earth.
I found it particularly interesting to leave my hotel in London and to simply hop on the Tube and hop off at the most random stops, which I had no idea what I would see there. I definitely found a lot of the most intriguing places that way, but what this wandering travel technique showed me, was the various sides or shades of the city who those who inhabit it, calling London home sweet home. My first visit was different than I expected – perhaps neither completely good nor bad, but I will absolutely visit again, with a fresher mindset, and less expectations – because I know London has a lot of beauty to reveal, whether it’s its complicated history or modern flare.
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