I just love London!
London is a city anyone can fall in love with. It is a perfect mix of culture and chic. On the one hand it oozes British culture and history and on the other it is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world housing an array of communities and people. Due to this vast variety you will definitely find something to connect with here. I certainly did!
A magical love for London : My love story
Today I want to talk about the magic of London and how I fell in love with it. And I can guarantee so will you!
Sometimes it is love at first sight and sometimes it takes a few meetings to realize you have the hots for someone or something. In my case it was the latter. I had visited London in my teens. Then again in the year 2006 when I started uni and in the summer the following year. But it was only in the cold winter of 2007 when I spent a week here to make the most of the Christmas sales that I realized my love for the city.
How my love story with London started
I was a student at the University of Nottingham doing my Masters (in 2006-07) and though I always wished to go abroad for my studies, UK was never on my list. Being an Indian who had read avidly about Britain’s rule on India in high school history, I had a totally distorted and bitter view of the country. And ironically I landed up in the country I loathed in my formative years.
But I was in for a surprise and a totally pleasant one at that. For, I totally fell in love with the UK. It was certainly not like the shrewd England I had imagined and I realized how skewed my opinions were. So I let bygones be bygones and decided that I should not let the antics of a handful of people reflect upon my opinion of the whole country. But I had still not realized that my true love is London! And I went home after my studies returning after a couple of months to the UK for my convocation and it was then that things changed.
The best love stories I believe are the ones which you never anticipate and never even imagine would happen and that is what perfectly describes my love story with London. It hit me out of nowhere one foggy December night in the year 2007. I had returned home after my super fun week in London. But I was missing my week in the city and that is when it slowly drew on me that I had fallen in love with this city I never imagined I would. I craved to be back soon. But it would take ten years for me to make that trip finally (that’s a story for another day).
Why I love London : old world charm
And thus my love affair began! Being an avid fan of classics like Pride and Prejudice and Little Women, the aura of cobbled streets, majestic palaces, horse driven carriages had always drawn me in a mysterious way. Thus London’s old world charm just captured me. Though most of these things existed in the past, I feel the enigma of those times still lurks in the air and fills you with a nostalgia of that period. And walking around one of the most modern and advanced cities in the world, you feel like you have been transported to another era. I think only London can do this magic on you.
There are so many things around the city which are still reminiscent of those times. From majestic palaces to iconic towers, historic museums to the architecture of old buildings, the streets and squares, the fountains, the parks and greenery, the historic pubs and so much more. Just being there makes you feel like you have been time warped to the Victorian or Elizabethan eras.
The fact that such a big fast paced and extremely modern thriving city can still keep this charm encased within the confines of its walls is truly amazing. In spite of all its modern development, the city has a mystique and charm which cannot truly be explained in words but it can only be experienced in real.
But this is not the only thing I love about the city. London has something else truly unique to mesmerize you.
Why I love London : the new world charm
The other truly amazing part is that it’s one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities in the world as well and houses many cultures and communities. In fact, parts of the city are known for housing a specific culture or community. So you can experience not just the enigmatic British charm here but a slice of any culture you fathom.
What I love about London : Foodie charm
This takes me to the next and a truly important point for a foodie like me. That is that due to this cosmopolitan nature of London, it is a foodie’s haven. There are mind boggling varieties of cuisines and an endless array of restaurants for all budgets. And they serve truly divine and authentic dishes. You will be spoilt for choice here! In fact I would go so far to say that if you travel for food you can actually just save money. No need to travel to different countries to try their cuisines. Just come to London and savour every cuisine imaginable in ONE place (as most would be available here).
Why I love London : And beyond all this
All said and done, this is a city you will never feel out of place in!
It is a city where even if you stay for a few days it will seem like home, it will seem like your city and not just a tourist destination. This city is a city which will accept you with open arms and never judge you.
It is a city which will bring joy to you on the gloomiest of days and make you forget your sorrows as you wander through its endless alleys and tiny little corners.
Like a true lover, it will never abandon you and will make you want to come back in its arms as soon as you leave it. Even though it’s typically not your home, you can’t help but feel more at home here than anywhere else. Such is the charm of London and such will be your romance with this city that you will forget your own home town when you are here.
Do you also love London? Or do you have any other city you love as much or more than your home town? What do you love about that city and why would you keep going back?
I would love to hear about it in the comments below!
