Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can only conclude from this discussion that (a) most of the posters have absolutely no idea that there is a vast difference between living in and visiting a place, (b) too many base their expectations on the picture perfect depictions of historic cities and places on television shows or movies, (c) if you have the mindset where not having the latest laundry appliances or having to use a different payment app is a big deal, then you should probably stick closer to home.

I should add that if any country’s historical wrongdoings weigh so heavily on you that you can’t enjoy the place as it is now, then you really shouldn’t travel to 80% of the world (and probably most of your own country).

Puh-lease with the superiority complex and your inane conclusions.
No one has problems with historical doings, only your gaslighting of them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a complex relationship with London. I lived there in the 1990s and a again for a few years in the early 2000s and loved it. These days it's changed so much, some for the better and others in just different ways. The mass migration means it's really no longer a British city it was 30 years ago. The demographic changes are staggering and I don't think I've see any other place undergo the same scale of population changes. So the neighborhoods I once loved aren't the same any more, they're either colonized by the very rich and boring, like Mayfair and Kensington, or well, just not British any more.

On the other hand, it is safer and cleaner. Massive gentrification has cleaned up large parts of London but it's also meant London is extremely unaffordable.

It's always been very expensive. And it's always been a widely criticized city for lack of charm. But the museums are still excellent, if a bit woke these days. The shopping can be great. Dining out is more expensive than it's worth it but my friends still in London are excellent cooks and have access to excellent ingredients.

I don't have much of a desire to revisit London for longer than a day or two to see old friends before going elsewhere. London is the one place that makes me feel "no country for old men." But I readily recognize that for others it's still a thriving and fascinating city.

in what universe is london 'widely criticized for lack of charm'???
it is one of the most charming big cities there is.
i could understand if you said frankfurt/ dresden/ riyadh/ lagos/ akron/ birmingham/ indianapolis or the entirety of new jersey. but LONDON is widely criticized for lack of charm? plz

It's not the prettiest city. There's no shortage of travel accounts of the lack of charm or poor food or pollution in London going back centuries. Even John Adams complained about the food in London in the 18th century.

oh well if john adams complained about the food in the 18th century then we should certainly assume that nothing has changed 300 years later. that tracks.

I don’t think London has discovered salt or seasoning for their food in those 300 years. So yup, it tracks!

Mooo, moooo

I thought it might be easier to respond in your native language.

Moooooooooooo!

Anonymous wrote:I can only conclude from this discussion that (a) most of the posters have absolutely no idea that there is a vast difference between living in and visiting a place, (b) too many base their expectations on the picture perfect depictions of historic cities and places on television shows or movies, (c) if you have the mindset where not having the latest laundry appliances or having to use a different payment app is a big deal, then you should probably stick closer to home.

I should add that if any country’s historical wrongdoings weigh so heavily on you that you can’t enjoy the place as it is now, then you really shouldn’t travel to 80% of the world (and probably most of your own country).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a complex relationship with London. I lived there in the 1990s and a again for a few years in the early 2000s and loved it. These days it's changed so much, some for the better and others in just different ways. The mass migration means it's really no longer a British city it was 30 years ago. The demographic changes are staggering and I don't think I've see any other place undergo the same scale of population changes. So the neighborhoods I once loved aren't the same any more, they're either colonized by the very rich and boring, like Mayfair and Kensington, or well, just not British any more.

On the other hand, it is safer and cleaner. Massive gentrification has cleaned up large parts of London but it's also meant London is extremely unaffordable.

It's always been very expensive. And it's always been a widely criticized city for lack of charm. But the museums are still excellent, if a bit woke these days. The shopping can be great. Dining out is more expensive than it's worth it but my friends still in London are excellent cooks and have access to excellent ingredients.

I don't have much of a desire to revisit London for longer than a day or two to see old friends before going elsewhere. London is the one place that makes me feel "no country for old men." But I readily recognize that for others it's still a thriving and fascinating city.

in what universe is london 'widely criticized for lack of charm'???
it is one of the most charming big cities there is.
i could understand if you said frankfurt/ dresden/ riyadh/ lagos/ akron/ birmingham/ indianapolis or the entirety of new jersey. but LONDON is widely criticized for lack of charm? plz

It's not the prettiest city. There's no shortage of travel accounts of the lack of charm or poor food or pollution in London going back centuries. Even John Adams complained about the food in London in the 18th century.

oh well if john adams complained about the food in the 18th century then we should certainly assume that nothing has changed 300 years later. that tracks.

I don’t think London has discovered salt or seasoning for their food in those 300 years. So yup, it tracks!

Anonymous wrote:I never want to hear people say how great London is or London is better than dc.

1. Housing is atrocious. We are living in a roughly 2 million pound flat in Mayfair and the plumbing is awful, the insulation/windows are awful and we are always cold (and we are used to Montana cold but homes in London are cold whereas in the us homes stay warm). Our colleagues here have homes anywhere between 500k to 6 million pounds here in various neighborhoods and they are all dumpy

This is correct. I don't know why they have not yet learned to install tight windows and doors and to insulate their homes. They prefer wasting energy at high costs.