Who here lives in London?And thinks it's amazing?

Question

I've always wanted to go..it sounds great and looks great.But is it?

Answer 1

Oh, I really feel I must defend my home town (city)!

Yes, it's overcrowded, polluted, noisy, hot, expensive, let down by its dreadful underground system and the new, enclosed double-decker buses, but it's also a wonderful place to live.

In recent years I've noticed a real deterioration in London. It has become very much more crowded; people have become extremely rude and inconsiderate; all the "improvements" to shops and public areas have turned out to be less amenable and convenient than they were, and prices have soared while quality has either remained the same or deteriorated. For instance, several of the department stores have closed or been refurbished to their own detriment; there are no longer any little places within them to sit down and have just a coffee and biscuit (you have to be served and it costs more!); seats and benches have disappeared so that it's difficult to find somewhere to sit down, and places like St Martin-in-the-Fields are being renovated so that the charm and magic of the old building and market behind will be forever lost.

But, on the good side, we have hundreds of years of history, what with the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, the City (which still has alleys and places to explore), many houses with blue plaques where famous people lived, the South Bank, the Inns of Court off Fleet Street, and any number of other places to visit to give one the superb sense of history and growth of a great city.

We have wonderful and quirky markets, a huge selection of fascinating museums, and some of the most famous shops and shopping streets in the world. Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly was founded in the 18th century and still retains its air of elegance and old-worldiness. Harrods in Knightsbridge is a store where they boast that you can get anything you want. Harvey Nichols, also in Knightsbridge, is smaller but the epitome of elegant and modern living. Liberty in Regent Street is exclusive and wonderful to roam around in, and it has its own ghost.

Culturally, we have so many nationalities that a great number of areas pride themselves on their own particular flavour: Edgware Road, by Marble Arch, is called "The Little Souk" (I think), and Brick Lane in the East End is full of Indian restaurants.

We take pride in world-renowned major historical incidents, like the killings of Jack the Ripper; the coronations of countless kings and queens through hundreds of years of history in Westminster Abbey; the shaping of the world through Parliament, and any number of historical landmarks.

Whatever I want in London, I can find, from fresh fish in Church Street Market, interesting foods in Borough Market, second-hand books under Waterloo Bridge, designer clothes in Chelsea and the big stores, museums in Kensington, to the little alleyway leading off Fleet Street to Dr Johnson's House and the plaque at Marble Arch commemorating the site of the gallows at Tyburn.

Obviously, every old city in Europe boasts the same wealth of features. But I could not let your question go without praising the glorious history and fascinating sites of my own home town!

I hope you visit, and enjoy all it has to offer.

Answer 2

I was born here, have lived here all my life, and I have watched this once great city deteriorate before my very eyes.
It is fine if you are visiting and doing the tourist thing but to live and work here is simply hell.
The indigenous Londoners have been priced out of their own city and the place has lost so much of its character as a result. People have no respect or time for one another anymore. I often visit friend and family in other parts of the country and it never ceases to amaze me when people are actually civil to each other. People say simple things like "good morning" which makes a huge difference.
Then I return to London and everybody wants to be at their destination yesterday. I look around and all I see is miserable faces.
London was great years ago but not anymore.

Answer 3

Agree with the above. I lived in London many years ago and the best thing I did was to move away. Lived in Essex for a while as well in what was supposed to be the nice part. Never felt safe and many of the people are very remote and unfriendly.

As a place to visit it's fantastic as there's so much to see and do but as a place to live it's a nightmare - it's not only expensive but it's noisy, dirty, polluted, crime ridden and lonely. London wins the UK award for all these and many other dubious distinctions.

Answer 4

Where the hell have you been? This world is dying, it's corroding. Nature is withering, animals are abused, people are dragons. Humans, the bringers of all evil. We've not only managed to plague earth a disease, but we also managed to constitute war, constitute hatred. We humans have created two terms... "good" and "evil". The ironic thing is, we don't abide by the term "good". Look at life in it's general field, what do you see? You don't see very much, because you don't know what's happening in Africa. You don't know what's happening in China. You don't even know what's happening in America. China has no animal abuse laws, crush a kitten why not. China is home to the biggest sex trade establishment. Africa is a zoo, humans slicing other humans body parts off because their ridiculous moral beliefs. America... we rip what we don't believe in. The government is only fine with you as long as you don't contradict their beliefs. This world... it's corroding what was once.

Answer 5

I think London is amazing. Sure, its expensive and a little dirty and not for people who don't know how to survive a fast paced lifestyle but the diversity, culture and the vibe make it a fantastic place to visit and live. Generally people that hate living here a just not suited for a large cosmopolitan city- millions of people disagree with them and London is better off without the whingers!

Answer 6

No its not great. Its really expensive, busy, dirty, smelly and people are very unfriendly.

People are only concerned with one thing - getting where they are going as quickly as possible, and if that means a man shoving in front of a woman, then that is what happens. Dont expect anyone to give up their seat on train/tube/bus for you if it is packed...even pregnant women end up standing sometimes.

Also, its so expensive to live in that you generally end up living really far from where you work, and have to commute in to work each day, which for most people would probably take 45 mins to an hour. And that is only if you tube line is working properly with no delays.

On the other hand, it does have lots of stuff to see and do, and great bars, clubs and restaurants. Nice for a visit, but not to live in!

Answer 7

YESSSS!!!! i lived there several years ago...it is the best city in the world!!! so far, i`ve been there 3x...the last time, i stayed for 6 months...i`m planning to go back as soon as i can!!! i luv it!!!

Answer 8

i live in south east london and will be moving away from it in july. nice for a day out but its a hell hole to live and work in

Answer 9

i swear london is very amazing , i am from egypt and i think u know how amazing is egypt but london is more amazing and people are veryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy friendly