One day in London.

Probably...

I wish I could like London. I used to - practically had an affair with the place when I came back to it after three years in the Middle East and Africa, back in 1959... But in the last thirty years I've learned to loathe it.

Oh well, I don't have to go there, do I?

I lived in London in the mid '60s which was a wonderful time to be there but I really think that it's better now. Everything seems tidier and somehow better. The south bank all the way down to Tower Bridge is a lovely walk now but back in the 60's it was a "no go" area. I go to London every month or so just for a day out to meet friends and have a lovely time.

I love London , I've lived here all my life ( I know it doesn't suit everyone) but I really have no desire to move away I love that I can jump on the tube and be at a Theatre, Museum, Gallery and so much more whenever I want, and yes to walk alongside the river Thames is so much better now than it was when I was young. I love taking my youngest grands and showing them the heritage that surrounds them.

Like Yogagran I lived and worked in London in the mid-sixties - I met and married DH there. It thought it had a better "feel" then. I remember my father taking me there in the fifties on a day trip from "oop North". He had a rather awed attitude to the capital city and its institutions, and I suppose some of it still sat with me when I first moved there. I used to work shifts at the MOD, and spent endless afternoons after work, walking around getting to know as much of the place as I could. There were lots of quirky little 'off-the-beaten track' restaurants with live music, shops and galleries. One of my favourite places was Covent Garden early in the morning, when it was still a bustling market and costermongers still carried baskets on their heads! We courted on Hampstead Heath, drank at the Old Bull and Bush and the Spaniard Inn, haunted a wonderful Chinese restaurant in Golders Green, and walked along the river at Richmond! When we returned to live and work there in the seventies, we couldn't find many of the places we knew. It's in the nature of large cities, of course, that this will happen. (We lived in Singapore in the late sixties and when we went back forty years later, it had changed so completely, we couldn't find the house we lived in or the place DH worked, but it now a fabulous modern city and not a colonial hangover). We don't go to London very often these days, but the last time we were there, we were stunned by Tate Modern, and the new Globe Theatre. I'm looking forward to taking our grandson when he's a bit older and can appreciate his heritage!

Try a visit to the Royal Hospital - The Chelsea Pensioners, not many people realize that the grounds and some of the buildings are open to the public. An oasis of peace and tranquality (particularly during the school holidays!). You generally get to talk to some of the residents too which is fascinating.
Just around the corner from there is the Physic Garden, well worth a visit as well
The National Army Museum is next door which may interest older gramdchildren

DH and I went to the National Army Museum the last time we were there. We decided to walk from the Strand down to Chelsea, confident that we knew where we were going! However, we got a bit lost and decided to ask directions. The first two people we asked spoke no English. The third, a middle aged man, looked quite terrified when we approached him, and rushed away! Another man blanked us and said nothing, and then we met a charming lady who could not have been more helpful. In fact, we were just around the corner! A fascinating visit. I have never been to the Physic Garden; I'll put it on my to do list.

I love London!! Just saying.

I love London.

I lived in Chelsea/Battersea and eventually Ealing where I met the lovely Mrs A and settled down. We left in 89. It was getting dirty and noisy. We moved to backwoods France.
Our sons grew up and one moved back to London. Stratford. we watched it change from a grimy bustling place to the showpiece it is today.
Well done Olympics, well done East London.

Nice to comeback now...............

Like the poem Ian. Good one.

Well done Ian

Much has happened in London since March. I tried to avoid much of it on my journeys to Hertfordshire (my best experience was a visit to the British Library)

I love London. I was married in 1969 and moved from Hove to Kensington and fell in love with London.

Moved out to Kingston upon Thames in 1972, but continued to work in central London which I still do.

I still love it, I have lived in London since I was 17, apart from 6 years in USA and 3 years in Japan. I like growing older here, round the corner from Waitrose, near tubes and bus stops. I love taking the GC to all the places yoga mentioned I am a walk away from most of them, and my 7 year old GD just loves going up to Peter Jones, our local JOhn Lewis, and having a cupcake, the simple pleasures of life. I don't think I will ever grow tired of it.

I've lived in London all my life and like grannyeggs just love that I can jump on bus or tube and go see some sights never stuck for something to do.. we have many many lovely parks I particularly love Hampstead Heath used to go there all the time when I was young and Primrose Hill , such views over our Capital. Of course I love to visit quiet parts of the UK too but London will always be special to me.

I love London. Our wee man lives there.

I'm in love with London - warts and all. It's the only place where I can truly feel at home. I want to retire there (with perhaps a little country retreat) if only I could afford a nice pad within reach of the South Bank, though last week I fell in love with Bermondsey near the Fashion Museum - so villagey and wacky. I lived in deepest Somerset when the kids were little &, though it was nice in some ways, I realise now how much I stagnated and missed out on things - & my kids did too compared with what I do with grandkids in London. I go to London every week for my childcare stint and I'm now doing my London thing I missed out on when a teenager in the suburbs in the 60's. It's a wonderful playground for kids in all weathers. I love just walking - last week through Southwark and Walworth - & discovering little museums and hiddden gems. I love the mix of cultures and people. Visiting mother in Dorset this week seemed so homogenous and boring.

My daughter lives in BermondseyGadabout and they'd love it, really villagey great shops food etc; and never far to go for theatre art etc;

Loved it. Glad to be out of it.

Fell in love with London when I moved there for a 6 months stint Easter 70 - from my Swiss mountains. Always will love London- but just couldn't live there now Southwark and the South Bank is great - Burough market is fabulous. But also love the Tower and St Kathryn's docks and on to Brick Lane for a big contrast, great food ad colour. Always visit the wonderful Lyberty's - my absolute favourite shop in the world (not the prices!), for a cream tea... and a walk around Carnaby Street - which has sadly sold out to fashionable world brands.

I first lived in Isleworth (lived with nurses from the West Mid above the launderette) and worked in Brentford. Not the most beautiful part, lol, but so close to Kew Gardens, Richmond Park and town, Syon House, Ham house, Hampton Court and the great London Apprentice Pub, right on the Thames, where we spent many evening and Sunday. Still love to visit old haunts, but 3 years actually living there was enough.
Sadly we were very hard-up in those days, and couldn't make the best of the West End, etc- but still had a ball. Part of my heart will always be there.

Would love to live in London but reckon if we sold our lovely home we could just about afford a studio flat in London! Pity.
I suppose the knack is to look at an up and coming area and get in before it gets posh, but I would need a lot more local knowledge to be able to do that.
What area would be good to look at? Don't say Belgravia !!

I live a 30 minute train ride from London. However, yesterday took a free one hour bus ride to Marble Arch.

Walked to Trafalgar Square
Sandwiches sitting on bench near fountains watching a man fly his two red kites.
National Gallery
Cinema - Rust and Bone
Back to Cafe in the Crypt for wine and soup.
Home on bus.

It was a lovely day out.

Nowadays London is totally inaccessible to me. From where I live it's virtually impossible to visit for the day unless one is either very rich or very young and energetic. So one overnight stay at least is required should one wish to visit an exhibition or show etc. adding to the expense in both time and money. And of course now I cannot use the underground or buses so add on taxi costs. To be honest the fact that everything now always seems to happen in London is my major gripe. As a northerner I'm a bit sick that London seems to get it all!

My daughter used to live in Edinburgh, now Manchester. Both interesting cities with plenty going on.

Indeed petallus there's plenty going on in Leeds too but the fact remains that a huge amount of ~events~ happen only in London. I have missed so many major exhibitions it saddens me. I have found it easier to visit exhibitions in galleries whilst on holiday in places like Leipzig and Rouen than I could ever manage to get to the Tate, Royal Academy, National Gallery, British Museum etc in London.