Wilf

I always liked the idea that a London suburb was the world's definition of zero, and, of course, some poor souls see the whole of London that way.

One of my favourite parts of London for a walk is Bloomsbury. I like all the Victoriana and you can feel the past so strongly there, the university buildings, the literary circles, the british museum, the lovely squares wth the beautiful old iron railings full of lunchtime breakers, the bookshops, ....

Amongst thousnads of other things, I also like the Royal Institution in Albemarle Street near the Ritz and Green Park - you know it? Where else in the world can you see Michael Faraday's laboratory? Faraday - another great Londoner, born in Newington Butts right near the Elephant and Castle.

I am getting tearful now, Florida, and am going for a lie down.

MAybe it's because I'm a Londoner.

jayr

It's good to read these positvie attitudes about the UK for a change instead of the usual whinging about things. I think those who have a positive attitude about where they live will do best when they move to Oz/NZ. Those who leave the UK because they hate it, for whatever reason, will find similar problems wherever they go - the grass is not greener. I for one think the UK is great and I am also enjoying my life in Oz. I suspect the 'whinging pom' tag comes from those who move here to get away from the UK only to arrive and immediately seek out other poms to whinge with about why it isn't like home.

Carol in Oz

Well now you've gone and got me homesick again! Originally from London myself ( Stratford - West Ham). In my minds eye I walked over the bridge with you.
When I go for a visit there next year I will go to all the places I wish I had been to when I lived there.
Thank you for sharing the moment with us.
Carol

jayr

I'm reading Bill Bryson's "Notes From A Small Island" at the moment, his final tour of the UK before retruning to live in the USA, which makes for a nice nostalgic read. I hope on future visit to UK that I get some time to get around the place a bit and take in the architecture, green fields and as somebody mentioned the other day, the cows!

Wilf

... and the museums in south kensington. What a terrific bloke that prince albert must have been - apparently had a hand in the designs of the buildings (I find the Natural History Museum beautiful). You can keep Victoria, I think Albert was the brains and the heart in that partnership - for a German (like all our royals) he was a wonderful Briton who obviously loved the people and had great faith in their ability to improve themselves. Fortunately, London is still a growing place and I know that what people moan about today will be the "It must have been wonderful" for tomorrow's inspired people.

And what about the albert memorial? What an awe-inspiring memorial from a mourning woman.

Where apart from sydney (and even then, not really much at all) is there anything to compare with that in dusty Oz? The big banana at coffs? The sydney opera house, the harbour bridge, and town hall are very nice, but what else is there in Oz? There is the landscape but although you might be led to believe othewise by the locals, that is not to the credit of man but to nature. Are there no dreamers in Oz?

BookBear

I may rave on about how much I love it here, but I'm always one to defend home. OK it has its problems, but so does Australia.

I didn't move here to get away from England, I came for a holiday and then stayed.

When I went back to England and Ireland for a holiday last year it made me fully appreciate the history, culture, and beauty etc etc.

<Sigh> got a mortgage now, won't be able to afford trips home all that often.

Nara

Megalania

Never under estimate the pull of homeland.

As dear as they may be to you your buildings are as but filthy rubbish to me, a blight on the landscape.

To stand in an unfenced red soil savannah of golden brown grass dotted with eucalypts rustling in a stiff breeze, distant blue hills under and azure sky is my homeland.

jayr

I take it you are one of the minority who do not live in the major suburban cities?

Wilf

I can respect that, Mega.

Buildings are social places and I like and am intrested in people. I like to talk and to argue and discuss. I like to hear people's stories and to hear what they think about and imagine, etc. I am, I suppose, less interested in empty landscape. I can appreciate the beauty to a large extent and can find it moving, but I tend to think "Now what?" I was brought up in densely populated parts (housing estates) and so I suppose I find the presence of buildings comforting in some way. Ozzies and kiwis did not grow up with these densities and though they are infamously "friendly" (I do not find them inherently more friendly, they are just less crowded and there is less need to protect privacy and personal space) they are not people loving people in my opinion - not at heart. They are space loving people and the way you speak says that about you too. In my dreamy vision, there are buildings, roads, people, some green but lots of activity and social places; in your dreamy vision you just described, there is empty land - beautiful yes but landscape - not social, but alone. You are right, old son, if you mean by "homeland" the environment one grows to adulthood (or even to late childhood) in - mine was people and buildings and not the views of sky but of red bricks, yours was, by the sounds of it, much different.

Megalania

I compromise with my wife's career and preferences by living nearby. The surprise is that she does not feel the pull of her S.E. Asian homeland apart from close ties to family but does enjoy the open spaces given access to home comforts.

welshpom

You want cows and green fields ?. Hop over here to the Fleurieu Peninsular now that spring is here - it's an hour outside of Adelaide.

You ain't seen cows until you've sat in the car waiting for about 400 of the buggers to cross the road for milking

Get into the hilly parts and you have these vast green fields on rolling hills with tiny specs on them, which are cows. First time I saw that I was reminded of the scene in Jurassic park with the "herd/flock" of veggie dinasours grazing on a beautiful landscape before the T-rex shows up for a spot of lunch.

The Fleurieu is as beautiful as any hilly (no big mountains though) place in the UK. The winding road between Goolwa and Meadows/Mt Barker reminds me of Brecon at times and the north of New Mexico at others. Turn a corner and there are lines of vines as far as the eye can see - you're suddenly in the south of France.

Just up the road is Kuitpo forrest where you can walk through the pines one a damp day and think you're in Brecon, go on a hot day and you're back in New Mexico. Don't like the pines ?, take the other trail through the native gums.

Head another hour south to the coastal conservation park of Deep Creek and admire the cliffs and pebble beaches with kangaroos lounging around in the sun.



Day 5 of spring. Shorts on, windows open, aircon off, heating off. Perfect.

Hang on, what am I doing here indoors ?. Bye!

jayr

My home ties are relatively weak, family aside, wherever I lay my hat and all that. I enjoy the comforts of a near to city life but one great thing about Australia is it's big spaces, once you spend an hour driving across the metropolis to get close to it. I hope as my children get older to be able to venture further afield and see some of the country which you describe.

Vee

True, true Wilf. Buildings are great places and there are so many of them in London, so many different ones and lovely ones and crappy eye sore ones.

I use to work near the British Museum and the houses/shops are just as you describe them. But unfortunately I can't seem to get the smell of p*ss out of my memory when I think of the area. I use to work in the old Forte building on High Holborn and in the mornings I would be greated not only by these wonderful buildings you describe but also lots of people. And lots and lots of homeless heroin addicts, sleeping outside the building, shooting up outside the building and relieving themselves outside the buildings. See them again on the way home from work but this time up and about constantely asking for money. Buy them a sandwich and a carton of OJ from Sainsbury's and they'd look at you like you were scum.

At lunch times it was great having Charing Cross Road/Oxford St/Tottenham Court road so close - all those book shops and electrical shops - a girl could go crazy with all those things and a credit card in her wallet - and after walking through a tide of people to get there I would again be greeted by the smell of urine as I neared Centre Point.

My nana use to live on Baker St above the tube station in a lovely 1911 building - it was boootiful. I love it around there as it is so close to Regent's Park when you can be in 5 mins and not hear any of the traffic, sirens, horns blaring on Baker St/Marylebone Rd. The history and Sherlock Holmes thing appeals to me. All the tourists hanging around the tube station speaking their wonderful languages and accents...all really quickly and excited. See the football fans outside the pub - one last pint before we go Wembly!! It's great round there and one of the rare places of London I truly love. In her flat you could hear the muffled annoucements on the outside platform (can't remember which line). I always thought that the reason I couldn't understand what the man was saying because I was so high above the station...but when I moved to London a lot of years later, I realised that you can never understand the man who is making an announcement on the underground! No matter where you are! LOL

But oooooh I can't wait for open spaces and not seeing all these people and hearing all that noise. Bring it on!

V

rachels

Hi Carol

I'm living in Stratford and I'm really happy there! Will wave to the beautiful station building, Robert the Train and West Ham Park for you! Can also take requests!

Cheers
Rachel

robernelli

I think the main the about London I will miss in taking a tour of the best record shops....I will be raiding them all before I leave.



Rob