Globe Corner Blogs

While it may be raining elsewhere in Europe, London swaggers with its flawlessly sunny weather and proves the doubtful Austrian wrong – in so many different ways! The maze of crooked streets, hidden and not-so-hidden parks and squares offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor time. I can absolutely recommend a boat ride on the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park, a stroll through Carnaby Street in Soho (where we found a cafe with an outside patio and excellent breakfast), or a day trip to Windsor. A friend of mine sings in St. George’s Chapel for the Queen every week and gave us a little “behind the scenes” tour of the castle.  Even if we hadn’t visited the grand old building, the trip would have been worth it for just the gorgeous scenery.

Apart from their architecture and food, I am slowly getting to know the British quirks. The obvious topics of driving on the left and the vocabulary differences aside, I have encountered some refreshing, yet macabre honesty: While the public transportation announcements in any other city I have lived in “ask for your understanding”, report “technical problems” or just “apologize for the inconvenience,” the London Underground tells it like it is: “Due to a person under a train, there are major delays on this service. Please continue your journey on another line.”

To be continued.

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