I sat in my seat, 35,000 feet above the ground, as the Virgin Atlantic flight attendant asked what I wanted to drink. I requested ginger ale, and expected to receive Canada Dry, the brand that I always associate with the ginger-based soft drink. To my surprise, the attendant handed me a small, solid green can titled, “Britvic, beverage manufactures by appointment to her majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
It was then that I remembered that England, London specifically being my destination, would be entirely different from the United States, the country I’ve lived in all my life. And with nine days of Spring Break to spend with Her Majesty, what oddities would I encounter in the city where everyone drives on the left side of the road?
To start, London is cold.{sidebar id=65}
While we here in Ventura layer on winter coats and UGG boots when it falls below 60 degrees, a spring week in March achieves a high of 47 degrees (or about 8 degrees Celsius, as the Brits prefer), and can drop to below freezing and precipitate snow at any time. Needless to say, my hoodie and long sleeve shirt weren’t exactly the best choice of clothes for watching the Guard Change at Buckingham whilst white flakes fell all around. Locals considered it to be a light drizzle; I deemed it a full-on arctic blizzard.
Snow and cold wind, however, are not the only things that fill the streets. Upon arriving to Heathrow airport, the very first thing I saw when I exited the plane corridor was a large, ceiling mounted video camera. Everywhere I went, from the freezing streets to the Underground subway system, and from the highest points of St. Paul’s cathedral to the depths of the public restrooms (I’ll explain that later on), digital video cameras watched my every move. I initially assumed it was just my own paranoia, but a few conversations with the locals confirmed my suspicions that, as my Stonehenge tour guide put it, “London is the most watched city in the world.”
The argument can be made that this surveillance, or Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) as it is called in the UK, exists for security reasons, but there is something unsettling about seeing black spheres around almost every street corner and in every public transport medium available.
Speaking of publicly available services, the most baffling thing I encountered on my trip was actually in a public restroom. I was walking in Green Park, one of London’s beautiful recreational parks, and I saw a sign for a men’s lavatory. I walked down to the entrance, only to find a turnstile that would only let me pass if I paid 50 pence (about 80 US cents). And just to make sure you couldn’t jump over the turnstile totally scott-free, a video camera vigilantly watches the entrance to ensure no man or woman sneaks pass the fare unseen. I stormed out of the restroom, only to shake an angry fist at whosoever thought up the grand idea of charging people for a physiological need.
Fortunately, London did not consist entirely of freezing weather and video-camera guarded restrooms. From Stonehenge to the London Eye, the city still embodies its fascinating history, centuries older than the United States itself. Upon every street corner, Victorian architecture makes up the buildings for many modern businesses, showing the roots of old London still very much alive in its current state. Delightful British accents are heard everywhere, as words like“posh” and “lovely” are peppered into everyday conversations with seemingly elevated diction and old-world charm. Shopping is world-class, modern transportation is readily available to take you anywhere in the city, and restaurants deliver food nothing short of excellent.
If I could return to see only one thing again, it would have to be St. Paul’s Cathedral. Imagine the largest cathedral you’ve ever seen, but instead of stone walls and gray ceilings, gold adornments and hand-made mosaics span everywhere. A dome the size of our own Congressional building in D.C. dominates the main hall, with murals the size of our Foothill quad encircling the ceilings. And, if you’re brave (or fit) enough, a 529-step staircase will bring you up to a circular balcony in which an unobstructed, 360-degree view of London extends before you. Breathtaking doesn’t begin to describe the experience.
Looking back, I’m glad I spent my Spring Break on the other side of the pond. And if you ever find yourself lucky enough to be in the city with the Queen, I offer two pieces of advice: one, the best fish and chips of your life will be had at the most out-of-the-way, hole-in-the-wall pub you can find, and two, watch out when crossing the street; everyone drives on the wrong side of the road!
