“Walk on to Electric Avenue…”

I seem to have a very love/hate relationship with London. I don’t remember it being this dirty and smelly last time I was here. I love the hustle and bustle of the city, how smoothly “The Tube” runs, and it is extremely multi-cultural.

Though this multiculturalism has it’s drawbacks too. The city doesn’t seem English anymore. I seemed to encounter more immigrants than I did born and breed Englishmen or women.

We went shopping the other day, meeting our friend at Harrods. Ahh, what a wonderful place. So much to look at and dream about. I love their food market. They seem to have some of the most extravagant and delicious looking food I have ever seen. We ended our shopping trip with nothing bought but a scoop of wild berry gelato.

We went to several parks and made our way through several shopping high streets. Mostly eating and drinking our way around the city.

The buses are also better than any that I have experienced in the world. Though there are constant news articles and programs regarding teens on buses and stabbings and running a mess, so you constantly need to be looking over your shoulder and be sure not to piss anyone off.

I guess that leads me into that last paragraph of this post regarding the place that I laid my head each night. That place is on Coldharbour Lane in Camberwell. Have you ever heard the song “Electric Avenue.” Well, it is based not far from Dean’s childhood home. The flat is located above several barber shops and is very old. The first night I was there, there were a few bums that had some how got into the building and relieved themselves (not talking a simple pee) and, we found out later, slept right outside the door to his dads flat. A little too close for comfort.

In the end, London is a great place to lay your head at night. I am working on an England vs. America pros and cons list as Dean and I will soon have to make a decision as to what country we want to settle.