Love notes to London...

I loved that people eating together in restaurants didn't have their cell phones next to the silverware, nor did their cell phones ring once they sat down. As my husband and I were talking about what we had just seen, and what we would do next, people at nearby tables were having actual conversations, just not three-word questions and one-word answers.  The connections between friends and families there were 'in the moment,' not through hand-held electronic equipment.

I loved how the British treat their dogs.... like family members, not just four-legged animals.  Dogs were brought on the underground trains and the double-decker buses.... they sat on their owner's laps, or right close to their feet. None of them were ill-trained and never did we hear so much as a tiny growl from any of the dogs we saw on London's public transport.  At nearly all of the outdoor cafes, we saw dogs quietly sleeping by their owner's feet, or sitting down near their tables and just watching the world go by.  Mostly all of the stores have metal rings near the doors so dogs' leashes can be securely tied down while (whilst!) their owners are shopping.  We saw one man and his dog in three different parts of London on three different days..... as the man stretched out on a park bench in the sun, his dog slept belly-side-up between the man's legs, and everyone who passed either took notice and smiled or took a photo.

All of the cafes and restaurants we went to were kept with pride, with respect to the customers and the food they served.  The museum cafes were outstanding, and the food they offered was gourmet quality,  nothing served on paper plates with plastic forks and paper cups.  Even the food vendors at The Borough Market under the London Bridge.... the food was garden-to-market fresh, and cooked with care and cleanliness. The Tower Cafe, at The Tower of London, was a first-rate example of perfection, with excellent food, and efficient employees beyond measure.

The town of Hammersmith, where our B&B was located, was filled with three and four-story townhouses, mostly all with tiny gardens out front....... roses bloomed and rock gardens were arranged, and some homes had slate or concrete driveways tucked under ancient trees. We saw very few residences there with unkempt properties. Every morning, the shop-keepers and cafe owners in the town's center would be sweeping their sidewalks and cleaning off the outdoor tables and chairs.

The city of London was very crowded at certain times of the day, and the underground trains were over-flowing with passengers during rush-hour times. Never once did we hear foul language, no one had a city-attitude, everyone was helpful when we asked for directions. As my husband studied the map of the train and bus stops, sometimes a Londoner would ask if help was needed. And then, as we got close to the point where we needed to get off, that Londoner would remind us to exit the train.  And always, on every train, there would be that gentle recorded announcement to "Mind the gap." as we left the train.

I loved the double-decker buses, which we used every day. From the top tier of the bus, we could appreciate the ornate architecture of the buildings, and see off into the distance and look at tall townhouses and small apartment buildings.  Nearly all of the ground-floor businesses have apartments on the upper floors, and just about every restaurant and cafe has outdoor tables and chairs.  A few of the cafes had small lap-blankets on the back of every outdoor chair, in case your legs got cold from a London chill coming off the Thames.

We saw twelve museums while in London, and in nearly all of them, there were groups of school children with their teachers. All the children were nicely dressed in their school uniforms, and all but a very few were quiet and well-behaved (those that weren't behaving were told just once by their teacher to 'be quiet, look, and learn,' and that one sentence ended the high-jinks.  With one particular group of second-graders, a little boy looked up at his teacher and told her: "I am thoroughly enjoying this outing!"  Just imagine... that sort of compliment from a such a young student. I loved it, just loved it.

People-watching in London was a treat.... all the styles were mind-boggling, to say the least. The fashions, or even the lack of fashion, was a never-ending kaleidoscope of color, texture, and design. Women wore vintage clothing with just-off-the-rack styles. Everyone wore layers upon layers, dressing for the cool mornings and prepared for the warmer afternoons that would switch into cooler evenings. While we were there, I learned to do the same, although I didn't mix vintage with current styles.... I mixed classics with classics and felt very comfortable, very British.  And no one, absolutely no one, judged anyone else's garments, as they do constantly in New York.  People wore what they had, wore what they liked, wore what was comfortable and convenient and somehow, everyone looked as they should in their own mind. On one particular bus ride, I was sitting next to an older lady wearing a very pretty hat. It was so pretty, and she looked so nice in it, that I told her just that. She smiled so wide... and told me she had designed the hat.  The hat itself was nearly 50 years old, she said, but every year, she added different ribbons and trims and she ended up 'with a new hat, for just a pound or two.'

In the past twenty years, my husband and I have been to six countries and 30 states... never once have we come home from a destination with such vivid and stirring memories that are still with us a week after landing at the Texas airport.

I love you, London..... I love your heart, your character, your history, your traditions, your good manners, your sense of style, your tea, your everything.