For our fleeting stay in London, to describe it in one word: Youthful. For a city with an official history going all the way back to 50 CE, a vibrant youthful optimism and exuberance permeates the streets. We American millennials call it “the hustle,” but to the twenty and thirty something Londoners who seem to dominate the side-walk traffic it’s just how life is lived. Even the clearly older lady or gent you meet on the street seems younger than they really are. You could say youth is infectious in London, if not physically then surely mentally.
We stayed at a hostel on Wilson Street just above The Flying Horse, a lively pub with an interior of oak and leather, serving classic British spirits and ales, juicy pub burgers, and hot chips cooked to order. Regrettably, we came in from exploring too late to savor the menu ourselves, but if my nose is truthful the food is delicious. Never fear, though, for the pub life isn’t just for after-work, it’s a thing unto itself. If one pub isn’t serving food, another one nearby is. In London you learn to stop what it is you’re doing and have a pint over conversation, which is precisely what we did Sunday night when we set off from the hostel and wandered into the Polo Bar on Bishop’s Gate. There we met an Australian archeologist studying abroad and discussed our interests, observations, and politics. That’s London.
London is often compared to New York, but I think the comparison is a disservice to the visitor. You see, more so than buildings and landmarks it is the people who make a city, and Londoners are nothing like New Yorkers. Londoners are less nativistic and are far more accepting of visitors, explorers, and tourists. Of course you’ll find jerks in every city, but Londoners don’t ooze a sense of urban superiority the way New Yorkers often do, who refer to New York as “The” city and assume being a New York native makes one special. London is just London, and if we must make comparisons then to me London felt much more like San Francisco than New York. The atmosphere is laid back despite the bustle, and the place is filled with colorful people doing colorful things despite the perpetual overcast.