I love your photos, as always, Sabrina ❤️ How thrilling (with a tinge of nostalgia as well, perhaps?) to be able to compare these two versions of the city and over a period of time in which so much has changed too. Wow, it must have felt like stepping into a time machine.
My sister lives in central London and when I visit her I'm always struck by the difference between London and Madrid - both capitals cities but so different. Madrid feels like a friendly village in comparison! 😂
I am looking forward to spending more time in Madrid. I really enjoyed it last year but felt I was just getting a glimpse. It did not feel village-like to me, so I am looking forward to getting that vibe! London has been a touchstone place for me for years, but it has lost a bit of the magic it originally held for me. Whilst I still enjoy it, it feels very different to me now, and I value different parts of the city as we explore new neighbourhoods when we can.
But this recent visit was definitely a time to compare and contrast to the first time I lived here, and that was another fun way to think about it. It was really fun to dig through my old photos, especially the ones of Richmond and Twickenham. Thanks for sharing your experience of each city!
Do you know, in the very late 1960's, after travelling through Europe and Asia on the way to London, I can remember flying into Heathrow and I felt like I was home. My lovely and very small non-boutique hotel was in Knightsbridge in a street that was later to become THE very swisho Beauchamp Place - a very la di da, tickety boo kind of street later but not then.
I felt at home, walking sightseeing, talking, everything was familiar in the weirdest kind of way. I doubt I'd find it like that now. My son travelled to London on his first ever trip away, he was maybe 19 (40 now) and he hated it. Cities explode and vibes change.
That is so interesting to hear! Thanks for letting me know. I loved Knightsbridge (very posh) and also the Kings road area when I was there the first time. Covent Garden was just starting to transition from the old flower district into an interesting place with independent shops. Now it is a bit of a nightmare, a Disneyland for tourists who want to shop. London did change a lot after I was there, and it feels different now to me. We go there often enough but try to explore new areas each time if we can, and that helps keep it fresh. It really is a collection of many villages, and it seems you picked up on that when you were there.
I've spent a bit of time in London over the years. My first visit was in June 1985, when Heather and I began our honeymoon there before heading off to Oxford, the Lake District, Edinburgh, the Trossachs, York, et al. We came back a few times when my late father-in-law was the U.S. ambassador to the Court of St. James's (1989–91). After that, I bypassed London on most of my trips to England, instead flying into Manchester and taking the train north to the Lake District. Last August, however, Sonya and I spent several days in London before heading off to Kenya. We stayed at the gorgeous Haymarket Hotel in the West End, and had a marvelous time walking around the city and enjoying the kaleidoscopic mix of cultures you noted. What a marvelous city... though Heathrow is awful, innit?
I do love the cultural mix of London and it was one of the things that enchanted me that first year, and does still. Part of what I enjoyed in the museums were all the exhibitions from other cultural traditions. San Francisco does a pretty good job too of bringing non-western traditions to it's museums so you are lucky to live there too.
Heathrow, well, it is a place you just have to get through to get where you need to go. You can't imagine what it was like during Covid, with all the testing tents out in remote parking lots, and then outside the entrances to the terminals. Compared to that it seems pretty tame these days...
So interesting to read how your vision of London has changed over the years. Maybe too it’s better known to you so has lost some flare. Or maybe you’ve outgrown the big city stuff.
Fabio and I still love London, especially the ability to walk everywhere and the museums. It seems more international to me than even NYC. When I went in business it was almost more fun because the office paid for better food and hotels than I treat myself to know but the advantage that outweighs that now is I can do whatever I darn well please in that exciting place. And I can leave and come see you both.
I love your photos, as always, Sabrina ❤️ How thrilling (with a tinge of nostalgia as well, perhaps?) to be able to compare these two versions of the city and over a period of time in which so much has changed too. Wow, it must have felt like stepping into a time machine.
My sister lives in central London and when I visit her I'm always struck by the difference between London and Madrid - both capitals cities but so different. Madrid feels like a friendly village in comparison! 😂
I am looking forward to spending more time in Madrid. I really enjoyed it last year but felt I was just getting a glimpse. It did not feel village-like to me, so I am looking forward to getting that vibe! London has been a touchstone place for me for years, but it has lost a bit of the magic it originally held for me. Whilst I still enjoy it, it feels very different to me now, and I value different parts of the city as we explore new neighbourhoods when we can.
But this recent visit was definitely a time to compare and contrast to the first time I lived here, and that was another fun way to think about it. It was really fun to dig through my old photos, especially the ones of Richmond and Twickenham. Thanks for sharing your experience of each city!
A wonderful piece, Sabrina.
Do you know, in the very late 1960's, after travelling through Europe and Asia on the way to London, I can remember flying into Heathrow and I felt like I was home. My lovely and very small non-boutique hotel was in Knightsbridge in a street that was later to become THE very swisho Beauchamp Place - a very la di da, tickety boo kind of street later but not then.
I felt at home, walking sightseeing, talking, everything was familiar in the weirdest kind of way. I doubt I'd find it like that now. My son travelled to London on his first ever trip away, he was maybe 19 (40 now) and he hated it. Cities explode and vibes change.
That is so interesting to hear! Thanks for letting me know. I loved Knightsbridge (very posh) and also the Kings road area when I was there the first time. Covent Garden was just starting to transition from the old flower district into an interesting place with independent shops. Now it is a bit of a nightmare, a Disneyland for tourists who want to shop. London did change a lot after I was there, and it feels different now to me. We go there often enough but try to explore new areas each time if we can, and that helps keep it fresh. It really is a collection of many villages, and it seems you picked up on that when you were there.
I've spent a bit of time in London over the years. My first visit was in June 1985, when Heather and I began our honeymoon there before heading off to Oxford, the Lake District, Edinburgh, the Trossachs, York, et al. We came back a few times when my late father-in-law was the U.S. ambassador to the Court of St. James's (1989–91). After that, I bypassed London on most of my trips to England, instead flying into Manchester and taking the train north to the Lake District. Last August, however, Sonya and I spent several days in London before heading off to Kenya. We stayed at the gorgeous Haymarket Hotel in the West End, and had a marvelous time walking around the city and enjoying the kaleidoscopic mix of cultures you noted. What a marvelous city... though Heathrow is awful, innit?
I do love the cultural mix of London and it was one of the things that enchanted me that first year, and does still. Part of what I enjoyed in the museums were all the exhibitions from other cultural traditions. San Francisco does a pretty good job too of bringing non-western traditions to it's museums so you are lucky to live there too.
Heathrow, well, it is a place you just have to get through to get where you need to go. You can't imagine what it was like during Covid, with all the testing tents out in remote parking lots, and then outside the entrances to the terminals. Compared to that it seems pretty tame these days...
How fun to learn about your “gap” year experiences.
Thanks Carol. I had so many adventures that year. Very much another kind of education!
So interesting to read how your vision of London has changed over the years. Maybe too it’s better known to you so has lost some flare. Or maybe you’ve outgrown the big city stuff.
Fabio and I still love London, especially the ability to walk everywhere and the museums. It seems more international to me than even NYC. When I went in business it was almost more fun because the office paid for better food and hotels than I treat myself to know but the advantage that outweighs that now is I can do whatever I darn well please in that exciting place. And I can leave and come see you both.