London Calling !

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”

Samuel Johnson.

Mr Johnson’s timeless quote can, for a resident of London, ring a little hollow when enduring a long, drawn-out grey winters living in a tiny, expensive flat just off the Kilburn High Street!

Love it or loathe it, London is altogether an awe-inspiring city which has, over centuries shaped itself to be a global leader embracing, the arts, commerce, education, fashion, finance, healthcare, tourism and public transport.

It is the centre of gravity for those who were either born and raised here or, for the hundreds of thousands who choose to make this giant metropolis home, amid its storied and glorious past which now is in the process of rubbing shoulders with the monochromatic chaos of Brexit.

To get a sense of London’s grandeur, a ramble through Hampstead Heath to Parliament Hill is to see the city laid out before you in all it’s glory. These days, the skyline is festooned with a forest of cranes helping to erect buildings that seem desperate to try and reach up to touch the stars. This spot affords the visitor perhaps the best 180- degree view of the city which stretches as far as the eye can see bisected by the mighty Thames River that snakes and weaves its way through the old and the new, never pausing on its constant journey to the sea.

London has been a major settlement for two millennia, founded by the Romans who named it Londinium.  Its ancient core, the City Of London largely retains its 1.12-square-mile (2.9 km2) Medieval boundaries.

As a city, this one has a lot to crow about given that it is the world's largest financial centre and has the sixth largest metropolitan GDP by area in the world.   London is often regarded as a world cultural capital and, possibly, because of this, it is the world's most-visited city as measured by international arrivals helped along by having the world's largest airport system measured by passenger traffic.

What’s not to love about London? With its diverse range of people and cultures conversing in over 300 different languages amid a  population of over nine million makes this, it the largest of any city in Europe one of its most important. 

Any way one looks at it, London is really a series of eclectic villages all joined together by common boundaries. Each of these ‘villages’ or boroughs has a completely different ‘feel’ compared to its neighbours, depending on the ethnic mix. The high streets offer different cuisine, style of dress and stores selling goods and services pertinent to that particular area.

It’s a wonderful city and one of the easiest to get around due to its ingenious public transport system.

The London Underground, or the Tube as its affectionally known, is a public rapid transport system serving London and some parts of the adjacent counties. Opened in 1863 it was the first line to operate underground electric traction trains and, in 2016–17 carried 1.379 billion passengers which equates to almost five million passengers a day. In 2014 London Transport introduced the ingenious contactless payment system known as the Oyster Card, allowing passengers to use not only the underground but also the city’s vast bus and ferry network.

Having experienced numerous public transport systems around Europe this one literally stands head and shoulders above the rest. Even though in summer, when the Tube can be hot and crowded, one never has to wait more than three minutes for a train. Ditto with buses whose services to all parts of London is never more than ten minutes apart. It's interesting to note that 92% of its operating revenue is generated by passenger journeys taking much of the weight off the city’s overall budget.

If public transport doesn’t suit, getting around London on two wheels is a cinch. Simply pick up a bicycle at any of the hundreds of racks scattered throughout the city. (an app will tell you where they are and how many bikes are available) tap your credit card on the panel, disengage the bike and off you go. The bike is yours to keep for a day, all for the princely sum of just two pounds and, when done, just drop it off at any of the racks on the route.

Given its size, London has been created to be a ‘livable’ city in that it has a plethora of wonderful parks, heaths and commons. These are well used by the local population as, on the whole, they are large and a perfect place to escape the urban noise and traffic. Some, like Hyde and Regents Parks, are Royal Parks and thus occupy prime positions in the inner city, once again offering a tranquil oasis of manicured lawns, tree-lined boulevards and ornamental lakes.

To get a sense of London’s heritage perhaps one should let The Thames guide you through its history and current attractions. The towpath along the Thames runs for miles, and to follow it,  you will get a sense of how the city has evolved. Wander from Tower Bridge past Greenwich (where Greenwich Mean Time is measured) to the flood barriers just east of the Isle Of Dogs to experience the old and the new of this great Metropolis.

Ancient pubs line the route and, stopping for a pint is the perfect way to capture the beating heart of the Thames with its plethora of vessels making their way up and down this wonderful river.

London is a city that has something for everyone, whether it be its rich history, cutting-edge architecture, wonderful theatre and music or its ever-evolving cuisine. Wandering the leafy streets of Holland Park during one of the best summers for decades, I came to realize how much I  love this city and asked myself several times, why I ever decided to leave.!

Paul v Walters is the author of several best selling novels and when not cocooned in sloth and procrastination in his house in Bali he scribbles for a variety of international travel and vox pop journals.