Things I Love about London
London is a great city. Here’s what I’m falling in love with:
- Free museums. Most museums have free general admission. Special exhibits are extra. Smart.
- “Real” ale. I asked what “unreal” ale was and got strange looks. So much for that inquiry. Anyway, the beers here pulled from the old-school taps are phenomenal. I love their low carbonation and large size. One of my favorites is Adnams Bitter.
- Breakfast. I had a nearly-full English breakfast this weekend. Breakfast has to be the best food deal in London. Lisa and I got out of the place for under £10. I still need to find a place that serves black pudding.
- Power outlets with switches. It seems like nearly every outlet has a on/off switch, which is pretty convenient if you want to actually turn something like your stereo or TV off (standby mode isn’t true “off”). Even the outlets at the Tate have on/off switches. Must be a UK thing.
- City compost collection. We encountered this in Seattle too. It makes sense — keep that stuff out of landfills while making it easier and more efficient than a billion backyard compost piles.
- The Hackney Houseboats. Not everybody loves these, but I do. I wonder if I can convince Lisa to live in one … On Saturday, one was turned into a used book shop. Talk about living the dream!
- The dogs, obviously.
- The tea, of course.
- The fact that I’m starting to look the right way when crossing the street (first right then left).
