Love, Hate and London

There are certain things I love about London:

I love that you can spot a tourist a mile off, and that's when the Olympics aren't on and they aren't running around in their country's flag/shawl.

I love that you can tell a Londoner about five miles off.

I love that I used to be one and therefore always will be one and can blend in.

I love that when you put headphones in people don't even make eye contact.

I love that random men call me Love. Most of them are good looking too.

I love people watching in Trafalgar Square. And Leicester Square. And Covent Garden.

I love that dressing up as Batman and being a statue is entirely normal.

I love the Canadian embassy.

I love that there is PRET and it is everywhere. I had it twice yesterday just to get my fill!

Apparently, the Boris Bikes are actually getting used. Of course, we have cyclists getting killed too.

If there is a barracade, the army, and five police officers standing around...you probably shouldn't try to access that area. But hey, if you can't see five steps in front of you, I guess you deserve to be shouted at. ;) Stupid tourists...in high heels.

What makes you think that stilletos is good footwear for London's many uneven paths?

Things I don't like right now:

Purple and pink are not okay colours together. Especially when every tenth person in London is wearing them.

If you want to stop and consult your map to figure out if you are going the wrong direction, don't stop in the middle of the path so that everyone behind walks in to you.

For that matter, slow as a turtle is not an acceptable walking speed; I really don't care if you are admiring the scenery. Get out of my way and THEN stop to look. Other people have places they want to be. For that matter, my walking speed in ANY country is 'pretty good'.

Also, for that matter, don't step backwards to take a photograph without looking to see who you are going to step backwards into.

I get that you think it's British!, but really, finding the most beatup purple taxi in all of London and posing for a picture? Just sad, really.

Do NOT take away my only accessible Tim Horton's and replace it with Costa. I HAVE Costa right up the road. I don't have Tims! Seriously, NOT OKAY.

If you are going to redirect the flow of traffic, can you do it in such a way that actually makes sense to the people being redirected?

If you are going to put up barracades and then ignore them...why bother? People will take the most direct route...especially Londoners, so why waste the fencing?

It's not illegal to cross on a don't walk in this country. So don't block the road by lining up waiting for a green light. You'll be waiting A LONG time. If there are no cars coming, there are no cars that are going to hit you.

Don't create 'Olympic only lanes' and then, as soon as the Olympics starts, realise it was a bad idea and then open them up to everyone. Everywhere I went there were big signs saying 'Olympic Lanes open to all traffic'. Signs are really very distracting for drivers, actually.

In the end, I love this city and wish I could have spent more time there yesterday. Still, I got to see the Picasso Sketches, Mind the Map exhibit at LTM (awesome!), lots of people watching, PRET, and definitely had a good walk.