My first views of London appeared as the tube emerged from below ground and coasted along the countryside just outside of the city. Looking out at vast fields of grass and wildflowers, my travel buddy Bethany and I commented on the vibrant shades of green and yellow – we simply don’t have the same hues in Ohio.
A glimpse down the street from Trafalgar Square!
The colors are not the only things that differ from back home. As our first day commenced we experienced a culture that drives and walks on the left side of the road, sidewalk and hallway, has two pence coins, iconic red telephone booths and double-decker buses, and moves at the speed of light. In London, the locals rush at a peaceful pace. Unlike what I have experienced in New York City, when people pushed past you on the streets or in the Tube, Londoners had an uncanny politeness about them. In the event that they bumped into you, they always apologized or said excuse me before continuing on their way – where in New York City, a local may not even acknowledge your existence. On that same note, a few of us were struck by the number of people reading a newspaper or book on the tube. In the U.S. it seems that everyone is eager to get their hands on the next tablet, phone or computer and to read Buzzfeed articles on Facebook and call them news. It was refreshing to learn that a modern culture can exist in the presence of books and freshly printed-paper.
On the surface, London and New York City are very comparable. Lively and large, both cities are home to multitudes of people and almost as many beautiful buildings. The Shard skyscraper that gleams mysteriously and protrudes from the London skyline bears a striking resemblance to New York City’s Freedom Tower. However, New York City cannot compare with the breadth and depth of the history that London holds. While on the plane I realized that the cities we would explore throughout this trip were older than our country, a fact endorsed by the age of many of London’s buildings. Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, and St. Paul’s Cathedral are just a few examples of sites dispersed throughout the city that have outlived our young country by centuries – sites my fellow buckeyes and I traversed throughout the week.
The Shard emerging from behind the Tower of London.
Nevertheless, you can spot an ultra-modern building any way you turn. From the rotunda at the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral, you can see miles of gleaming skyscrapers intermixed with ancient church steeples and towers. An old building itself, St. Paul’s sits along the Thames River close to the heart of London. After climbing 550 stairs with Bethany hours after we arrived, we gazed out at the city in awe, knowing that our feet would soon be sore but our minds would be alive and actively taking in all that London has to offer. From this point we witnessed the bizarre juxtaposition of buildings along the river: the Shard, Tower Bridge and London Bridge (although like many Americans, we had the two confused at the time), the Globe Theatre, and the London Eye. You can’t get that kind of view from the Top of the Rock.
Our view from the rotunda of St. Paul’s Cathedral.
I will never forget that moment, leaning on the rotunda’s railing, imagining the trip that is ahead of me. Although I have legally been an adult for almost three years, this moment was the first time that I truly believed that I am an adult. Spending five days in London taught me much about the Second World War, London’s culture, and myself. Printed words from past assignments came to life as I stood in the underground rooms and passageways where Britain waged war and watched the light shine through glass that fills a hole in Westminster Abbey where it was struck during the Battle of Britain. I also observed a city of speed walkers who still found value in reading the newspaper on their daily ride on the tube. Finally, I proved to myself that I am capable of adulthood and ready for the adventure that lies ahead of me – and I don’t just mean exploring France, Poland and Germany in the next few weeks.
A beautiful memorial on a wall in Westminster that serves as a reminder of the sacrifice made by so many unnamed men and women throughout the Second World War.