Five Ways London is Just Better than America

By Jude Patenaude

1) Parks and Greenery

Whoever designed the concrete hellscape known as New York City probably said to themself, “Oh, I guess we should put big park in the middle so people can breathe. Job well done!” That would never fly in London. While London does have a famous, grand park at its center— Hyde Park—you can’t walk ten feet without coming across some form of greenery. Every few blocks is home to a residential garden, and almost every building is decorated with hanging plants. What’s more, you can’t walk into a shop district without finding at least one flower shop—even the tube has its own underground flower shops. So, if you plan on living in London, just know that you can breathe easy.

book, and no wonder with all the bookstores on every corner. As it turns out, there is joy to be found in presenting quality items to the public.

3) Museums and Theatre

The MoMA is one of the most famous museums in New York City for featuring works such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night. Of course, in order to see this masterpiece, adults are expected to pay a $25 fee. In comparison, seeing Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the National Gallery is absolutely free. Not only that, but every single museum I visited—whether it be the British museum featuring the Rosetta Stone, or the quirky Science Museum—was likewise free. Where American museums reserve art for the wealthy, London encourages art and enrichment for all. Likewise, London has one of the largest theatre scenes in the world. Not only that, but their world-renowned shows have relatively

2) Marketplaces and Bookstores

When I think of shopping in America, I think of strip malls containing every cheap luxury—god forbid something sustainable or enriching makes its way onto the market. Meanwhile, London proudly displays tented markets with individual businesses of antiques, fresh fruits and vegetables, and books on books on books. I don’t remember a single time I was on the tube without seeing someone with an open cheap tickets available. For example, I was able to see Mama Mia for only 18 pounds (I had to kneel the whole time because I was so high up, but still, what a steal!). I likewise saw To Kill a Mockingbird with good seats for a third of the price I would have paid in New York. This isn’t to say that I’m more worried about being a penny-pincher than I am about supporting the arts, but rather that I was impressed a wider range of options was available for a wider audience.

4) Transportation and Walkability

Standstill traffic, cramped crowds, and ratinfested subways are as much hallmarks of New York City as the Empire State Building. But what if I told you there was a world where a city could be walkable, efficient, and clean? When I used the tube for the first time, I was amazed by how easy it was to navigate by google maps, or even by the signs alone. Not only that, but I was never made to wait more than five minutes for a tube to come, and was never on a tube for longer then ten minutes. It felt like I blinked, and I was on the other side of London. The tube’s only flaw was it could sometimes be crowded, and even then I was only met with a chorus of people saying “Sorry!”

Even when the tube was closed, I found that the buses were relatively easy to use, even if I had to wait a little longer for them to come. Once I was on the bus, I was able to sit in the top deck almost every time and enjoy the view of London. Sometimes I’d listen to music and flip through a book.

If I felt like taking the scenic route—which I often did—I found that London was surprisingly orange yolk, which is a sign of a healthy chicken. Marketplaces displayed fruits and vegetables handpicked by the sellers from local farms. walkable with plenty of sidewalks, crosswalks, and even walking bridges. I found all kinds of little delights along the way, including tea stalls, dogs in sweaters, and chess tables. What could be better?

That isn’t to mention the innumerable restaurants of every culture. The best meal I had in London was at a Lebanese street food restaurant named Hiba Street. The cashier gave us a free sample of baklava as well as an extra helping of their grandmother’s “beautiful, fresh-baked bread.” I indulged in some of the best bread, seasoned chicken, and feta pastries of my life.

Even the cafés seemed to beckon me to stop and smell the roses. Wherever there was a long stretch of sidewalk or a park, there was sure to be a small café for my convenience. One café at the end of a quaint park served some of the best Italian food I’ve ever had.

But of course, the quintessential dining experience of London is the pub, of which there are too many to count. These pubs are not your American scene with loud music, stale food, and lonely singles. The London pubs are a place where everyone comes together to talk over quality food and drink. A gin and ginger beer combo with mac and cheese was one of my most memorable meals. If you want to leave a restaurant feeling like a sleepy kid being carried upstairs while you hear the laughter of the party in the background, the London pub is the place for you.

5) Cafés, Restaurants, and Pubs

When I think of American food, I think of fast food—factory-made, pre-packaged, frozen and shipped. In contrast, while fast food is still an option in London, it is by no means a staple. While London has a reputation for “bad food”—I for one never tried their famous “beans on toast”—the food was consistently fresh and locally-sourced. For example, I found that all of their eggs had a dark