London. A Look Back.

London:  7 plays, 3 musicals, 1 “interactive theatrical experience”, 2 Hint Hunts, 22 tennis matches watched, 14 tennis matches played, 1 trip to Highclere Castle / “Downton Abbey”, 1 visit to Wimbledon, many jugs of Pimm’s #1 consumed, 4 days in Paris, 1 morning dress event attended, >100 restaurant meals eaten, 2 sightings of the Queen and innumerable buildings and sites of immense historical significance visited. Phew! We sure packed in a lot during our non-work hours over the past 8 weeks in London!

What a truly remarkable, wonderful place London is. Where else could have so much incredible and historic architecture that we would go out of our way to take a bus to get to our destination so that we could spend more time simply gawking? Where else could we genuinely say that there aren't enough hours remaining in our lives to experience everything that we wish to experience? Where else could we happily live in a 300 square foot flat with no dishwasher or microwave? Where else would the cost to rent said flat be the same as a 2,500 square foot house with a big backyard in central Toronto (Ok, Hong Kong I guess would qualify!)? Where else would we be able to see Nelson’s Column, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the Canadian Flag atop Canada House, the Shard and the London Eye all from the couch in our living room (cum dining room cum clothes drying area cum storage room)?

Unfortunately I am not poetic enough to do justice to the description of the place. Truly, the old dame retains her title as the world’s greatest city in our opinions. If only it weren't for the weather…… London will clearly be a place that we continue to spend a significant amount of time for years to come. The “bone-chilling cold” will be just too much for us warm bloods (not to mention the wallet-destroying prices), so year-round residence is out of the question, but a few months per year could definitely be workable.

How do we follow-up such a grand place as London? It wouldn't be fair to travel now to somewhere that also stylizes itself as a grand city of the world – simply nowhere could compete. So, instead we are now travelling somewhere that presents itself entirely differently. Somewhere that competes against London’s live theatre by having an inexhaustible supply of natural beauty. A State with its largest city having fewer residents than the average London borough. Somewhere that had a leader once proudly claim foreign-affairs credibility by saying she can see Russia from her house. The only State where 4x4s outnumber regular cars. Somewhere that formed the America-side of the land bridge that brought the first inhabitants to the American continents. 

That Somewhere of course is….. Alaska!