The cultural difference of London

Today’s London can be described as the crossroads of the world.  From all corners of the globe, people come from far and wide to work and set up home.  This collision of culture has made London into the vibrant city it is today.  Step into any neighbourhood in the city and there will be cuisine's from around the world, shops selling fruits from the tropics and spices from the east.  No other place in the world reflects the diversity of London.  This is in part due to its geographical position.  The Pacific Ocean is the antipodal point for the UK and so all land masses are in equal reach of the city.  Added are its status as a transport hub and its position as Europe’s leading financial centre, the mix only seems certain to grow.

What is amazing is how the demographic changes, when leaving the city’s boundaries.  On leaving London and crossing to the commuter towns of the surrounding Green Belt, it feels like another world.  The shops are all neat and tidy, the accents are less rich in slang and none of the exoticness of the city seems to have made an impact beyond its borders.  Traditional England has held sway despite the rapid change that has occurred in the city just a few miles away.  The faces are also different from that in the city.  Not just homogenised, but also different in their outlook.  The frantic pace of the city has been replaced by the sedate calm of suburban contentment.

It is these two very different cultures that sit side by side within the same country.  The engine that drives the economy of Britain is fast paced, haphazardly planned and yet seemingly successful.  While the well laid out land beyond its borders are economically insignificant but yet are financially dependent on the chaos of the metropolis.

London is also a city that sits uneasily within the UK.  Traditionally it has always been an outward looking city and in today’s world it is especially so.  While the culture of England remains vital to its inhabitants, that same culture seems alien to its capital city.  The crowds that may converge at Wembley when the national team play are more likely to originate beyond the capital than within it.

Long may this divide carry on.  It is part of the dynamism that makes London a cut above the rest of the country.  Annd something that has worked very well so far...

There's this sculptra clinic near us, and the boss came into today beaming like he

had this treat for us... Was it a raise? No. Was it discounts on getting cosmetic surgery treatments? Yes. Great, just what I looked for in a company. Well lets face it, we can't all be as beautiful as I am!