London

I was recently asked what my favourite thing about London is. In a city this culturally diverse, rich in thousands of years of history, with one of the best nightlife scenes and a plethora of galleries, museums, theatres, concert halls, neighbourhoods to explore, it is very hard to pinpoint my very favourite thing about London.

So in response to the question posed to me by my brother's very dear friend (and soon to be new mother) Becky, here is a list of SEVEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT LONDON - in no particular order.

1. The Houses of Parliament and the Big Ben Clock Tower - Yes, I am starting this list with my current place of work, but it's a truly remarkable building both inside and out. I love exploring the many corridors and gazing up at the high ceilings that date back to before Canada was even a country... but what I love most about these buildings, and what I have ALWAYS loved about them, is the way they glow at any time of day. In the daytime the sunshine reflects off of the palace and drapes the area in a beautiful dazzling light. In the evening the palace is lit up so beautifully that you can't walk past without stopping to admire it. It is a truly iconic set of buildings and seeing them makes me realise that I am in London, England.

2. Hampstead Heath - The view from atop the hill is stunning on a clear day. Looking down on London you can see Canary Wharf, The City, St. Paul's, the London Eye, the BT Tower, even Crystal Palace off in the distant south. The park itself is really nice, and when it's full of families and joggers and couples in love enjoying the outdoors it is easy to forget that you're in one of the world's largest and busiest cities... but again, the view is there to remind you of how close and accessible all of London's wonders really are.

3. The River Thames - I love the way the river weaves through the city. The way that London is separated, North and South, by the river. There are so many fantastic views of buildings on the river and so many benches placed along the embankment where you can sit and just watch the water for hours on end. The river has so much history to it and I find that I get lost in the images and ideas of London of many many years ago, with bustling docks and great treasures coming in from all across the Empire. The river is something that I don't get tired of, and while it's dirty and doesn't have the same tranquility of the sea, I find it very comforting in this giant city.

4. London Buses - The red double decker bus is a symbol for London and I can't get enough of them. Traffic or clear roads, I love to ride around the city on the bus. It has been the best way for me to orientate myself with certain areas and to realise that things aren't as far apart from each other as I once thought. I especially enjoy riding the bus at night through Central London, and I am looking forward to taking my seat at the front of the upper deck of the bus at Christmastime to ooh and ahh at the the city's lights.

5. Angel/Islington - The trendy, yuppie-filled, neighbourhood makes me feel at home. No, I'm not calling myself a yuppie, or trendy for that matter, but it reminds me of Toronto in a way that no other part of London does. For those of you fortunate enough to know my hometown of Toronto, Angel/Islington is Bloor-Yorkville meets College West, meets Yonge/Eglinton. I know, that's a big vague, but there's something about Angel that makes me feel very much at home, and being in a new city so far from my loved ones, that is a very nice feeling to get.

6. Museums/Galleries - London has soooooooooooo many museums and galleries and most of them are FREE! They are of the highest quality and cover everything from Transport to Military History to Design to Art to Fashion to Photography to just about anything you can imagine. I love that there is always something to do in London on any budget. There is absolutely no excuse to live without culture in this city when so much of it can be found on your doorstep at little to no cost.

7. Tourists - I, as many of you know, LOVE tourists. No matter where I am, no matter whether I am a tourist as well or not, and no matter what time of year, I LOVE TOURISTS! I really enjoy meeting people on holiday, helping them to make the most of their visit, and trying to translate for the many tourists who cannot speak English here in London is always fun. I know it sounds crazy, but I really like seeing people visiting other places. I like knowing that there is an attraction about the place I've chosen to live and that people from all corners of the world share a common interest in the same place. London has more tourists than any other city I've been to, and while I am not a fan of slow-walking tourists on the underground system, I really love that on any given day you're guaranteed to see at least one group of tourists enjoying London, rain or shine.