London is loud. The wet streets shine under the light of lanterns and the pavement vibrates underneath Pumps and boots dominating the city. Almost no spot is left untouched. Instead, the people own the districts like moths radiating a light bulb. They all run towards it. The city is colourful and the atmosphere so overwhelming, that sometimes it feels hard to breathe. The cold doesn’t seem to matter, naked skin is seen as often as at a beach in summer. The rain is almost routine, no one cares for it anymore. The lights of the city are in some way its sun and the humming of its people its wind. It never gets too quiet - it never gets too calm. The air isn’t fresh, although the Perfume from the next store clouds your senses, having you believe so. Many walk, with their mouth open wide, others find their way even with closed eyes. It is a carnival, but no one is truly disguised. A loud celebration, where no one is uninvited. Once you’re in, your ticket is permanent, if you want to or not. Most do.
A young man and his girlfriend are leaning at a wall sprayed with graffiti in the smoking area and wave me towards them. There is a sweet scent of smoke, probably an E-Shisha, Gin, and bitter deodorant in the air. “Hey, where are you from? You look lost.” After my short, “Hi, Germany.”, the Duo introduces me to two other friends: “This is Manu, she’s from India.”. The second one in a pink hoodie is leaning on the umbrella covered in stickers: “Alex, Mexico.” And finally, the couple: “Sally and Louis, England and Spain, we met at university.” Afterwards we realise that at this point we are all Londoners anyways and origin becomes indifferent. The evening is long like most and especially beautiful.
I realise that life in London is generally easier. Not specifically because of the city, but because of the people. Students from all over the world laugh with one another and do their weekly shopping at Asda, the bankers drink their Latte at Costa Coffee and later force themselves, a newspaper in hand, into the crowded Piccadilly line, the elders watch their dogs in Hyde Park and children jump from puddle to puddle as tourists, with their noses in their guides, stumble through the red double-decker buses. There’s no right or wrong. Everything is colourful, the city is full but still, you can never get enough.
London surprises me suddenly and still - it happens again and again. There are skyscrapers with weird names like “Shard” and “Cheesegrater”. In front of them, I see small groups of employees in grey suits, sipping tea in between pigeons, whilst talking to their bosses about new projects and big visions. I hear accents all around me, hear them becoming one and never being questioned. I run into young interns, buying roasted almonds at little wheeled booths. Then I’m on the other side of the town, where I don’t even know where to look first, surrounded by singers, bawling out Ed Sheeran’s new album, artist playing the violin with a guitar, dancers turning hip-hop into ballet, actors performing plays without any words and acrobats that make you afraid they’ll fall right next to you any second.
One time, my bus takes off just a second before two elder ladies and I can reach it. A few people at the rear window give us pitying looks, while I stand still in the rain. “What a shame.”, says one of the ladies to the other one. At the bus stop, there is a young girl in fishnet tights and bleach leather boots. Her hands covered in gloves reach for her headphones with studs all over them, and turns towards us: “Where to? Maybe I can help?” “Oh darling, that’d be terrific! Leicester Square?”, the girl smiles describing an alternative way to get there, taking the Underground. “You’re too kind, honey. Thank you!” Then the two ladies disappear, and I get on the next bus.
There is an enormous individual will to live in the city, that doesn’t let itself be forbidden by anyone. In London, worlds collide and work in harmony, balance, and appreciation for each other. For me, it’s as if there can’t be enough colours at once in this radiant place. Outside factors do not influence this vibrating, singing, and dancing town, that puts any newcomer under its spell.
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