Summer is here and many people are going on vacation to relax, have fun, be tourists and bask in the glow of a new place. There is another reason to vacation though; to get out of your own backyard and see how other folks live.
I often speak of London because I had an extended vacation there, five years ago. It's a place where we have exported Madonna, and two Gwens; Paltrow and Stefani, and imported Simon Cowell, Gordon Ramsay and television nannies.
There are differences between Los Angeles and London. London is fascinating. For a bustling city, it still has a small town feel. Cars in London are right-hand drive but their driving isn't right -- it's left. It doesn't rain everyday in London, nor is it foggy.
Brits are a friendly bunch who tell it like it is, unlike Angelenos who tell you how it will never be. I won't tell you about the tourist stuff that you can find anywhere, just things I found interesting.
There is a pub on almost every corner or within close proximity to one another. They still have phone booths, good luck finding any pay phone here, much less a phone booth? Their cell phones are six months ahead of ours. They don't get charged for incoming cell phone calls, only Nextel does it here.
They have cars we will never see in America, built especially for the European market. They have special parking spaces for mothers with small children, much like our handicapped spaces, near store entrances. Their supermarket cashiers get to sit on stools, not stand like they do here.
Their double decker is a bus, our double decker can make us the size of a bus. Two staples in a Brit household are the soaps, Coronation Street and East Enders. Both come with a myriad of bizarre story lines that reflect a realistic and captivating slice of life.
When the flag flies at Buckingham Palace, the Queen is home, just not taking MY calls. It's okay, she's probably reading my latest posts, after all, she's one of my biggest fans Luv! The only house in England that the Queen may not enter is The House of Commons, as she is not a commoner. She is also the only person in England who does not need a license plate on her vehicle.
I just wanted to see her hat collection. Rumor has it that she has over 1,000 hats. Is the crown an official hat? One evening I was walking past Buckingham Palace, hoping to get a glimpse at the Queens Guard, who are real soldiers, all part of the Household Division who have guarded the Sovereign and the Royal Palaces since 1660.
They work hard work at standing still. Here, they could work in the post office. As I passed the gate, I saw someone jogging with an entourage. After doing a double-take, I noticed it was the Queen. I shouted, "Liz?" "Liz, it's me, Alexys?"
She turned around, but the only thing that I accomplished was to make her run faster -- away from me. All I saw were her Nike's, kicking up dust. And yes, she wore the crown.
Okay, that last part didn't really happen, but I wanted to give you a Hollywood ending. That's what Los Angeles is famous for; it's make believe. We've made a whole business on it. You may have even heard of Hollywood?
Seriously, learning about new cultures and understanding our differences bring us together as people. Even if you can't afford to vacation, you can always travel to a foreign land via the internet. Your adventure awaits. Welcome to Summer.
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