In the words of the immortal Edward R. Murrow.
One of the great things about Oxford is London. I have been in much more than I thought I would. The city isn’t as initially stunning as Paris, for example, but it has really grown on me. It’s got everything. And I have been in enough to see it. You have East London, the Whitechapel tube stop, that might as well be in the middle of the Arab world. You get off and see kebab carts, men with beards, women wearing hijab and burqas. My grandfather gave me a book Londonistan that describes the UK’s immigration policy and its effect here. You have Camden Town, the home of Irish music and Goths. You have the only good Mexican food in the UK–my favorite restaurant, Wahaca, is a must-visit every time I go. (Though a Chipotle is coming to Oxford!) You have food from every country in the world, almost. It is a truly international city.
Today I went in for an interview. I stopped by the National Portrait Gallery–not a prime stop for a tourist, but a great way to see British history. They have portraits of most notable Brits, along with historical descriptions of the stories behind the faces–an outstanding time. And then I walked into the National Gallery (free!) for about five minutes because I wanted to see the Van Goghs quickly. It’s great having an international city with a favorite restaurant (again, Wahaca), and a favorite pub (The Red Lion, off Whitehall, or the Cobden Arms in Camden).
Listen to Edward R. Murrow’s recordings of London during the Blitz. I’ll include one here.
ERB
