tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post3871204138110496881..comments2023-08-19T11:00:35.435+01:00Comments on Under Wide English Skies: City of Dreams Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01588437065757203375noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-52022338702427177802013-12-26T21:55:06.649+00:002013-12-26T21:55:06.649+00:00Lovely post, Marianne! It's interesting to ret...Lovely post, Marianne! It's interesting to return to a place you once lived in, and now you're like a different person; you certainly have a different life than you had back then.<br />I love London, but only for short bursts of time, it requires lots of energy but has so much to offer.<br />Hope you had a good Christmas!Mimihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08100985140335023467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-68792395911584217502013-12-20T16:29:34.677+00:002013-12-20T16:29:34.677+00:00I enjoyed your post so much and it brought back me...I enjoyed your post so much and it brought back memories and also a bit of nostalgia. I went to London the first time in 1953 when I was 13 – I went with a small group of French school kids, each one of us them went to a local family. Then I went back every Christmas from Paris until I left for the US (after spending a year in England in college.) After that, as often as I could find a flight I would stop in London for a day or two on my way to see my mum in Paris. I love London, really. It has changed but it still has this special atmosphere. I miss it. Thanks for reminding me of this beautiful city. Vagabondehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10774109692564954568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-67147904019572114322013-12-18T13:21:35.442+00:002013-12-18T13:21:35.442+00:00I hope you do make another visit soon, Pondside. ...I hope you do make another visit soon, Pondside. You will find much has changed and much has stayed the same. Spring and Autumn are definitely the best times to visit. Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01588437065757203375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-82265279168187506672013-12-17T19:36:33.479+00:002013-12-17T19:36:33.479+00:00What an intriguing post. In a moment you had me th...What an intriguing post. In a moment you had me there. I've only ever visited London once and that was at this time of year 31 years ago. I am always making plans for a return visit - and it would be in spring or fall. I'm la that your return visit was such a pleasant one. Pondsidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02407539138546412482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-14733644239750519552013-12-16T19:24:36.232+00:002013-12-16T19:24:36.232+00:00I'm here from Hilary's Posts of the Week. ...I'm here from Hilary's Posts of the Week. This was a lovely piece. Loved the last two lines especially. Certain cities seem to have a romantic allure. Though I've often wondered if that fades once you've been there awhile.Bonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10096591352278195759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-50526371956721916382013-12-15T10:22:46.672+00:002013-12-15T10:22:46.672+00:00Hi Marianne, your description of London mirrors my...Hi Marianne, your description of London mirrors my owl feelings. My story is a little different though and involves a flat owned for years by my British father. While we always had a permanent base in Canada, I lives off and on in E for years. Now half in Vancouver and half in a funny little cottage in OXON; where I am just now. London is now a treat as well, and strangely foreign too. Like I'm a visitor who needs to go back home. :) Veronica Rothhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15288280932510764014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-83966942625444076152013-12-13T18:01:24.450+00:002013-12-13T18:01:24.450+00:00Congratulations on your romantic POTW!Congratulations on your romantic POTW!Taborhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15257045780724471840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-46968674931627280582013-12-13T14:39:52.021+00:002013-12-13T14:39:52.021+00:00Congratulations on the POTW listing. A nice reflec...Congratulations on the POTW listing. A nice reflection on life.Suldoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07778845367184916684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-40481496595322003992013-12-13T13:40:16.635+00:002013-12-13T13:40:16.635+00:00Always nice to revisit a part of our lives, againAlways nice to revisit a part of our lives, againOut on the prairiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09548162534362532705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-4955955372028239092013-12-13T12:47:11.070+00:002013-12-13T12:47:11.070+00:00oh and congrats on the potw over at hilary'soh and congrats on the potw over at hilary'sBrian Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722940075884718007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-35644056890426386872013-12-13T12:46:46.724+00:002013-12-13T12:46:46.724+00:00nice...i love the city...never been to london...bu...nice...i love the city...never been to london...but i feel much the same about NYC...so many new things to explore everytime i go....Brian Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00722940075884718007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-49854340706934352142013-12-11T18:46:06.370+00:002013-12-11T18:46:06.370+00:00It is a fabulous city and I am so glad I lived the...It is a fabulous city and I am so glad I lived there, but like you Elizabeth I feel it was another time, another life. Love to visit though!Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01588437065757203375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-40566171684866326462013-12-11T14:52:31.481+00:002013-12-11T14:52:31.481+00:00I love London and lived and worked there for quite...I love London and lived and worked there for quite a while at various stages of my life. It still feels familiar territory and yet oddly alien now. The noise and speed and people always take a bit of time to adjust to. I do love the river still and Waterloo Bridge in particular. Could never live there again, both for emotional and financial reasons! It was another life.Elizabeth Musgravehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09473705107636868753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-51307297392360416532013-12-10T14:32:55.936+00:002013-12-10T14:32:55.936+00:00Very true, Poppy, although I was particularly stru...Very true, Poppy, although I was particularly struck by the contrast between the extreme poverty of the East end of London cheek by jowl with the financial capital of the world which is the City, and it was that contrast which started this train of thought as well as the impact this place has had on my own life. I have had an interesting and sometimes painful journey but I'm happy with where I am now. Thank you for your thoughtful comment!Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01588437065757203375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-91268064544737851752013-12-10T14:25:37.316+00:002013-12-10T14:25:37.316+00:00So glad you like it Megan, though you do take it t...So glad you like it Megan, though you do take it to the next level, you know! Maybe one day you will come to London and live there for a while, who knows? I think the mirror analogy could apply to many things in life - ultimately we all see our own reflection... So pleased to have another blogger/writer in the family xxCatherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01588437065757203375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-62023382305285358372013-12-09T20:09:34.298+00:002013-12-09T20:09:34.298+00:00Your London could easily be any major, exciting ci...Your London could easily be any major, exciting city of the world, New York, L.A., Paris, and my very own, Toronto. And, because of this relation, so many of us can identify with your feelings, your experiences, and the path that you are on now. In the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald, "It’s never too late (...) to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same; there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.".<br /><br />Thank you for sharing a most intriguing read.<br /><br />PoppyPoppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08980323586402386609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-51041995058078675182013-12-09T19:58:50.795+00:002013-12-09T19:58:50.795+00:00This is wonderful, Marianne. I especially like the...This is wonderful, Marianne. I especially like the thought of little boxy flats full of other people's losses and desires. And I love the thought that London is a mirror - it makes me wish I'd experienced more of it! I've only ever stayed there for a couple days at a time, and it couldn't be more different from where I am now!<br /><br />Hope you're well! Thanks for the lovely comments! xomeganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03173576148370389233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-68233481111638417712013-12-09T17:38:17.611+00:002013-12-09T17:38:17.611+00:00I really enjoy my visits to New York, via your blo...I really enjoy my visits to New York, via your blog Frances and hope to return one day. I think you are right though that the pace there exceeds even that of London. I love to dip into big cities, but enjoy the peace and quiet of the Suffolk countryside as a contrast.Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01588437065757203375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-12669695931798530922013-12-09T14:08:31.974+00:002013-12-09T14:08:31.974+00:00Thank you, Marianne, for your visit and comment ov...Thank you, Marianne, for your visit and comment over at my place.<br /><br />In late October I had my own evening train arrival at Liverpool St Station and recognized in my own memory all that you describe. <br /><br />It may seem odd for me to say that I find the pace of London a bit relaxing, compared to my own adopted city New York. Perhaps that is because I visit London as a holiday and am able to create my own sense of pace. I love both cities very much. The British countryside is sublime.<br /><br />Cheers!Franceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08352407314710067616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-4379723379752922662013-12-09T11:22:08.226+00:002013-12-09T11:22:08.226+00:00I love it when the words flow, Hilary and just wis...I love it when the words flow, Hilary and just wish they would do so more often... I hope you get chance to visit Europe one of these days. It has so much to offer.Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01588437065757203375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-48404492316936905262013-12-09T11:20:38.880+00:002013-12-09T11:20:38.880+00:00Four of our children live in London mf, so we make...Four of our children live in London mf, so we make regular trips to visit them although there is rarely time to do more than dip a toe in the water. I have a love/hate relationship with London - it is a tough city to live in if you don't have a support network. Hope you get chance to visit again soon.Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01588437065757203375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-3221477994145450442013-12-08T01:22:02.692+00:002013-12-08T01:22:02.692+00:00I love the way you wrote this. It gives me such a ...I love the way you wrote this. It gives me such a feeling of familiarity though I've never been to Europe. Very evocative.Hilaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12787493532006658679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-70239610638647312382013-12-04T12:16:51.644+00:002013-12-04T12:16:51.644+00:00What an evocative -- and enticing! -- post. I'...What an evocative -- and enticing! -- post. I'm keen for another visit to London, although I'll probably have to wait another year. What an exciting city, although I agree that it's tough to find breathing space there. Lucky you to have spent so much of your life there and to have it close enough that you can get a quick hit if you crave it.materfamiliashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16062766947897513369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-68976780245807627622013-12-03T11:16:46.342+00:002013-12-03T11:16:46.342+00:00What a kind thing to say Linda! I only blog when ...What a kind thing to say Linda! I only blog when something stirs in the undergrowth as it were... It's always good to visit London, and always good to leave.Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01588437065757203375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6955926066900660482.post-49050502131715006212013-12-03T11:15:36.392+00:002013-12-03T11:15:36.392+00:00No, it isn't - the pace is so fast. Four of o...No, it isn't - the pace is so fast. Four of our children live there at the moment, so we get frequent visits, but I'm always glad to get back to the peace and quiet of the Suffolk countryside!Catherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01588437065757203375noreply@blogger.com