London

"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life", so said Samuel Johnson; but he's dead—time to move on. London has a sense of consistency and continuity. By this I mean, leave the city and come back a year later, and find the same people in the same places, with the same expressions doing the same things. Take a walk through Hyde Park, navigate your way around the Serpentine, and position yourself at Speaker's corner. You could find a religious zealot, a political nutcase, or a sexual pervert, preaching to whoever would listen. If you're more prone to art, The National Gallery, The Tate Gallery (old), Tate Modern or the Victoria and Albert, will keep you occupied for days. It's free, go for it. Prefer three-dimensional objects—no problem, check out the British Museum or the Museum of Natural History.

Of course any visit to London without attending a West End Theater production, would be incomplete. Not only is the selection of shows large, but the prices are affordable. Despite the downturn in the economy, London still ranks high in finance, real estate, insurance and tourism. What do Londoners do to get away? On a weekend, try Portobello Road Market or Camden Road Market. For a fantastic view of the city, go to Hampstead Heath. Just make sure it's a clear day and wear walking shoes or boots. Some even venture into Barnes, where I live. This is a leafy suburb in the South West of London. Barnes has the advantage of never changing. The residents and Richmond Council alike, would never allow change in the village of Barnes.

Barnes Pond London
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu8bDQA1UxA

Richmond Green London
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N07yyaGerFY

Not too far from Barnes, is Richmond Park with 2,500 magnificent acres. Central Park New York only has 834 acres—sorry NYC. Walk though a small section of Richmond Park, and you'll likely run into some deer. These deer belong to the Queen, so don't try to feed or pet them. Richmond town centre is also worth visiting. Go to the top of Richmond Hill Street and admire the view. Mick Jagger maintains a home, on the hill, with his ex wife (Jerry Hall) living next door. When they were talking to each other, they knocked a hole in the wall, so their children could go back and forth. Now, the hole has been filled in — so, so sad;(