It was certainly fun. I met a lot of great people, saw a lot of great things, had a lot of great experiences. But compared to my trip to London this past summer for the Olympics... well, nothing compares to that trip.
That trip was three-and-a-half weeks of bewildering euphoria. I felt like I owned the city. London existed, that summer, for me and my friends.
It's easy to feel that way when your employer's iconic logo is plastered over literally everything, and just by showing an ID badge, you get all kinds of free services and preferential treatment. And when the entire world can't help but stop for two weeks to watch you and your work.
But London is different now. I had to pay for my own Oyster Card to ride the Tube (and then be careful that I didn't go farther than Zone 3). Olympics memorabilia are given just a small shelf or two in a back corner of souvenir shops. Even Olympic Park is mostly torn down and gated up.
But this isn't bad. At all. Just different.
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| July 2012 vs. April 2013 |
