Chitchat My Poor London

[Reddog]

My youth, my memories, my education ... indeed my early adulthood.

We got used to your weather - not as bad as some lament. We got used to the people - dour, though not nearly as sour. Your lack of character has gotten worse. You are supposed to be a city of history and culture, of civilization. Might still be. But you have degenerated .. your lack of cohesion is a dismay now. So many different languages on the streets, your magnificent historic buildings and monuments shadowed by monstrous developments. An indescribable mess of people, cultures, and architecture. Lacking character.

George Ball was right: "Nostalgia is a seductive liar."

Not so much the waste of resources for this goodbye visit; but the sad destruction of a fond memory.

 

[zhihau]

RIP to your fond memories of London.

 

[imagery]

London decayed long ago, its just worse now.

 

[Reddog]

Collectively we were poor students from the colonies. From Asia (meaning the sub-continent of India, East and West Pakistan) and the Orientals (Far East .. HongKongers, Strait Settlements, ...

Our group was specially selected to line the Coronation Route of Her Majesty ER II .. way back then. The little flags, lunch pack of meat pie, apple and bottled raspberry drink. Not forgetting that free rain coat from Coles Departmental Store.

Now she is dying ... (or so rumoured)

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

My youth, my memories, my education ... indeed my early adulthood.

We got used to your weather - not as bad as some lament. We got used to the people - dour, though not nearly as sour. Your lack of character has gotten worse. You are supposed to be a city of history and culture, of civilization. Might still be. But you have degenerated .. your lack of cohesion is a dismay now. So many different languages on the streets, your magnificent historic buildings and monuments shadowed by monstrous developments. An indescribable mess of people, cultures, and architecture. Lacking character.

George Ball was right: "Nostalgia is a seductive liar."

Not so much the waste of resources for this goodbye visit; but the sad destruction of a fond memory.

Nice one, bro!!

 

[frenchbriefs]

Singapore is doomed.Goodbye my old friend.u died a long time ago.

 

[Thick Face Black Heart]

Singapore is doomed.Goodbye my old friend.u died a long time ago.

Those 10 years my senior did well. They bought landed property on the cheap. They invested in the S&P at the 1982 historical low at a time when the masses didn't even know we could invest abroad. A good pal of mine of 20 years bought a shophouse at 50K and now it is worth 2 million.

I am in the sandwich class. Neither here nor there.

Those 10 years my junior are having it tough with foreigners displacing them, having wages suppressed, can't invest in property anymore because wildly overpriced, can only see emigration as a viable solution to forging a new identity.

 

[Reddog]

Those 10 years my senior did well. They bought landed property on the cheap. They invested in the S&P at the 1982 historical low at a time when the masses didn't even know we could invest abroad. A good pal of mine of 20 years bought a shophouse at 50K and now it is worth 2 million.

I am in the sandwich class. Neither here nor there.

Those 10 years my junior are having it tough with foreigners displacing them, having wages suppressed, can't invest in property anymore because wildly overpriced, can only see emigration as a viable solution to forging a new identity.

Materially my generation, entering the workforce with Sir William Allmond Codrington Goode as the last Governor of Singapore, cannot complain. They were just toying with the ideas of SIT public housing then. Semi-Ds were begging for buyers at $18K. Stevens Road was rural and Lim Chu Kang jungle. Having joined the ride up, we are now sensing the cresting of the hill on the ride in decline .. we think started when GCT was alerted to and provoked by thinking quitters. 'Quitters' - that mass movement of Chinese from Guangdong and Fujian Provinces.

May you be well and happy, Mr. Good Heart (aka Thick Face Black Heart)

 

[JohnTan]

My youth, my memories, my education ... indeed my early adulthood.

We got used to your weather - not as bad as some lament. We got used to the people - dour, though not nearly as sour. Your lack of character has gotten worse. You are supposed to be a city of history and culture, of civilization. Might still be. But you have degenerated .. your lack of cohesion is a dismay now. So many different languages on the streets, your magnificent historic buildings and monuments shadowed by monstrous developments. An indescribable mess of people, cultures, and architecture. Lacking character.

George Ball was right: "Nostalgia is a seductive liar."

Not so much the waste of resources for this goodbye visit; but the sad destruction of a fond memory.

Nonsense. I understand that Luton is a delightful, multi-cultural part of London. You should try their curries and kebabs next time you are there.

 

[Asterix]

Romantic London, bwahahahaha ........... just a year before the coronation of Auntie Elizabeth ............ bwahahahaha ............ and all you jokers are claiming Ang Moh is the best and it is China that is polluting the world ......... bwahahahahaha ............ oh my God this is funny ............ so glad I was born after all this colonial bullshit .......... bwahahahahaha ........... nihao nihao xiexie xiexie .............

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Smog_of_London

[video=youtube;Vkx-2mT1-q4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkx-2mT1-q4[/video]

 

[johnny333]

I've visited London as a tourist & don't think much of it. Crowded & expensive. I found the rest of Europe more interesting e.g. Rome, Holland,...

If you are looking for a new home I suggest you take a look at Vancouver. If it is too expensive then look at a cheaper places nearby like Burnaby or Richmond.

 

[scroobal]

The beauty of London is that it is an excellent and inexpensive jumping point for rest of Europe and that includes Scandinavia and Southern Europe's wonderful beaches and affordable countries like Spain and Portugal.

Singaporeans who buy property would normally buy further out where the villages are quaint, quiet and still have the luxury of a Waitrose nearby. The approach is land at Heathrow, take the Piccadilly line to one of the big train stations in London centre and then the the train to your little village or town. Cheaper and faster than cab ride or even Uber.

The only reason stopping retirees and potential migrants is not easy to get PR unlike Canada.

The same train can take back to Londons and you can then connect by another train or tube to City, Stanstead or Gatwick to get you to most European cities for under SGD 300 return if booked in advance.

I've visited London as a tourist & don't think much of it. Crowded & expensive. I found the rest of Europe more interesting e.g. Rome, Holland,...

If you are looking for a new home I suggest you take a look at Vancouver. If it is too expensive then look at a cheaper places nearby like Burnaby or Richmond.

 

[johnny333]

The beauty of London is that it is an excellent and inexpensive jumping point for rest of Europe and that includes Scandinavia and Southern Europe's wonderful beaches and affordable countries like Spain and Portugal.

Singaporeans who buy property would normally buy further out where the villages are quaint, quiet and still have the luxury of a Waitrose nearby. The approach is land at Heathrow, take the Piccadilly line to one of the big train stations in London centre and then the the train to your little village or town. Cheaper and faster than cab ride or even Uber.

The only reason stopping retirees and potential migrants is not easy to get PR unlike Canada.

The same train can take back to Londons and you can then connect by another train or tube to City, Stanstead or Gatwick to get you to most European cities for under SGD 300 return if booked in advance.

I find Canada more modern & comfortable than Europe. Canada has open spaces & many of the buildings are modern buildings with amenities like central airconditioning & heating. I knew someone who studied in Europe & this person had to put coins into a meter to get gas heating Roads are wider, cars cheaper, with free parking. If you are elderly there are also homes designed for the elderly. Don't forget about medical care & that Canada has one of the finest health care systems around.

When I re-visited Edmonton they had buses that would lower the buses to make it easier for the elderly to get on & off the bus.

In places like London you probably have to walk to the supermarket where as in Canada you can drive to the supermarket & many places do offer free parking.
Even the europeans are migrating to Canada

I recommend people look around Vancouver because when you are older you are unlikely to like the cold weather & less likely to want to travel much because of mobility problems. The nearby surrounding areas of Vancouver provide many natural attractions. That area has a mild weather. If you do want to travel, you can easily drive down to Seattle & California, or fly down & it is also closer to Asia.

 

[scroobal]

Cost of living is certainly higher in the UK especially when it comes to properties. Canada would be good for families with kids. Uk and Europe is good for retirees who have the time and the means to travel and experience the various cultures of Europe. Canada certainly has some of the most beautiful sceneries.

Both have universal health care coverage for free.

I find Canada more modern & comfortable than Europe. Canada has open spaces & many of the buildings are modern buildings with amenities like central airconditioning & heating. I knew someone who studied in Europe & this person had to put coins into a meter to get gas heating Roads are wider, cars cheaper, with free parking. If you are elderly there are also homes designed for the elderly. Don't forget about medical care & that Canada has one of the finest health care systems around.

When I re-visited Edmonton they had buses that would lower the buses to make it easier for the elderly to get on & off the bus.

In places like London you probably have to walk to the supermarket where as in Canada you can drive to the supermarket & many places do offer free parking.
Even the europeans are migrating to Canada

I recommend people look around Vancouver because when you are older you are unlikely to like the cold weather & less likely to want to travel much because of mobility problems. The nearby surrounding areas of Vancouver provide many natural attractions. That area has a mild weather. If you do want to travel, you can easily drive down to Seattle & California, or fly down & it is also closer to Asia.