London, UK: Livin' big in Britain

London was easily the closest I've felt to home thus far abroad. Visiting a city which is so similar to my home city of New York, it seems appropriate that much of my homesickness took a back seat to some of my other emotions this weekend. A handful of my friends were studying abroad in London which provided us with a great experience and comfortable (and free) living. They were located in one of the city's wealthiest parts, and with Aston Martin's and Rolls Royce's lining the sidewalks in the vicinity, just for a moment, i got caught up in the elitist culture that consumes the lives of many Londoners. Here are my reviews:

Transportation: A

With 3 airports, Europe's largest metro rail transportation grid and more taxi-cabs per capita than any other city in Europe, there is very little bad that can be said about transport in London. During peak hours, the metro rail can become unbearably crowded as people will jam their way into cars with no regard for their fellow riders space. Another drawback is that cabs are incredibly expensive but with so many alternative options between the underground rail and the famous double-decker buses, riders will only be forced to use them if comfort is of the utmost importance.

Accommodations: BC
The living quarters in London, while centrally located, were among the most limited in space. Each flat had approximately 40 students living on each floor, sharing one kitchen and 4 bathrooms. Each room, which was no larger than 10x15 and housed 4 students which slept in 2 bunk beds.
The Londoners themselves were generally cold and unwelcoming. Living life in a fast paced city, most walked with their heads down and kept to themselves. Despite all of this, when approached by American's most did abide by the golden rule and maintained decent manners.

Nightlife: AB
London, like Barcelona is home to some of Europe's most renowned evening hot-spots. But unlike Barcelona, you are not limited in types of bars/clubs, as there are many different scenes for folks with different preferences. The one area where travelers and tourists are limited in terms of nightlife is the unreasonable price of indulging in going out. Whether going to an event (theater, sport, music, etc), club, or bar people can expect to pay a hefty amount for both entry and beverages. Additionally, some places are simply inaccessible as they cater strictly to a certain crowd or London's elite).

Safety: A
Roaming around unfamiliar territories, late at night, by yourself is generally not a good idea while spending time abroad. But after splitting up from my friends and getting lost on the streets of London i couldn't have felt less threatened. Pickpocketing poses a relatively small threat in London, compared to the rest of Europe and while i didn't roam into any dangerous areas and stuck to centrally located points of interest, even in the less ritzy places i saw, London police seemed to have a solid grasp of order in the city.

Affordability: D
If it weren't for being forewarned of the financial injustices that awaited me in Copenhagen, i would've thought that spending a weekend in a city couldn't have been more expensive. There was no aspect of life in London that was affordable; good food wasn't available for a fair price, the entertainment (nightclubs, bars, theaters, shows, sporting events) were ridiculously overpriced, and all entry's to tourist points of interest were simply not worth it (30+ Pounds to see the inside of the London Castle, 20 Pounds to get into Westminster Abbey).

Aesthetic/Scenic Beauty: AB
There are very few cities in Europe with the architectural depth that London has. Some of its structures have been around the 10th century are relatively preserved. Between the London Castle, London Bridge, Parliament, Westminster Abbey St. Paul's Church, and Buckingham Palace, the history of London is told through many of its buildings. Furthermore, for such an old city, London has been well preserved and maintained through one of Europe's best sanitation and sewage systems.

Cuisine: C

Food in London is generally sub-par and comparable to other lousy food cities. The one element of London's cuisine that prevents it from receiving a failing, or near failing grade, is its Indian cuisine. With a strong Indian population from its former colonized territories, London has some of the worlds best authentic Indian food. Unlike most food in London, the Indian food is also reasonably priced and affordable.