Today I explored the area around Piccadilly Circus. The area was just another example of how diverse London actually is, as well as how welcoming the city is to all groups of people. The area in itself is impressive because of how it's situated between Chinatown and the SOHO area, so you can kind of experience three vastly different cultural landscapes all within a fifteen minute walk. For example I bought a taiyaki ice cream from a bakery under the Chinatown Gate and finished it in Piccadilly Circus next to the M&M and Lego stores. The proximity to Chinatown and the SOHO area of course makes the area a tourist hotspot and you can see this reflected in the kinds of businesses present there. There are several souvenir shops, big brand-name stores, and hotels. In addition, the area is also crowded with tour groups and hop-on hop-off tour buses. The thing I enjoyed the most about the area however was the decorations for Pride, and it seemed that every other business was participating in the festivities as well. Again, I feel that this supports the idea of London as an extremely diverse and progressive city. This is sort of hard to come by in Texas, so seeing and experiencing it here is very interesting and exciting. Another thing I found interesting about the area was the number of theaters and casinos. I am aware that theaters do tend to be in areas that are frequently visited by tourists however i’ve never really considered the role casinos play in attracting tourists. Especially coming from a state where there aren’t any, it was weird to see them in such a central and public area. I actually would be interested to learn what legislation is currently in place in London regarding businesses like casinos and whether the local community welcomes them or if there is any contention over it. I really enjoyed the food and watching the people there, and overall had a really great day at Picadilly Circus.
- Francesca :)
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