Think outside the box.

The city starts to wake up; cars are buzzing, girls are wrapping themselves in scarfs, and men are clatter with the heels of their leather shoes, slightly worn out. Tires leave black marks on tarmac, the blue skies are falling right into puddles. Good morning, London. I will certainly miss you soon.

***

Bikes were crossing the road with a great awareness, coming one by one, while we were trying to shoot this movement. Children screaming and laughing loudly made us feel like we were in a kindergarten. Our glittering eyes were filled with such shiny particles of the London’s life, as, for instance, a “picnic therapy” for the workers – they were having a lunch, sitting on the grass! As I am from Ukraine, a lot of things surprised me here. For example, we don’t have picnics here, and there is no permission to walk on grass.

Playing ping-pong in a metro appeared to be a normal activity for the British people, although they were doing it with the frying pans. By the way, five minutes later we were having a dinner together. The fact of being Odessa citizens always helps us to find new friends.

It seems like everyone is interested in you here. Moreover, there are not only questions, but the answers that matter. I remember the guy who helped me to by a vintage vinyl record. I asked him something like "Do you know which style it is?", and I were pretty shocked to hear "Ok, how would you sing it?" and to see his performance. That was so heartwarming. ..

Finally, imagine yourself passing by a British guy, who wears the red socks in patterns and plays the saxophone, while rain is pouring…There are no limits for the creation, no borders for the pure beauty. I could never think of such a strong desire to know more: there were never-ending and forever-lasting queues near all the museums’ entrances! Unbelievable strength of culture made me feel like I needed a change.

***

Today London smells of ironed shirts, bike tires, takeaway coffee, pret-a-manger soups…Of snickers’ soles, vanilla nuts, sometimes even of weed and beer foam. It smells of the humidity of Thames, the greenery of parks and of fresh newspaper pages. I remember the second I fell in love with this city of imperfections. It was the moment I called them perfect. Good bye, London. Thank you for all that you left inside of my tender Ukrainian heart. You are totally impossible to describe.