Londonistan
by Mona Charen
August 13, 2005 01:05 PM EST

LONDON -- They are so obliging, the Brits. On nearly every crosswalk, painted alerts on the streets warn visitors to "look left" or "look right" depending upon whether you've come to a one-way or two-way street.

Even with these cautions, we've had a couple of close shaves with cars making turns from the "wrong" direction.

The city is hardy and resilient, if a bit edgy. The 7/7 bombings and 7/21 attempted bombings are still on everyone's minds and lips. When sirens scream and three police cars race down the street, people shoot nervous glances at them. Tourism is way down. The police presence is ostentatious. Wait times at attractions like the London Eye (an enormous Ferris wheel with enclosed glass pods that sits on the banks of the Thames), usually up to an hour in the summer months, are down to five or 10 minutes. The British Museum is busy, but not mobbed. It's easy to find seating at lunchtime in the cafe. When we explain that we're from Washington, D.C., and are therefore used to this, we get rueful and sad nods from Londoners.

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