Kew

Such a pretty place. Too bad I wasn't deaf. Living here could probably change that, though...

Kew is, above everything else, a conflicted place. For most parts, the houses look nice and the happy families playing with their children in the various parks certainly added to the effect. People were chatty too, and so far this area has had the highest concentration of dogs I've witnessed. It could be so lovely here.

But oh boy, are there flipsides. The number one problem is Heathrow - Kew is directly beneath the Heathrow landing, making it an insanely noisy place. And no, it's more than a mere irritation: it's a constant cacophony of bass frequency blare. Also, I would have expected the tube station next to Kew Gardens to be somewhat more, well, active.

For some weird reason the place gives off an aura of hidden decay. Front yards are not particularly well maintained, the stores in the neighbourhood look somewhat dispirited and even the few pubs appeared more like places where people might go to momentarily ignore where they are. I can only suspect that the constant air traffic noise is taking its toll on the populace.

All in all, the place made me think of both Myllymäki (in Lappeenranta), and San Miguel (in Azores). Such a weird combination. Both of them are cute places to visit, but you probably won't be spending much time in either. You'll be looking for a way out, to see places that are more interesting, more accommodating, or maybe even both.

I just can't see myself moving to Kew, however nice it might otherwise be.