London, Paris, New York, Toronto…these are the well known world cities that have topped many travel lists for decades. Still this website is all about London and I would think some of you would like to know why London versus some other city.
For me the realization that my heart and soul are drawn to London came later in life.
The fact that I was born in London, definitely had nothing to do with it.
The grey gauze that had veiled my vision of London for decades came off during my first return trip to the city a mere 49 years after I left London with my parents to immigrate to Canada.
The love affair ignited with a comment from the Heathrow Airport immigration officer: “Welcome Home.”
Until that day back in 2015 I had always been from somewhere else. As a resident of Canada I had to always explain that I was in fact born somewhere else. When I married my husband and settled in the United States I had to explain two layers of cultural identity to my American coworkers and neighbours: No I’m not American, nor Canadian, I was born somewhere else.
I had become so use to not being in a country of my origin, that I was floored when the Immigration Officer at Heathrow Airport said “Welcome Home.” That is not a phrase I had ever heard before from Immigration officials when returning “home” to Toronto after various international trips.
London claimed me and all at once the years of listening to my parents relay loving memories of marrying in London and becoming parents there took on a new relevance.
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