I love it when London cosplays as ____________

The Mall with NATO flags, 2019, US Embassy in UK, Wikimedia Commons

I was recently in London, and my friends Martin and Max alerted me that Lady Olé was taking place that Saturday night. 

I had wanted to go to this party for a while so it was an easy choice to make. Spanish and Latin pop x drag x Hoxton = ¡sí, señor!

During the fun night, Max asked if I was enjoying and I happily replied: "Yes, I love it when London cosplays as another city."

- Like when London cosplays as Madrid, Barcelona or Valencia with Lady Olé (or other Spanish events) reminding me of parties I've been to in each city  

- Like when London cosplays as Bogotá or Barranquilla, watching football in Elephant and Castle with Colombia fans 

- Like when London cosplays as Riga, in a Bayswater bar for Latvians that's been open since the 1950s

- Like when London cosplays as Lund or any other small Swedish city at the Swedish church screening Melodifestivalen shows

- Like when London cosplays as Seoul, with a large population of Koreans living in New Malden

- Like when London cosplays as Stavanger, with parades in Southwark for Norway's National Day

So many more examples could be made - showing the global city that London is.

Circle Lines | London

London's Circle Line is one of the oldest in the world but these days Ye Olde Circle Line isn't even a circle - it's a loop with a bit hanging off the end going to Hammersmith. 

After 11 years living in London, I never actually sat on the Circle Line from end to end. So, on a trip there last week, I got on at Embankment and went anti-clockwise. 

Here's what I saw.

- Three tired and very glum-faced people, a mother and two daughters, all wrapped up in scarfs.

- A woman adjusting her socks and saying to the man beside her: "I've gotta pull my socks up, figuratively". "Literally", he corrects her.

- A woman with a lilac bob.

- A woman holding a handbag with an embroidered elephant.

- A young guy with bleach blonde hair and a bridge piercing looking intently at his phone, and clenching his jaw.

- People looking upto the tube maps above them as if seeking divine inspiration.

- "I do miss a little bit us walking around in the outside. That was awesome, that was top tier."

- "She was like 'don't worry I have a guy for you' and I was in shock."

- "I sat there with a wry smile on my face, sipping out of my pumpkin."

- A bearded man dressed all in black, sitting with his arms folded the whole time.

- A woman putting on her makeup from a bright orange compact.

- A boy excitedly telling a story about someone pointing out someone's red coat.

- Two boys passing a phone to one another without saying a word.

- A man singing the word Padd‐ing-ton and saying "smashed it!"

- A man getting stuck in the closing doors and saying sorry to everyone.

- People talking in French, Greek, Portuguese and Spanish.