It was a very good week to visit the UK.
The weather was mostly cool and sunny. Everyone kept telling me how lucky I was and to be fair, I felt lucky.
Being outside of the US gave me fresh perspective on the usual things I love to complain about, chiefly non-automotive transportation infrastructure. Cambridge, where I stayed, is filled with bike lanes and bike-parking facilities. There are trains and busways. They use cameras to keep car drivers out of the bus lanes and from speeding.
I went running several times on paths next to fields, some of which had cows. In general, the UK seems less plagued by suburban sprawl. There are not ten million billboards everywhere. Public bathrooms are not hard to find and they all have stalls that go down to the floor, which is the only civilized option.
It was a beautiful time of year to walk through the botanical gardens, where many of my favorite plants were in bloom.
Much of the signage is very polite, such as this example. I also like ‘Way Out,’ which is sometimes used instead of ‘Exit.’ They often paint instructions on the street warning you which way to look, although I’m getting better at walking forward on the left. (I don’t think I would like to try driving, however.)
My sense is that the UK — like Mexico but unlike the US — is not (yet) a place where one feels like the government is at war with its people. And the people by turn trust the government more than they do in the US.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a rock garden where the rocks were mostly placed in a vertical position, but the plants seemed to love it.
It was also tulip season.
The camellias, as big as trees, were unlike any I’ve seen.
They were blooming in pink and white and red.
I felt a little sad thinking about the camellias we have in our NYC garden, but then again, not every plant gets to live in an otherworldly botanical garden.
The azaleas were also beyond belief. Walking the shadowy paths, I often felt like I was hallucinating (in a good way).
While the purpose of my trip was primarily to work — and that purpose was fulfilled in ways that were very satisfying — I felt like my thoughts were becoming clearer about many things in my life.
I experienced several ‘revelations’ about my past, especially at it relates to the way I have interacted with my family.
The anger and confusion I have felt for several years or longer — but especially since my father died — is giving way to understanding (and sadness).
I didn’t realize that there are varieties of heather that are three or four feet tall.
My perception was expanding.
Some worlds need to be understood before they can be left behind.
