They grasp why it's neat to encounter the Magna Carta. Besides, London is perennially cool, still a hothouse for music and fashion, film and publishing. The trends blossoming in Notting Hill Gate this summer will hit malls in Montgomery County next year. Take the tube to Mansion House, then walk past Burger King, across the Thames on the Southwark Bridge and into history. The thatched roof, open to the sky, means you risk jet noise and rain.
People drink coffee and beer.
Or because of it all. The British Library. Open seven days a week, free, and the gift shop sells Jane Austen mouse pads. Doctor Martens Department Store. We escaped as quickly as possible from the bus-choked center of town and wandered down small alleys and side streets, in and out of whichever colleges were open to the public that day.