Two Sides of the Same Coin

I met up with some acquaintances of mine from camp last Friday night. Two of them were on the end of a three week whirlwind through Europe and the third was in London for the night on her way to Capenwray Bible College in Lancashire. Taking advantage of the fortuitous crossing of each of our paths, we got some dinner and spent the evening strolling along the Thames taking in the city lights. A week earlier, I did the same activity with my parents and 8 days before that with a group of students. The beauty of Parliament and St. Paul’s; the light, color, and shadow speckled across the city’s stone and steel, the rippling and reflection of the churning water--it’s one of the most beautiful parts of London and possibly one of the most beautiful parts of Britain as a whole. Certainly it’s one of the most beautiful urban landscapes in Britain.

Now the difference between urban and rural is an obvious one, but too often we dichotomize these to the extreme, judging one to be superior to the other. For many of the students on the trip, getting used to the “big city” has been a bit of a struggle for them. Many came on this trip looking forward to pastures and cozy cottages, but not bright lights and crowded streets. And from the first few days in London through the mayhem of Dublin pubs last Saturday night, many of them have suffered from “deer in the headlights” syndrome. But unlike most deer, the students have learned to live in buzz of city life and enjoy what it has to offer, newly equipped with the skills needed to navigate an urban wilderness like London.

Despite my love for cities, they’re only part of the picture. So many people come to Europe and do the “capital cities” tour: London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Amsterdam. These are all places I would love to see and for good reason. Few places can match the cultural, historical, and recreational wealth found in a major city. But just as New York and L.A. fail to wholly represent the United States, let alone their home states, so too do the major cities of the U.K. and Ireland fail to entirely represent their home countries. So when my parents came over two weeks ago, I wanted to get out of London and into the countryside for part of their visit. And so we headed to the Lake District.

The three places we stayed (Ambleside, Grasmere, and Hawkshead) were all near a lake, surrounded by mountains (think hills), and charming beyond all measure. Cobblestone lanes winding by sheep-dotted pastures, stone walls cutting across rugged peaks, and swans gliding across misty lakes--is it possible to hold on to stress in a place like that? We spent our days hiking the many trails, reading lazily in the hostel lounges, and cooking up curries for dinner. Before my parents left, however, we spent the weekend in London. But keeping in the spirit of the Lake District, we picnicked in the park and hiked along the old city streets, avoiding the blockbuster musicals and tourist traps of the West End. All in all it was a wonderful and well-balanced week.

There is a vitality to be found in the cities of Britain, a buzz that many think is lacking in small towns and rurality. But I think that a similar kind of energy can be found in the countryside, it’s just harder to pick up on, a whisper rather than a shout. And tranquility can be found in the city, but again, it can be harder to find.

Authentic culture is another thing that many think only exists in the untouched, unspoiled rural areas. But there’s traditional culture and then there’s authentic culture. Traditional culture is what has been up to the present and usually it’s easier to find outside of the hustle and bustle of the cities. But coming into a place only wanting to see the traditional means missing out on what’s happening now, the new culture that’s being created around you. And this culture of the here and now can be found anywhere--cities, towns, farms, markets, nowheresville--even though it may not look like the postcards. Old and new are both authentic, just different perspectives.

It’s hard to see both heads and tails of a place if you don’t flip the coin, and if you don’t, the coin’s only worth half as much. Old and new, urban and rural, curry or fish ‘n’ chips, all of it is worth exploring, why settle for less?