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Monday 24 February 2014

Life in an English city, part I

After a week living in Reading it is time for some initial thoughts. Whenever someone asks us where we live- and we reply “Reading” - they go “oh” in a very underwhelmed manner. All anyone can then say it that it is convenient for getting to places. By this they refer to it being on the main rail line to the West Country and Wales, half an hour from London, with good connections heading down south or north to Oxford. It is also on close to several motorways. When a city is best known for how easy it is to leave then it is time to look harder for the benefits. So far all I can say is that it is also convenient for other things too:
  • ·       It is a nice size, about 200,000 people, so it has good facilities.
  • ·       The main shopping street is car-free and there are two big malls.  All the usual British High Street chain stores are present. Sigh.
  • ·       The centre is only about 15 minutes’ walk from where we live and the train station is another 5 minutes.
  • ·       There is the Thames flowing through town – not quite literally though it must have been close recently. If it ever recedes then there is the promise of some walks along the banks of the river.



I’ve run out …. But surely as we spend more time here well find more highlights.

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