Back to Tidy England

London is so tidy compared to Rome.
Got back, the sun was shining, the English windows gleaming, driving in, the city looked so beautiful -- and neat as a pin. That's what struck me the most.
Compared to where I've been hanging out in Rome. Which is not the historic center of Rome, mind you. Didn't get there at all this time around.
Mostly, I've been on the southern edges of Rome a lot, where my son's new job and room is, where a lot of big businesses, international and Italian, have offices.
Anything outside the center of Rome is chaos, basically.
People parked everywhere, double and tripled-parked, lights flashing. Or not. In front of the city's big green trash cans is a favorite. I parked there several times actually.
Billboards everywhere, which clutter up the place. Trash around. Lots of barbed wire around endless building sites.
Not that pretty really. Chaotic more than anything else.
London felt like your grandmother's tidy little sewing box in comparison. Not that much building. Not that much trash (even though the British would disagree). No haphazard billboards everywhere.
Neat and tidy.
As opposed to chaotic and lively.
Whatever.
It's good in a way to be back.
It couldn't be more different really.
What have I missed?
My husband.
Newspapers.
The high street.
Movies in English.
Working.
Good central heating.
Civility.
What will I miss now that I'm back?
My son.
Caffe macchiato schiumato al vetro (coffee with a dollop of milk in a glass, my new favorite). And puntarelle. And mozzarella.
The view out of my living room window.
My own house.
Driving.
Not working.
Chaos.