London Has A Chinatown

I made a quick stop in Chinatown while moving from Piccadilly Circus to Trafalgar Square. Yes, London has a Chinese ethnic enclave. However, it’s different from the one in San Francisco in many ways. Here are some similarities and differences based on about 15 minutes of exposure:

Similarities:

• Both Chinatowns have red gates (as seen in the image above)
• Both Chinatowns have Chinese people (duh!) that speak Cantonese
• Both Chinatowns have restaurants with ducks hanging in the window

Differences:

• The London Chinatown doesn’t have laundry hanging from the windows
• The London Chinatown doesn’t have vegetable stands spilling out into the street
• Many people in London Chinatown talk with lovely British accents; people in SF Chinatown don’t
• The London Chinatown doesn’t smell like fish