if you walk down Oxford Street in London (or many other shopping streets around the world) you can easily get dazzled and taken in by the lights. but i say to you "don't be dazzled".

instead, raise your gaze above the shop fronts, and, in london at least, you are rewarded with a hotchpotch of ancient and modern buildings. some are absolutely excellent (some 70s efforts are less so). the nice ones appear in sharp contrast to the ultra modern shop fronts below.

They've opened a new mcdonalds in oxford street (oh goody, we need more of those). i actually spotted the nice building first, then looked at what was in the basement.

it's not even a nice looking mcdonalds (though they were giving out balloons which would surely cheer even the most hardened burger hater)

that nice olde london still exists. you've just got to look for it. my advice is to take a bus and sit upstairs.