London versus New York

• Cleanliness--London by far. It's amazing how people take care of this city. Especially considering how difficult it can be to find a trash can.
• Subway/Underground--London (cleaner, newer, more comfortable cars)
• Rats--New York. I consider rats in the subway a good luck sign, and I have yet to see a rat in Britain.
• Accent--London. Can you even begin to compare a gentle & distinguished British accent to an obnoxious Brooklyn one?
• Nosepicking--New York. New Yorkers know the proper way to pick one's nose: in private, with tissue.
• Bodies of water: Sure the Thames is nice, but New York wins hands down with the massive Hudson, the spacious harbor, and the broad East River. One of the most beautiful views of New York I've seen is from a boat, looking out over the upper harbor at Lower Manhattan rising from the water.
• Bridges--New York. The Brooklyn, Manhattan, and George Washington Bridge are three winners. The Westminster Bridge does have its charm, but it was handicapped when I saw it with all the renovation equipment around. And after I found out the Tower Bridge was built in the 1870s, I had about as much respect for it as I have for Cinderella's Castle at DisneyWorld.
• Cabs--London. I love the little black cars. I mean really--it's not hard to beat Ford Crown Victorias.
• Escalators--London. Yes! People know to stand on the right to let those who prefer to walk up or down escalators take the left! In the States, about half the people observe this etiquette, while the other half are both lazy and oblivious.
• Parks--I have to give it to New York with its amazing Central Park. I know I haven't seen London at its best, but whereas Hyde Park is huge, it's mostly just that. On the other hand, I didn't get to see some of the gardens in London, so I'll hold off on a final pronouncement.
• Overall charm--London. It has the advantage being an older city--and come to think of it I pretty much just saw the older parts and not the sprawling suburbs--but that is the heart of London whereas Manhattan is the heart of New York. Manhattan is big and impressive, but London, with its spaghetti-noodle streets, red double-decker buses, ancient buildings, polite citizens, and cozy pubs wins.