The Endearing, Rugged Charm of Leeds

“Ay up, love, y’a’right?” the taxi driver asked.

“What? I’m sorry, excuse me?”

“Oy, ay said, y’a’right?” he repeated.

“Pardon? Oh…yeah…I’m fine.” Bit rude, I thought to myself. Did I look upset?

“Ya know ‘aought about Leeds, love?” What in god’s name is this man talking about. I had to follow the “three times rule”, I couldn’t ask him to repeat himself again. Screw it, I don’t know what that means.

“I’m sorry, come again?” I asked.

“Oy, do ya know anything about Leeds?” he clarified.

“Oh! No! First time. First time out of the country actually. I’m moving here for a semester to study.”

“Ahhh, gibberish gibberish, some more incomprehensible gibberish! *laughs, and I laugh along with him* gibberish gibberish?”.

He looked and spoke like some sort of burly lumberjack. This wasn’t what I was expecting a native to sound like. Where was my Oxford graduate, wearing elbow patches, sipping tea next to a fireplace, whilst discussing “lit-tra-ture” and poetry of the 19th Century? He had to have been from somewhere else, so I asked. To which he replied, “Nah flower, born ’n breed in Leeds”. Oh good. Classes should be fun.

About 200 miles north of London resides the city of Leeds. No, you probably have not heard of it. If you’re like me, an American who fantasized about the Royal family and everyone speaking like they stepped out of Downton Abbey, you would have been as shocked as I was.

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Far away from the lavish prices of London, you will find £2 deliciously warm Cornish pasties. You will never pay more than 5 “quid” for a beer, and £5 is pushing it. There is no purpose to buying an umbrella, because the rain never exceeds a drizzle, and your sunglasses will become obsolete, as the sun appears for ten minutes a day. The warmth of the people, mostly working class, will feel almost saccharine sweet, when in reality it is just in their nature.

Leeds has a skyline, creating the illusion of “the big city”, in reality 65,000 of its population consists of students, with four higher education institutions. When “Uni” is in session, you will find the nightclubs booming, with lines out the door for student nights that promote downing £2 jagerbombs and vodka red-bulls. Each club has 2-3 rooms featuring different genres of music, one of which will always play American classics and feature the gawky yet endearing British way of dancing, which can only be described as a 13 year old at their first middle school dance.

There is no glitz, and certainly no glamour. You will not find yourself overwhelmed with museums, and pushy camera-laden tourists. It is unlikely that you will see any celebrities, outside of the local Leeds Rhino Rugby team. There are no Michelin rated restaurants, unless like me you consider “Nando’s Peri Peri Chicken” to deserve a star. No, this is not your romanticized version of England, however, its rugged yet gentle charm will forever capture your heart.