I just don’t see the appeal. It is just a big pricey Ferris wheel. To me the view isn’t worth 30 British pounds – about $50 Canadian. I think I am in the minority; 30 million people visited it in its first seven years.

The London Eye probably hadn’t even been thought of on my first couple of visits to London, back in the 1980s. On my past few visits though it has towered over a segment of the downtown skyline from it’s perch on the banks of the Thames River. I’ve given some though to experiencing it, but the price has been a deterrent.

That is always the case with travel. There is usually a tradeoff between what you can afford to do and what you want to do.

The only time I was in Paris for an extended period I was still a student. I couldn’t justify to myself the cost of going up the Eiffel Tower.

Almost 40 years later I have some mild regrets about that. Though I suspect if I went to Paris today and saw the cost to go up the Tower I would decide I still didn’t want it enough.

When I am in London, or Paris, or really any big city, it is the street level history that interests me, not some panoramic view of the skyline. I am drawn to the insides, to churches, museums and other public spaces.

Still, I am wondering if maybe on the next trip I should bite the bullet and take a ride. After all, millions of people ride the thing. If it wasn’t worthwhile they wouldn’t have customers.

Maybe next year.