A Moment of Silence For The Beloved Routemaster

Alas, those charming and dilapidated London buses are being put out to pasture:

CNN.com - Last ride for iconic London bus - Dec 8, 2005: "LONDON, England (AP) -- It was the end of the line Thursday for London's red Routemaster buses, trundling into retirement after half a century of rickety but reliable service.Fans of the double-deckers traveled from across Britain to take a last ride on the hop-on, hop-off buses, whose curved lines and cheery scarlet livery have inspired affection among drivers and passengers alike."

Having ridden both the Routemasters and the modern double-deckers quite a bit while my girlfriend was living in London, I have to admit that the modern buses are safer and quieter, and much more spacious and comfortable. Still, hopping on and off the tail end of a Routemaster is probably one of the most exhilarating experiences one can have on public transportation (except, of course, for the urban and inter-urban buses in Guatemala, which are not so much exhilarating as terrifying...)