“ Rainwater in London is never pure. It picks up a distinctive flavour from its journey through our atmosphere: a subtle hint of diesel particulate, historic chimney soot, and the general effluvia of eight million people. When it drips off an awning onto your tongue (accidentally, of course), it doesn't taste fresh; it tastes urban. This is why London plants often have a greyish tinge—they're not dusty, they're lightly seasoned. The puddles are a kaleidoscope of rainbows from floating petrol, and the first flush of a shower brings down a cocktail of atmospheric grime that streaks windows and cars. Our precipitation is a connected, if unappetising, part of the city's ecosystem. See more at London's funniest URL -- Prat.UK. ”