Le silence est d'or, la parole est d'argent as we say in French.
I have abandoned big cities New York, Paris and Toronto for a small town along the Great Lakes.
But silence is expensive; a lot of us cannot afford it. It cost friends (they are afraid to be bored and do not visit), it cost entertainment (Carnegie Hall, forget about it) it cost long travelling times (we have an airport but we are still waiting for Air Canada to land a 747 here) it costs family (kids, try to tell them about the therapeutic value of silence) it cost painstaking research when we travel (hours and hours to find a quiet room in a quiet lodging in a silent place. When I go to Paris I go to a place run by priests...)
It is a way of life, but I will never change it for a million dollars..
I'd better shut up now, right?

David Fuller's view

Not at all. Thanks for your interesting and highly relevant comments. Mrs Fuller and I will leave London, eventually, but I am sure we will also return for many short visits.  That is the advantage of living in a smaller country.