London Travel Overview

Visit: http://london-guides.info/ for more information


If London contained only its landmarks - Buckingham Palace, Big Ben,
the Tower of London - it would still rank as one of the world's top
destinations. But England's capital is much more. It's a bevy of
British bobbies, an ocean of black umbrellas, and an unconquered
continuance of more than 2,000 years of history. A city that loves to
be explored, London beckons with great museums, royal pageantry, and
quirky historical hideaways.

London is an ancient city whose history greets you at every turn. To
gain a sense of its continuity, stand on Waterloo Bridge at the hour
of sunset. To the east, the great globe of St. Paul's Cathedral glows
golden in the fading sunlight as it has since the 17th century, still
majestic amid the towers of glass and steel that hem it in. To the
west stand the mock-medieval ramparts of Westminster -- here you'll
find the "Mother of Parliaments," which has met here or hereabouts
since the 1250s. Past them both snakes the swift, dark Thames, as it
flowed past the first Roman settlement here, circa AD 50.

For much of its history, innumerable epigrams and observations have
been coined about London by both her enthusiasts and detractors. The
great 18th-century writer and wit Samuel Johnson said that a man who
is tired of London is tired of life. Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "No
person can be said to know London. The most that anyone can claim is
that he knows something of it." Simply stated, London is one of the
most interesting places on earth. There is no other place like it in
its agglomeration of architectural sins and sudden intervention of
almost rural sights, in its medley of styles, in its mixture of the
green loveliness of parks and the modern gleam of neon. Thankfully,
the old London of Queen Anne and Georgian architecture can still be
discovered under the hasty routine of later additions.

Discovering it takes a bit of work, however. Modern-day London still
largely reflects its medieval layout, a willfully difficult tangle of
streets. Even Londoners get lost in their own city. But London's
bewildering street pattern will be a plus if you want to experience
its indefinable historic environment. London is a walker's city and
will repay every moment you spend exploring on foot. The undaunted
visitor who wants to penetrate beyond the city's crust is well advised
to not only visit St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tower but also to set
aside some time for random wandering. Walk in the back streets and
mews around Park Lane and Kensington. Pass up Buckingham Palace for
Kew, the smallest royal palace, beautifully situated in the botanical
gardens. Take in the National Gallery, but don't forget London's "time
machine" museums, such as the 19th-century homes of Linley Sambourne
and Sir John Soane. For out-and-out glamour, pay a call on the
palatial Wallace Collection and Apsley House, the historic residence
of the Duke of Wellington.

While the outward shapes may be altered and the inner spirit may be
warmer now than in years past, the bedrock of London's character
remains the same. The British bobby is alive and well, although more
often to be seen in flashing cars than on the beat, walking the
streets. And teatime is still a hallowed part of the day, with, if you
search hard enough, scones, jam, cream, and delicate triangles of
sandwiches. Then, of course, there is that greatest living link with
the past -- the Royal Family. Don't let the tag "typical tourist" stop
you from enjoying the pageantry of the Windsors, one of the greatest
free shows in the world. Pomp reaches its zenith in mid-June when the
queen celebrates her official birthday with a parade called Trooping
the Colour.

In the end, the London you'll discover will surely include some of our
enthusiastic recommendations, but be prepared to be taken by surprise
as well. The best that a great city has to offer often comes in
unexpected ways.

(Source: Fodors.com)

"Michael" wrote in message
om...
Visit: http://london-guides.info/ for more information


If London contained only its landmarks - Buckingham Palace, Big Ben,
the Tower of London - it would still rank as one of the world's top
destinations. But England's capital is much more. It's a bevy of
British bobbies, an ocean of black umbrellas, and an unconquered
continuance of more than 2,000 years of history. A city that loves to
be explored, London beckons with great museums, royal pageantry, and
quirky historical hideaways.

Snip Snip Snip

It's when you read an account from Fodors Guide about somewhere you know, as
I do London, it makes you realise what kind of crap they write about places
you don't know about.

Forewarned is forearmed before going on your hols with Fodors tucked under
your arm.

"Michael" wrote in message
om...
Visit: http://london-guides.info/ for more information


If London contained only its landmarks - Buckingham Palace, Big Ben,
the Tower of London - it would still rank as one of the world's top
destinations. But England's capital is much more. It's a bevy of
British bobbies, an ocean of black umbrellas, and an unconquered
continuance of more than 2,000 years of history. A city that loves to
be explored, London beckons with great museums, royal pageantry, and
quirky historical hideaways.

Snip Snip Snip

It's when you read an account from Fodors Guide about somewhere you know, as
I do London, it makes you realise what kind of crap they write about places
you don't know about.

Forewarned is forearmed before going on your hols with Fodors tucked under
your arm.

On 1 Mar 2005 07:53:51 -0800, (Michael) wrote:

Visit: http://london-guides.info/ for more information


If London contained only its landmarks - Buckingham Palace, Big Ben,
the Tower of London - it would still rank as one of the world's top
destinations. But England's capital is much more. It's a bevy of
British bobbies, an ocean of black umbrellas,

I certainly wouldn't travel very far to see a bobby or a black
umbrella. Not even to the corner of my street, as a matter of fact.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

On 1 Mar 2005 07:53:51 -0800, (Michael) wrote:

Visit: http://london-guides.info/ for more information


If London contained only its landmarks - Buckingham Palace, Big Ben,
the Tower of London - it would still rank as one of the world's top
destinations. But England's capital is much more. It's a bevy of
British bobbies, an ocean of black umbrellas,

I certainly wouldn't travel very far to see a bobby or a black
umbrella. Not even to the corner of my street, as a matter of fact.
--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

On 1 Mar 2005 07:53:51 -0800, (Michael) wrote:

Lots of incredibly flowery prose including thi...

. And teatime is still a hallowed part of the day, with, if you
search hard enough, scones, jam, cream, and delicate triangles of
sandwiches.

Surely not? I agree that you can find scones and cucumber sandwiches
if you look for them, but the implication that afternoon tea is
important to most people who live and work in London is rubbish...

Martin

. And teatime is still a hallowed part of the day, with, if you
search hard enough, scones, jam, cream, and delicate triangles of
sandwiches.


If it is so hallowed why would you have to search hard enough?

George

Following up to Martin Rich

. And teatime is still a hallowed part of the day, with, if you
search hard enough, scones, jam, cream, and delicate triangles of
sandwiches.

Surely not? I agree that you can find scones and cucumber sandwiches
if you look for them, but the implication that afternoon tea is
important to most people who live and work in London is rubbish...

Mainly tourists going to expensive hotels, people have jobs after
all.
Glad to see you didn't call it high tea :-)
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-Photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" -- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" -- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Martin Rich wrote:

On 1 Mar 2005 07:53:51 -0800, (Michael) wrote:

Lots of incredibly flowery prose including thi...


. And teatime is still a hallowed part of the day, with, if you
search hard enough, scones, jam, cream, and delicate triangles of
sandwiches.


Surely not? I agree that you can find scones and cucumber sandwiches
if you look for them, but the implication that afternoon tea is
important to most people who live and work in London is rubbish...

Martin


Perhaps a hallowed part of many tourists day.

In message , Martin Rich
writes

Surely not? I agree that you can find scones and cucumber sandwiches
if you look for them, but the implication that afternoon tea is
important to most people who live and work in London is rubbish...

Only for visitors, or perhaps as a weekend treat. Everyone else is at
work that time of day. And I'd guess that more people can be found
enjoying a pint in a pub around then.

I've taken my aunt for afternoon tea in two London hotels in London -
Piccadilly Meridien and Browns, off Piccadilly. It was free at the
Meridien as I was a guest of the hotel chain's European marketing
director, but at Browns it was GBP18 or so a head, and that's about 10
years ago. More than GBP30 at the Ritz now, I hear. Picture at
http://www.theritzlondon.com/tea/teamenu.asp. Oh, it's GBP34.

I find it's not a good time to have a lot of food (or to try and eat
GBP34's worth), coming as it does between lunch and dinner.

--
congokid
Good restaurants in London? Number one on Google
http://congokid.com