MORE LONDON INFO

                              London Info continued

      If you are looking for fish and chips in London, good luck these days. The once popular item now is very hard to find in many of London’s 5000 pubs. On my first trip to London this meal was easy to find and at that time we even had to try the bitters that came so highly recommended. The food was great but the bitters can stay on the shelf. On a later visit it was a little harder to find the old stand by and by the turn of the century we wandered around a great deal, but finally did find a pub in Soho that served fish and chips. Even the information center couldn’t direct us to a pub---we were on our own!

The Hard Rock Café originated in London in the 1970s and is located on Piccadilly.

A coat of arms outside a shop indicates that a royal member shops there.

      The English seldom drink coffee and many say it is rarely drinkable. Although tea is the drink of Britain it is not drunk with or after a meal. Tea time is generally 11AM and 4PM.  Tea is also a crisis drink; any time one has a problem it is talked about over tea. Tea drinking is pretty much the center of the family.

     High Tea in the late afternoon is an event in itself. It also is a meal which can include finger sandwiches, scones, crumpets, and sweets with jams and jellies, and or clotted cream. There are a couple of rules governing the taking of high tea, namely: take small sips, small bites, and different than regular tea time---small talk, no big subjects.

LANDMARK SYNOPSES

       Harrods the huge department store covers a full city block. It would take days to amble through all its departments. A local told me, “In 1980 escalators were installed in the store, but people were reluctant to use them so the store offered a bit of brandy before stepping on them. It didn’t take long for people to get used to riding the escalators and of course now there is no brandy!” (I wonder when the escalators were installed in the underground)

      Westminster Abby, an architectural masterpiece of the 13-16^th centuries, is a magnificent medieval church. It is the corner stone of the monarchy and has been the burial ground for England’s monarchy since 1066. Monarchs have been crowned here for over 700 years. It was interesting to see who was buried in the church and to see all the ornate tombs and statuary.  The 1700s coronation chair was on display. It certainly looked uncomfortable.

      Every hour on the hour one minute of silence is observed in the Abby for meditation and prayer. England’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is in the Abby. I stood over Winston Churchill and read the inscription on the unknown tomb. It was a moving moment.

     It is worth finding a local docent who can impart lots of information and history.

      The  neo-gothic House of Parliament replaced the original structure after it burned in 1834.  It is the seat of the two houses of government: the Lords and Commons. The building stretches 940 feet along the river.

      Big Ben is the largest clock in England. The four faced clock was hung in 1858 and chimes on the hour; four smaller clocks chime every quarter hour. Big Ben’s 13 ½ ton bell is housed in its own tower and is not part of the Parliament building as is commonly believed.

      Piccadilly Circus is not a circus but a traffic circle, which the Europeans call a round-about.  Piccadilly acts as the center of a wheel with seven spokes all of which are main arteries. It is a popular place for people to gather on the steps under the statue of Eros, the Greek god of love. Erected in 1892, the statue is a memorial to the Victorian philanthropist the Earl of Shaftesbury.

     More London landmarks next time.

LONDON INFO for the VISITOR

                                   Helpful London Info

     I’ve made several trips to England and have posted numerous posts previously in this blog. For the month of January I’m going to concentrate the whole month on England with things not yet covered and I’m sure when the month is done I’ll still have more stories to tell.

      London is perhaps one of the most exciting, historic, traditional, vibrant and artistic cities in the world. Centuries of history, timeless traditions, and culture with its familiar landmarks draws many visitors to London. Once the capitol of a world empire, London has harmony, elegance, and royal magnificence. There are exciting visions around every corner. Central London, the pulse and heart of the city, is where most well known tourist sites are located. Museums, theaters, large shops, and parks are north of the Thames. Hundreds of years-old buildings sit beside stunning modern ones. Pageantry and centuries old ceremonies mix with modern street culture.

      Most visits to London include or center around the West End, an area that incorporates the elegance of Mayfair, the crowded shopping around Oxford Street, the tourist glitter of Piccadilly Circus (which is not a circus), the exotic labyrinth of Soho, chic rehabilitated Covent Gardens and half price theater tickets at Leicester (pronounced Lester) Square, Regular theater ticket offices open at 10 AM.

       Charing Cross and Trafalgar Square are in the middle of the West End. Southwest lies Chelsea and Kensington with its posh shops and expensive restaurants. The political and royal part of the city, Westminster, with Buckingham Palace and Parliament, is southeast. Northeast is the area for art galleries, book stores, some colleges and the fabulous British Museum.

      Soho is a chaotic jumble of the exotic to the tacky. The porno palaces are mingled among good restaurants and wonderful shops.  It’s just sort of an eclectic hodge podge.

       The Thames River, originating from a spring in the heart of England, winds east to the North Sea while running several miles through London.

        London is both easy and frustrating to walk.  Streets frequently change names, sometimes four or five times. The numbers often are not consistent as #2 might be across the street from #30, and you really have to look for street signs that are often on the corner of a building but often not conspicuous. In addition a name may refer to a street, square, villa, or row in different parts of the city. All this can be confusing for a stranger; a good map is helpful and feel free to ask directions or questions from storekeepers or people on the street.

       Good transportation systems make getting around London and its environs easy. The system combines three airports, eight train stations, and lots of buses. Taxis are numerous and reasonable. The underground (tube, subway, take your choice of terminology) is quick, efficient, and reasonable. It’s easy to follow and one quickly can learn his way around the system. However, one must climb and descend many stairs in and out of the system. Once inside, escalators move you to different levels. Buses are cheaper than the tube, cover most of the city but are obviously slower. The famous red double-decker bus is a local bus. The single buses run express. Do be very careful crossing the street—look right before stepping off the curb!

       London was once a one square mile city within ancient walls. The walls, removed in the 1600s, revealed a dreary, decayed relic of a city with narrow streets and alleyways. Today the 600 square mile giant city has a population of seven million. Quite a shopping area exists underground at the major tube stations.

     Changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace takes place at 11AM but only on even days.

More London Info tomorrow.

THE BRITISH MUSEUM

                             Introduction to a Fabulous Museum

            On one visit to the British Museum we arrived on a Sunday a few minutes after opening. The first order of business was lunch in their restaurant. It was delicious and reasonable. The guidebook was right stating this was the place in London to have lunch.

            The British Museum, built in 1753, is the largest classical building in England and houses 90 galleries with 2 ½ miles of exhibits. It is the world’s oldest museum and displays an extraordinary collection of artifacts representing every aspect of international cultural history. Some of the most notable displays include the Elgin Marbles, Lindow Man, Rosetta Stone, and Egyptian Mummies.

            Sir Hans Sloane, a physician and collector, born in 1660, devoted his life to scientific enquiry. At his death in 1753 his collection numbered over 79,000 objects.  He wanted his things to be given to the government for all of mankind. A lottery was held to raise money to establish a museum. Montagu House, a 17^th century mansion, was purchased for that purpose and the British Museum opened to the public in January 1759 for ‘studious and curious persons’.

            The museum has never charged admission. The new museum collected enthusiastically and many items were donated including numerous items Captain Cook had collected on his voyages.

            The Rosetta Stone, acquired after Napoleon’s defeat in Egypt, is one of the museum’s greatest treasures. Dating back to 196 BC, this stone was found in a wall of a building about to be demolished in a place called Rosetta. A young army lieutenant realized it was important and saved it. It provided the key to deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.

            In 1816 the museum acquired the Elgin marbles. In 1799 Lord Elgin was appointed Ambassador to Constantinople. Concerned about the destruction of classical Greek ruins he assembled a team of artists to record what survived and later obtained permission to remove carved stone sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens, Greece.  The sculptures arrived in London in 1802 where Elgin displayed them to the public.  Fourteen years later, in financial difficulties, he sold the marbles to the government who placed them in the museum.

            There is soooo much that can be said about the British Museum that this is just an introduction. It is huge and one can spend a very long time there. If possible it’s wise to take it in small doses over several visits. There is just so much to see, and don’t over look the fabulous book store. No matter what, it should be at the top of everyone’s to do list when visiting London.

            The British Museum is one of 300 museums in London, and one can’t visit them all, but the British Museum is a must see.

COVENT GARDENS

                                                   A Fun Place to Visit

            Covent Garden was the next stop on our London agenda. How lucky can I be-- Monday was antique day!  I found a couple of treasures I just couldn't do without!

Originally the area began as a garden market for the Westminster Abby monks. It grew into the largest wholesale produce market in England. A part of Covent Gardens still has cobblestone and old brick roads, now pedestrian walkways. The bricks laid to mark off the old stalls are still visible. It was easy to imagine what the area might have been in past years. 

The wooden stalls have been passed down from generation to generation. Super markets exist of course, but Londoners still depend on the markets for their groceries as well as a bit of gossip.

During the day thousands of traders with their lorries would crowd the six-acre square. In 1974 the market was shut down and moved across the river and the new festive, lively Covent Garden Market built in its place has become a rag to riches transformation. One can browse the many antique and boutique shops or lunch in one of the outdoor  cafés.  The market’s long buildings are now divided into sections marked Jubilee, Apple, North Market etc.

I remarked to my friend, “Obviously this is a big tourist attraction so I doubt that we’ll find any bargains.” But I was wrong.

London’s shopkeeper  reputation for disinterested service is a contrast to the street vendors' constant banter. Originally the cockney rhyme was a secret street language used to confuse police and it still is heard in the markets. However, I do find it difficult to understand. The city of London has been known as a city of markets ever since the first century when the Romans established a trading post they called Londoninium, a Celtic word meaning pool by hill.

We wandered in and out of many of the small shops, watched a mime and listened to some chamber music being played in the court area. It was great fun.  No trip to London would be complete without at one visit here.

CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS

                                          Underground Visit

            On one trip to London a visit to the Churchill War Rooms was a total surprise and again one of those wonderful unexpected experiences.

            Located beneath the Treasury building the Cabinet War Rooms were constructed in 1938 and were operational by 1939. In 1940, shortly after becoming Prime Minister, Churchill stood in the War Cabinet Room and declared, “This is the room from which I will direct the war”.

            It was amazing to stand in that room and listen to Churchill’s recordings. Talk about stepping back into history---and to my childhood. The day my dad sat my sister and me down and told us about Pearl Harbor is as clear today as it was 70 years ago!

            Operational all during W W II, the rooms were abandoned in 1945 after the surrender of Japan. Shelter from Britain’s wartime blitz was no longer needed and fortunately someone with foresight realized the rooms had historical value.

            It was pretty awesome to wander the maze of hallways as air raid sirens sounded and recordings of bombs exploding over head painted images in our minds. In the Map Room books and charts remain exactly as they where were left in 1945.

            Today the War Rooms are part of the Imperial War Museum  that also includes the Churchill Museum, a biographical museum exploring his life.         

            These preservations became the responsibility of the Ministry of Works and later the Department for the Environment. In the early 1980s the Imperial War Museum took over the administration and the Cabinet War Rooms were opened to the public in April 1984. 

            Not as well known as other landmarks in London, these rooms and exhibit are certainly well worth a visit.