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Experiencing the most of London in just a
few days
November 23rd 2005
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Jesmond Hotel |
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Day or night, London thrives with life. A city
that seems to have never fallen asleep from the time of its
first founding, everything that one might want to experience can
be found within the city center. “When a man is tired of London,
he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can
afford.” The writer Samuel Johnson said this in the 18th
century, and it can still be said of today’s contemporary
London. Naturally, a city that offers all that life can afford
needs numerous explorations, but with just a few days, one can
experience the rich taste of this flavorful city.
To start with, every visitor to London must
dab into the city’s history, from the first days of its founding
to its dark medieval secrets to the monarchy’s priceless crown
jewels. Next on the menu is the pure pleasure of London’s
aesthetics; the city’s center is full of charming parks and
English gardens, narrow streets which unexpectedly disclose the
scents of exotic restaurants, and various shops and markets
selling from the most tasteful and chic to the most trendy and
unconventional. When night hits, it rocks. The drinks pour,
the laughs are loud, the beats pump, and the dancing is
intense. London is a thriving city, and day and night it keeps
its visitors entertained with its history from its first
foundations, its city center’s physical beauty, and its
nightlife, making it a city that never sleeps.
London’s history is so rich and so vast, that the
highest to the lowest level of history fan will be interested.
While London acknowledges its first century Roman founding, it
honors Boadicea with a statue near Parliament. Boadicea was the
British queen who raised an army and fought back the Romans to
London, where she burned the city. Those who find such violent
female figures interesting will enjoy museums like Madame
Tussauds, a very lifelike wax museum, and the London Dungeon,
where the horrors and terrors of medieval London come to life,
including a selection of Britain’s most infamous women
throughout history.
The Tower of London houses the crown jewels as
well as tales of mysterious prisons for important prisoners.
Fusing history and art, the National Portrait Gallery depicts
portraits of Britain’s most famous people throughout the
centuries. The British Museum has one of the largest and best
archeological collections of worldwide artifacts, including the
Rosetta stone and Lindow Man. Fortunately, while these museums
give a good feel for London’s past, the visitor does not
actually have to deal with the battles, plagues, and fires that
London has survived.
And relishing the calm and beauty of today’s
civilized London, the visitor can peacefully enjoy London’s
aesthetic city center. A walk along Oxford Street brings out
the consumer in all, while nearby Hyde Park still manages to
provide the serenity of the countryside in a city setting.
Except, of course, speaker’s corner, where people proclaim their
message for the world to hear. Northeast of the park is
Portobello Market, one of London’s many outdoor markets, selling
the best in antiques. Between the parks and busy shopping
streets are quaint streets of times past, leading to unexpected
surprises like central London’s Covent Gardens, where flower
girls still sell beautiful bouquets.
Seeing all this from a bird’s eye view gives a
comprehensive overview of what lies below, and the London eye
shows just that from the center of the center. A free option
offering a bird’s eye view is Primrose Hill, a small park in the
north of London perched on a hill, overlooking the rest of the
city. Hunger is bound to strike at some (or many) points of
such jam-packed days, and the city’s flavors will suit all
tastes. From traditional English fare to such exotics as Indian
restaurants, which are quickly assimilating and becoming typical
London fare, any array of food can be found in between. And
what better time to plan the evening out than during mealtime,
when feet are resting and stomachs are happy!
The day is done, the eve is planned, and as night
approaches, day is just dawning for those that never sleep. A
typical London night out will start at the pub with a group of
friends, enjoying the local beers on tap and friendly
conversations speckled with bursts of laughter. Of course, if
it’s a football or rugby night, the atmosphere will be quite
serious and concentrated till the winner is known. After
whetting the whistle at the pub, many will go on to dance at one
of London’s countless dance clubs. In such an international
city, dancing will include every type of dancing, like techno,
trance, hip-hop, Latin, ethnic, and raves. After the drinks and
dancing, some late night chow down will soothe the stomach in
the countless late night or fast food restaurants lighting up
London’s night streets.
Experiencing the most of London in a few days is so enjoyable with
London’s rich history, its delightful walks through its
sophisticated and beautiful city center, and ever amazing
transformation into a nightlong party. A world-class city aged
2000 years and still growing in popularity, London has aged better
than a bottle of good wine. London never reached ‘a’ perfection
it continually recreates perfection for every generation that
shares in its life, and that is why no one can ever forget this
city.
By Jennifer Bravorski
This article was written by Jennifer Bravorski
with support from the Jesmond Dene Hotel, which is a cozy bed
and breakfast located in the heart of London. To learn more
about how bed and breakfasts can add to your travel experience,
please visit
http://www.jesmonddenehotel.co.uk/.
Contact Jennifer
London
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