LONDON --- not really a smog city!
London was my first glimpse of Europe. Although it is reputed to be a smog city, I should say, I was quite lucky because for the 2 times I've been there, we did get some mist and drizzles but we also got to see some blue skies!
1. GETTING AROUND
Black Taxi - What meets us at the exit
of the airport is a line of London's famous sights --- the black taxi.
It's spacious and exactly the same as what you see in movies. A journey
of 2 miles costs around 5 pounds but it's fast and comfortable. You
can hail them in the streets or at a taxi rank. Drivers expect a
tip of 10% of the fare.
Tube or Underground - The Underground Train Network, also called "the tube" is a fast and easy way to travel, just as long as you're not color blind. If you think HK or Singapore has sophisticated MTR system, wait til you experienced London's tube. It has 12 colors (lines) and gets you to almost all parts of London. Single ticket costs from 80 p to 3.20 pounds depending on how far you travel. You can also buy a 1-day Pass which you can use unlimitedly (except during rush hour) for one whole day.
Buses - Haven't really tried London's bus but it's supposed to be the best way to see the city, especially if you take the double-decked ones.
2. SHOPPING
Department stores are usually open 9:30 am
to 5:30pm. Some major shopping areas are:
-Bond Street - home to designer shops and
boutiques
- Covent Garden - a former fruit and vegetable
market, now a popular center for arts, crafts and special interest
shops.
- Knightsbridge - Dominated by Harrods and
Harvey Nichols, is a fashion shopping area. Harrods is indeed
"huge" that you can easily get lost in it! I intentionally
went just to know what it's like.
- Oxford Street - Europe's busiest shopping
street and houses the biggest Marks & Spencer.
3. THEATRE
London is the undisputed theater capital of
the world: On any evening, there are 150 venues hosting some 200
shows from musical and drama to Fringe theaters. "Theatreland", called
"West End" has most of these venues. What I've watched so far were:
"Miss Saigon" in Theater Royal Drury
Lane" --- has great stage effects and songs. Finally, "Soon and
Moon" and "Last Night of the World" are not just scenes I see from TV w/
Lea Salonga in it.
" Phantom of the Opera" in Her
Majesty's Theatre --- has been running since late 1980s. I don't
know if it's because we were seated very near the stage or what, but were
even more deeply moved by the whole play. Very memorable songs by
Andrew Lloyed Webber --- All I Ask of You, Music of the Night, Angel of
Music, Think of Me, Masquerade, etc.
4. LONDON ATTRACTIONS:
Westminster Abbey - Dating back to 11th Century,
imposing Westminster Abbey has witnessed the marriages, coronations and
burials of English monarchs since William the Conqueror. Yes, that
was where Princess Di's funeral march kicked-off.
St. Paul's Cathedral - Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece was completed in 1710. The hardy can climb the 627 steps to the famous dome for a view over London. It's where Prince Charles and Princess Di were married 18 years ago.
House of Parliament - More correctly the Palace of Westminster and home to the House of Commons and Lords. The building with its clock tower (Big Ben) may look Gothic but was built between 1837-1860 by Sir Charles Barry.
Tower Bridge - A famous London symbol since its opening in 1894. Visitors can ascend to the glass covered walkway and inspect the vintage hydraulic machinery.
Tower of London - This medieval castle has been a fortress, royal court and place of execution since it was built 900 years ago. Major attractions are the Jewel House containing the Crown Jewels, the Yeoman Warders, the Medieval Palace, Bloody Tower and Tower Green where 2 of Henry VIII's six wives were beheaded.
STONEHENGE
It's the most mysterious and outstanding monument
in the British Isles built thousands of years ago. It was said that
it was built by ancient people to map the courses of the sun and moon.
It also has burial mounds where they buried their leaders. There
are complimentary audio tours available for tourists to learn more about
this site. This place is amazingly cold compared to its surrounding
areas.
SALISBURY CATHEDRAL
It was built in 1220 and stands in beautiful
grounds near the banks of River Avon. It has the tallest spire in
England standing at 404 ft. The Cathedral houses many of the tombs
and shrines of bishops and titled historic figures associated w/ the foundation
of this Cathedral.
BATH
Bath is undoubtedly one of the Britain's most
beautiful cities. Set in the Avon Valley between the Cotswold and
Mendip Hills, its natural hot springs inspired the Romans to build this
magnificent temple and baths in the 1st Century AD. Jane Austen spent
some time in this city and frequently described this famous place of Europe
in many of her novels. Places of interest are the Roman Baths, Pulteney
Bridge and Bath Abbey.
CHESTER
The name “Chester” actually meant “fortress”.
It is England‘s walled city and getaway to North Wales. The Romans
built a fortress and amphitheatre there as early as 2000 years ago.
Places of interest are in Chester includes the Eastgate Clock, the most
photographed clock (1897) in the world next to Big Ben; the city walls;
the half-excavated amphitheatre; the Rows and Chester Cathedral.
The Rows gives the city‘s heart a magnificently *Tudor look. It’s a set of ornamently timbered 2 storey shops with open upper arcaded galleries. Apart from being attractive to look at, it includes good shops and boutiques. Chester Cathedral is far more impressive inside, with some marvelous medieval carving in and above the choir stalls and fine vaulting. The partly excavated Roman Amphitheatre was probably big enough to seat nearly 10000 people in early times.
*Tudor houses are built with a protruding 2nd floor to protect people walking on the sidewalks from sewage’s thrown from upstairs.
OXFORD
Oxford is only 35 miles away from London. It‘s a city with ancient university buildings with their medieval lanes and scholarly corners with a formidable amount of traffic. Oxford is famed for its colleges which surprisingly are separated bodies with little in common. Most allow visitors into at least some of their squads and do have a wonderful timeless appeal. Some famous ones are Christ Church (best known), Magdelen (most beautiful), New, Merton (with the most ancient building), Trinity (very grand), etc. Other places of interest are Bodleion Library (one of the oldest in England), Sheldonian Theatre where ceremonies are held and St. Michael Church which is Oxford’s oldest building.
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
If you look at it just as a town, you can be
disappointed, but if you have a grounding in Shakespeare‘s plays, then
the whole town might look more interesting to you. But if you’ve
always thought Shakespeare‘s overrated, then you’ll think of the same about
Stratford, too. Places of interest include:
Shakespeare‘s Birthplace - it’s the most logical
place to start although there is a no guarantee that the playwright really
was born here.
New Place/Nash‘s House - where Shakespeare
died in 1616
Anne Hathaway‘s Cottage - a Tudor farmhouse
where Anne Hathaway stayed until her marriage to Shakespeare
Mary Arden‘s House - picturesque home of Shakespeare’s
mother
Holy Trinity Church - where Shakespeare was
baptized and buried
YORK
Beginning as a Roman fortress, the city of York is surrounded by city walls that were built on Roman ruins. The gates to the city are called “bars” where traitor's heads were often transfixed upon long ago. With around 150 ghosts and ghouls reportedly wandering its streets, York is supposedly one of the most haunted cities in Britain.
1. York Minster
The largest building and attraction
in the medieval city is York Minster, Britain's largest Gothic cathedral,
built in a span of 250 years. The exquisite architecture and the
mere size of the cathedral are enough to hold anyone’s attention for a
good few minutes, if anything at all, in awe. It houses the largest
piece of medieval stained glass on the planet as well as the largest collection
of medieval stained glass in Britain. Go inside the cathedral to
admire this, it is definitely worth a visit.
York Minster is the largest medieval
building in England and the biggest cathedral north of the Alps.
Entrance to the main body of the Minster is free and is a must for all
visitors to York. An admission fee is required if you wish to go
up the Central Tower which offers excellent views over the city.
2. Jorvik Viking Center.
It was the Danish Viking settlers who
gave York its name, derived from the word Jorvik or Yorwik. The Jorvik
Viking Center is built on the exact site of a huge archaeological dig,
it is where the amazingly well preserved remains of part of the Viking
City of Jorvik enveloped in wet mud for over 1,000 years. Artifacts
ranging from tools to pots, from knives to jewelry, pins and combs were
unearthed. Abundant evidence was recovered and these were vital in
recreating every aspect the sights, sounds and even smells of Jorvik in
948 AD.
Start the journey by descending the
stairs into the very bowels of York, climbing down to Viking levels; to
the level of York's streets as they were in 948 before they were buried
beneath all the rubbish of subsequent generations. Please let this
serve as a fair warning to visitors, the queue can get a bit long.
A “magic” timecar, moving backwards
on a journey through time tunnel will bring you closer to the world of
Vikings in York, transporting you through one of countless alleys between
the houses, workshops and market stalls. Amid fish guts, , scurrying
chicken, squealing pigs, a guy having some difficulty on the toilet, the
“smell” of Viking York comes in full force. We weren’t kidding about
“smell” part.
A souvenir shop as you exit ~ pick yourself
a momento of Jorvik York to take home with you
3. Clifford’s Tower
The original wooden tower was built
by William the Conqueror as part of his campaign to subdue the north of
England but even more so, Clifford’s Tower is notoriously known as the
scene of one of the most horrendous events in the city's history. The Jews
of York sought refuge in the wooden tower after being attacked by a local
mob on the evening of a Jewish festival in 1190. They were given
the choice of either being baptized or murdered. The angry mob torched
the castle thus killing everyone in it and the ones who had surrendered
were later slain. The exact number of people who died on that night
have remained a mystery until a mass grave was found nearby in recent years,
in it over 2,000 corpses were discovered. A group of school children
have planted daffodils on the mound of the tower and when in full bloom,
the sight of the beautiful flower carpeting could perhaps erase the image
of blood flowing down the slope of Clifford’s Tower for a brief moment.
4. The Shambles
Savor the medieval air in The Shambles.
Evoking medieval life more vividly than any other street in York, this
is the ancient street of the butchers of the city. It takes its name
from 'Shamel', meaning the stalls or benches on which the meat was displayed
for prospective customers. If you take notice, the pavements on both
sides of the main cobbled street are raised, making a passageway through
which the butchers would wash away the waste, refuse and blood. Gone are
messy and bloodstained days of The Shambles, it is now a busy shopping
street offering a unique shopping experience and a walk through history
rolled into one.
5. The House of Margaret Clitheroe
Visit the house of Margaret Clitheroe located
half-way through The Shambles. Canonized as a saint, St. Margaret
was the wife of a butcher. A tiny chapel is now situated in the wooden
house where she lived. It was in this very same house that she kept
a small room to hide priests from persecution. She herself was arrested,
tried and killed for refusing to renounce the Catholic faith.
Tourists also have plenty of museums to explore
in York. At the Railway Museum, visitors can peek in actual railcars, from
third class models to Queen Victoria's. Perhaps one of the unique
museums in the country, Castle Museum houses a collection of everything
from household items to musical and scientific instruments but most importantly,
it recreates different historical periods with detailed sets. Pass
by Whip-Ma-Whop-Ma-Gate, the shortest street in York was the location where
the city's petty criminals were publicly whipped, dates back to Saxon times
and means “neither one thing nor the other”. A person might just
want to wander the streets to look at the mix of Tudor buildings and Georgian
houses or visit a couple of the many churches that adorn this charming
city.
LAKE DISTRICT
Cumbria is one of Britain's most visited tourist destinations, while the Lake District is one of England’s most popular National Parks, and with good reason. Its serene lakes, proud mountains, deep valleys and picturesque villages allow you to appreciate the simple pleasures in life. The beauty of the Lake District served as inspiration to many a poet and writer. Among them, William Wordsworth is perhaps the most famous. Born in Cockermouth, he spent his youth at Wordsworth House and later moved with his sister near Grasmere. He called Lakeland “The loveliest spot that man hath ever found”
Visit Grasmere, a quiet little town where guided tours are available at Dove Cottage, William Wordsworth's beautifully preserved home. The nearby award-winning Museum displays a permanent display of Wordsworth's life and work. In addition, you can visit Wordsworth’s grave in St. Oswald’s churchyard where he is buried along with his wife and sister. If you find yourself hungry after paying your respects, check out the gingerbread shop right next to the graveyard.
There are no monsters or creatures associated with Lake Windermere unless you count Peter Rabbit and all his friends from the stories written by Beatrix Potter, who drew her inspiration from the Lake District. The biggest of the lakes and certainly the most popular with visitors who come to enjoy its various activities. Windermere offers something for everyone. There is a ferry service running the length of the lake, and rowing and motor boats are available for hire. A quiet cruise on the lake would be a good way to spend an afternoon, coupled with a leisurely walk-about in the town and then topped with traditional afternoon English high tea. If you’re traveling with children, check out The World of Beatrix Potter. The characters from her famous tales are brought alive with the use of modern technology.
LEEDS CASTLE
Southeast of Maidstone in Kent, is Leeds Castle. Standing on two islands, it has been described as "the loveliest castle in the world." The “beautiful” part is contestable but it is definitely an impressive building that is worth a visit. The castle is also known as "Lady's Castle" because of its famous occupants. Its royal residents include Eleanor and Margaret, the wives of Edward I; Philippa of Hainhault, wife of Edward III; Catherine de Valois, Henry V's wife; Catherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII; and Elizabeth I.
The last owner, Lady Baillie used her inheritance money from her mother’s side of the family to purchase this castle and ventured forth to restore Leeds Castle to its former glory. Thanks to her, it is one of the most visited castles in all of England.
A tour of the castle will give you a picture of what life in a royal castle might have been like. There are no signs of drafty towers or dark dungeons. Instead, you find elegant tapestries covering the walls and regal fireplaces embellishing cozy rooms ~ projecting a general atmosphere of warmth, sophistication and comfort. It is a place where visitors of the present meet with lives of the past.
As you enter the grounds, you will pass through the Duckery, the Wood Garden then the barbican and a mill before making it to the Gate Tower. Here is probably the world’s one and only museum featuring a collection of Medieval Dog Collars, ranging over a period of four hundred years. Also in the castle grounds are the Culpeper Garden and an Aviary, additions from this century.
An extraordinary attraction to Leeds is The Maze, opened in 1988. Your main objective when you enter the maze is find your way to the center where there is a mound leading up to a raised platform to be able to get a panoramic view of the Park and the surrounding countryside. It’s not as easy as you may think it is, we lost our way and were giving up when the kind custodian offered to guide us to the mound. The mound itself is a dome with an entrance descending to the Grotto. Ultimately, providing visitors the return route to the “outside world” from the Maze.
There is a shuttle bus that takes visitors
to Leeds Castles from the train station (Maidstone?), the train ride is
about an hour and it is really not a hassle to make the trip on your own.
Shakespeare's Birthplace Stratford-upon Avon, England |
The Tower Brige |
The famous Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. |
Stonehenge, England --- the most mysterious monument in the British Isle |