I wish we could see the TV series Grumpy Old Men here in Canada.
I have the audiobooks and I agree with almost everything the author Stuart Prebble finds irritating, from inconsiderate drivers to the terrible customer service found almost everywhere, and the overall lack of good manners in places...
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One of the first places I visited in London, after getting used to my own street, was Trafalgar Square. This is an easy place for tourists to navigate from, with lots of buses and Tube connections. The National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery are right there, and both are excellent.
T...
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London's Battersea Power Station is a marvellous Art Deco building near the Thames. No longer in service as a power station, it has survived from year to year, through various proposals for repurposing and redevelopment. On August 22, 2009, the international tour of the Red Bull X-Fighters (trick ...
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This is a great picture of Piccadilly as you've never seen it. Usually photos of Piccadilly Circus show the neon advertising and the fountain. This picture reflects more of the grandeur that the Queen's neighbourhood would be expected to have!
Link to the original picture of Piccadilly by C...
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Four tall, narrow houses at 5255 Newington Green, in NE London, are the oldest row houses in London, apparently. I haven't seen them, but I'll put them on the list for the next visit.
It seems strange for me to call these "houses" when they're attached. "Row houses", sure, but I don't think of...
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Paddington Bear was lost (and found) in Paddington Station, but for those of us who aren't bears, it's a fairly easy place to get around in. The rail station is separate from the tube station, but they are very close together.
Located a little bit north of Hyde Park, Paddington is another tr...
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The River Thames is tidal through the part of London most tourists are familiar with, all the way up to Teddington, which is to the west. As Jim Linwood, who provided this picture, explains, the lockhouse is part of a lock and weir complex.
A day trip to see the Teddington locks is a good ex...
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Victoria Station is one of London's transport hubs where trains, tube, buses, coaches, and people converge. It's a popular meeting spot, now as then.
This picture shows a post-war Victoria Station, looking rather atypically empty. The cars on the left and the London Bobby in the backgroun...
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It was around about this time of year (October) way back in 1991 when we made our first family outing to Holland Park.
Holland Park is a pleasant piece of green sometimes seen on the English TV show As Time Goes By. It's one of those spots you can pop into and feel the city melt away behind ...
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The famous Buckingham Palace Changing of the Guard ceremony isn't the only place to see the Household Cavalry in their dazzling uniforms.
Two mounted guards can be seen posted at the entrance to Downing Street. It's also not unusual to see troops of cavalry moving around the Queen's neighbourhoo...
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Agatha Christie was a prolific writer whose mystery stories are still popular on TV decades after her death. Her play The Mousetrap has broken records for longest-running stage play.
Miss Christie lived in a variety of houses. This one is in South Kensington, at 22 Cresswell Place and is ma...
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True confessions, I have not ridden the giant Ferris Wheel - ski gondola hybrid called the London Eye. I love aerial views, but I have this really bad fear of falling off the edges of things, so ... not number one on my list of tourist attractions.
"Everyone" raves about it, though.
Gaetan Le...
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Victorian explorer Sir Richard Burton (the role model for Lawrence of Arabia) and his widow are buried in a mausoleum of their own. It's a stone tent, in the Mortlake churchyard, an easy walk from the British Rail station at Mortlake.
Through a window, visitors can see inside.
I'm hoping to g...
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Had a very good report of the B & B Belgravia from a recent guest there.
Full breakfasts. Comfortable rooms. London prices are never easy to take but rates here seem reasonable, and the owners apparently take pride in delivering good value.
Can't wait to get there myself!...
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It's almost time for Buckingham Palace to open its doors to the public for another (short) summer season.
According to the official Royal Residences website, The State Rooms will be open from July 29 through September 29, 2008.
A feature this year is that the dining room will be set up for a S...
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I wish we could see the TV series Grumpy Old Men here in Canada.
I have the audiobooks and I agree with almost everything the author Stuart Prebble finds irritating, from inconsiderate drivers to the terrible customer service found almost everywhere, and the overall lack of good manners in places where one ought reasonably to expect some higher level of courtesy.
But... on the matter of the Congestion Charge, we must agree to disagree.
Stuart apparently drives to London, in fact it sounds like he goes right into the City, to work. I'm just drawing inferences, but it does sound like he has to get into the zone of the Congestion Charge, where he complains about the lack of parking.
If I were in his position, I might object too, but actually, I think not.
One of the many great things about London is the public transportation system. You do not need a car to get around.
One of the less great things is the air quality.
When I last visited, I noticed a definite improvement in the air, in the noise levels, and in the ease of getting around on foot in the touristy parts. My friend and I took a while to put 2 and 2 together, but finally figured out this was thanks to the Congestion Charge.
Sorry Stuart, but it's good medicine for London. Your lungs and ears will thank you, and so will your children. Please don't be grumpy about cutting down on car use. It really does make things better.
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