for a week, in a couple weeks. This will be the first time I’ve visited England, since, oh, about 1978. What I remember about that trip: Southampton row houses, a nice open air book market, and Trafalgar square.
So, for those of you who have been to London more recently, or lived (or live) there, thoughts and recommendations?
dandelion
The London Museum. Not one of the well known or busy museums. Fascinating chronological walk through the history of the city.
LorenzoStDuBois
If you want really good traditional English food, Porters Restaurant on Henrietta St. is awesome. And Gordon’s Wine Bar is not far off, a vast subterranean wine cellar with candles and wooden tables.
Most tourist attractions are super expensive, but riding a double decker bus is a great way to see the city like a local.
Avedon
Don’t forget to take a wander through Leadenhall Market (near Monument), just for the feel of it.
Oh, yeah, and give me a ring, we can meet up at the pub later. Or you can come out for the IndiaTown tour….
Harol
Lots of free museums:
National Gallery
National Protrait Gallery
British Museum
Natural History Museum
Science Museum
V&A Museum
Tate Britain
Tate Modern
They all ask a donation but don’t require it. The special shows are a separate thing and do require admission.
St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey charge admission (except for posted times of worship – they are, after all, active places of worship) when you can get in for services and at least see the interior. St. Martin in the Fields is free.
The parks are all free and sometimes there are installations in places like Kensington Gardens.
If you want to do the Tower and/or any of the palaces look for the online package ticket. It’s called “London Pass” or something like that and makes visiting the palaces much cheaper.
Avedon
By the way, have you ever been to Camden Town on the weekend? That’s still fun, even if it’s not what it once was….
skuppers
It’s been about 3 years since I was last in London, but whenever I go I stay in Kingston-on-Thames – friends there. Southwest London. Nice place, lots of history, nice parks – Bushy Park stands out and is right next to Hampton Court Palace – steer clear of the deer herd or you will regret it – unless being run down by a stag is in your list of things to do. There’s a really great outdoor market/fair in the town center. Here’s the official link:
http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/leisure.htm
Also, if you’ve never been to it, there’s Greenwich. Great if your a naval/marine buff, which I am.
Lisa Simeone
The Victoria and Albert Museum is a must. You could get hung up in the Geology room for hours, it’s so beautiful, but there’s so much else to see. A world unto itself. Easy to get arted out though.
Do walk over the Millenium Bridge, and I’d even say do the London Eye, though Brits will tell you it’s touristy — well, yeah, it’s touristy, but we’re tourists! Kind of expensive, but it gives you a spectacular 360 view of the city.
Great high-quality free lunchtime concerts at the beautiful church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields.
http://www2.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/page/music/lunchtime.html
Morocco Bama
London….what a frightfully boring town. It’s hard to believe that these people, devoid of culture as they are, could possibly have dominated the world for as long as they did…..and still do, in an indirect way. I suppose they were so busy with their noses in everyone’s affairs, they hadn’t the time to develop a dynamic cultural identity of their own.
Lisa Simeone
P.S. I know it means missing a day in London, but I’d really encourage a day trip to Cambridge (or Oxford for that matter). Cambridge is magical. The architecture, especially of Christ Church Cathedral, is not to be believed. Just the air of the city exudes beauty. Only an hour or so from London by train.
Petro
Here’s something: The coal soot has been removed.
zot23
Too bad your visit is in the winter, the Globe theater is a must visit if you have an affinity for Shakespeare. I would say just walk around and take in what is new, much has changed since 1978. Harrods is always a fun place to pop in and the indian food is excellent just about anywhere in London. I like hitting the museums if time allows, world class exhibits.
Have a good trip!
zot23
I will also second that taking the double-decker bus tours for a first day is a great way to see London. They travel in a circle circuit and you can hop on-off at any stop all day, so stop where you want and see what you want (and still see a little bit of it all.) About 40 pounds stirling these days (I think), if you ride them all day it’s pretty affordable and much faster than the underground (plus you see the city on the route.)
tBoy
My wife suggested that you take a train to France. (I’m staying out of it.)
Lex
I had the good fortune to spend a semester at Cambridge, and it is one of the best towns in the world. …except for the life sized oil portrait of Stephan Hawking in the Gonville & Caius College dining hall. He has those creepy eyes that stare at you and follow you. I finally started to always sit facing the other wall because Steve was giving me the heeby-jeebies.
Most of my London time was spent in museums or getting pissed, though there was the grand adventure to find the site of the Marshalsea debtor’s prison (big fan of Dickens). I found it. It’s a park. Stayed in a closed, South London pub drinking until 3am and then the cab driver offered to let me have the wheel.
I say: museum, pint, walk to next museum.
Tom Hickey
Hey, no one’s mentioned the pubs.
Bon voyage, Ian. Have a great old time.
Pepe
Old Spitalfields Thursday antique market (10-4)
Formerly T-Bear
Don’t forget the theatre district, easily rivals NYC’s.
Jay
Are you routing through the United Soviet Police States of America? Go to a used computer market and get a throwaway ($20) laptop. Obliterate the hard disk and everything on the ram. Configure it so you can surf if you need directions or something, but don’t under any circumstances enter any of your passwords on it. If you’re routed through JFK or Atlanta or whatever and have to surrender it, you’ll know whether they suspect you of entering/leaving with un-transmitted/non-transmittable data. Best $20 you’ll ever spend–to know if you’ve been designated a “terrorist threat” a/k/a enemy of the glorious people’s police force.
Lisa Simeone
Oh, and Ian, the Wallace Collection is a real gem. It’s not as well known as the other museums/art galleries, but it’s beautiful, chock full of paintings and artifacts, and never crowded. In the Marylebone section of London, a lovely area:
http://www.wallacecollection.org/
Adam Smith
Hampton Court.
NomadUK
Go to Victoria Coach Station and catch the coach to Oxford; it’s only a 90-minute ride (except at rush hour), and Oxford is simply a fabulous town. Completely walkable, and you can also visit Blenheim Palace up by Woodstock, a 20-minute bus ride away. And, of course, you’ll be reasonably close to Stratford, for all that good Shakespeare stuff.
Ian Welsh
Thank you for all the suggestions.
Jay: direct flight. It’s no more expensive, and I prefer not to be groped. Well, I prefer not to be groped by the gentlemen in Homeland Security, anyway.
Greg
If you are a geek like me and are out by Upton Park, you have to make a pilgrimage to the Who Shop. They have a Who Museum in the back that they will open up to you if you are really nice to them. 🙂
http://www.thewhoshop.com/
Lisa Simeone
Ian, I suspected you wouldn’t have to fly through the Security of States of America — glad to hear it. I know Canada has fallen for the scanner boondoggle, but perhaps not as badly as the U.S. has (fewer of them in your neck of the woods), and it sounds like your overlords haven’t instituted the abusive gropefests. Lucky you. Wish I could move.
dcblogger
go to York. Yes, I know, it is nowhere near London, but go to York anyway and see Tongue Tied Theater
http://www.tonguetiedtheatre.co.uk/
beowulf
Imperial War Museum
http://www.iwm.org.uk/
Formerly T-Bear
In London’s Hyde Park, find Speaker’s Corner IIRC on the weekend for what commenting is at its highest levels (and lesser levels as well). Educational and entertaining, not duplicated elsewhere.
Morocco Bama
It depends on whether you’re an effete intellectual, or a working man. Also, you have to factor in your generation.
Lynn Barnett
The British Library at St Pancras – the treasures from the British Museum are now housed there in a wonderful room. If you like books, this place is a temple.
Notorious P.A.T.
I second the idea of taking the Chunnel to Paris. Man oh man, to have a day to spend in Paris. . .
Ian Welsh
Lisa,
Canada is moving in the same direction as the US in most issues, we’re just starting from a better place. Last time I went through security here, they were not using the machines for everyone, so no issues. Because of a medical issue I have, I will show up every time, and at least in the US, they have no flexibility, and insist on doing a full grope even if I tell them and show them exactly what they’re seeing where they’re seeing it (why seeing something above my hips on my left side requires them to grope my genitals is beyond me). So every single time I go to the airport in the US, I will be groped (and it is a grope, there’s definitely genital contact in the US’s new pat downs.)
One of the problems with peon/slave societies, is that the overlords don’t trust the help, so they give them absolutely no ability to make any decisions. Well, that and slaves have no right to dignity or privacy, so they don’t hesitate to grope you or watch you nude.\
It won’t stop me from visiting the US, but I find I am somewhat reluctant to give my money to a country that treats me like this. Not to put too fine a point on it, but fuck the US government. Now that the Soviets are gone, they’ve decided to take up the slack.
The insane security is costing you a lot of money, not just for the security, but in lost visits.
Formerly T-Bear
OT, commenting on last oil post would not be seen. Seumas Milne has posted this at The Guardian late yesterday.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/09/fallout-2008-crash-oil-prices
which gives a good overview of current economic conditions (should any be interested). Lots of informative links in the original to follow and flesh out Milne’s presentation.
The likes of integrity in economic reporting have not been seen in US media since the early 60’s.
Take a look to see what is missing in your information intake, and be afraid, very afraid. Now turning you back to the chatter of the cohort boyz indigenous to these parts. /s
Private Keepout
Stirling Air Engine Rally, Sunday 27 March 2011
Kew Bridge Steam Museum, Green Dragon Ln, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 OEN
(Halfway betw Heathrow & London off M4, just west of Express Tavern)
http://www.kbsm.org/events/calendar/month.calendar/2011/03/10/-
“The rally will bring together probably the most diverse collection of [over 80 working] Stirling and Hot Air engines ever assembled under one roof, with many participants demonstrating new models and engines that they have built since the last event.”
Whatever you do, have a great visit. Thanks for all you do.
S Brennan
OT, Who would have thought Swedes are just as corrupt as the NYC/DC Nexis?
http://www.expressen.se/nyheter/avslojar/1.2360428/interrogator-in-the-assange-case-friend-with-woman-accusing-wikileaks-founder
Formerly T-Bear
@ Ian
The Guardian provides some eating suggestions (Friday, 11/03/2011) you may find useful:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2011/mar/11/central-london-restaurants-budget-eats
watching the pence conserves the pounds.
@S Brennan
quite interesting link, it fits with the early reports about this complaint in European media, now politically contaminated with US media spin, e.g. first bedtime encounter 14th August, lodged a co-complaint with second bedding(17th August) encounter IIRC 20th August after conspiring together (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11949341). Originally rape was not reported, that was contrived later by prosecutors and subsequently dropped for lack of fact. But, change prosecutor and reinstate the contrived charges. One source: http://www.news.com.au/world/assange-rape-charges-stem-from-two-one-night-stands-in-sweden/story-e6frfkyi-1225967407341 (from Australia) shows healthy skepticism the media needs to present when reporting on contested allegations having no independent witnesses and allegations are not made until a much later date. Your link shows there were other relationships at work as well. Please note the Australian report indicates one of the allegedly assaulted women had prior involvement with CIA (also reported here: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/06/assange-rape-accuser-cia-ties/ ). It truly looks like any “NO” to sex happened well after the encounter was over and the parties involved had long gone apart. Does anybody recall what the CIA alleged Scott Ritter did when he reported to the UN there were no WMD in Iraq and exposed US Government lies to the world? That is what is happening here without a doubt.
Formerly T-Bear
BBC suggests 20 free attractions in London:
http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20110310-twenty-free-attractions-in-london
for your edification and enjoyment. Bon Voyage.
martin
If you have time, go surf <a href="http://diamondgeezer.blogspot.com/"Diamond Geezer. He has one of the best sites dedicated (mostly) to London and what one can do and see there. Look for his “special London features” in his sidebar. His twenty blogs list also focuses on London.
Ian Welsh
Thanks T-Bear and Martin.
Don Fitch
Not having a year to spend in the UK (only a month), I avoided London as much as possible (except for a few days with Avedon & Rob, to whom I owe eternal gratitude), and concentrated on Old Cathedrals, pubs (more hours spent in the latter than the former, I think), and (inexpensive) B&Bs (all of which were, in their various ways, delightful).
In London… I think I’d just Wander (“anyone who tires of London is tired of Life”), relying on serendipity. YMMV — I’m an Old Geezer who isn’t strong on Organization.
And I’d second the advice, if you have enough time, to spend a few days in Oxford — if nothing else, there’s the Duke Humphry’s Library, and there’s something about walking along some side-street and noticing a wall that has Victorian repairs at the top, graduating down to Roman brickwork at the base….