Walking in London along Whitehall: Banqueting House, Churchill Museum, Parliament
To many the name ‘Whitehall’ evokes ‘British Government’. And, indeed, the Houses of Parliament are at one end of the road running north from Parliament Square. But there’s much more along this major London artery than the Palace of Westminster, home to the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Read more
Kensington Palace and Kensington Gardens in London
Kensington Palace has been home to royalty from long before Queen Victoria’s birth there in 1819 to Princess Diana’s residence until her death to today.
Still in use as a working Royal Residence, there are nonetheless many areas open to public viewing – and have been since Queen Victoria opened the State Apartments to the public in 1899. Read more
The London Eye
One of the best ways to see London is from the air. Unfortunately, that was fairly difficult until recently. Now it’s as easy as stepping onto a platform that moves slower than the average escalator into the London Eye pod. Read more
Harrods in London
Much of London, for the tourist anyway, is historical. Ancient buildings and centuries old monuments. Palaces and works of art from the ages. But not Harrods. Harrods, even while its origins are from over 150 years ago, is as up-to-date as the latest computer. Read more
Kew Palace and Gardens
“It’s good to be king!” announced the Austrian ruler in Amadeus. Well, it wasn’t so bad to be a wealthy merchant either. Kew Palace, known at Dutch House until 1827, was built in 1631 for the Dutch merchant Samuel Fortrey.
Mr. Fortrey’s descendants wisely leased the Jacobean mansion to Queen Caroline in 1728 for 99 years for ‘the rent of £100 and a fat doe’. The Queen made an excellent bargain. Read more
Royal Observatory in Greenwich
To most, the question “What time is it?” is mundane. But to the men and women whom, over the centuries since 1675, have worked at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich it is of huge importance. Read more
The West End, London
For the London traveler looking for variety, the West End is the place to be. Piccadilly Circus is next door, where antique book shops mix with the latest restaurants and Covent Garden is not far. And, then of course, there’s the world-renowned theater – the rival (some would say tutor) of Broadway. Read more
Vacation in London
If you have five years for a vacation you might be able to see about half of what London has to offer. No matter your tastes – whether modern or classical art, monuments and museums, zoos and gardens, nightclubs, theater, music, and on and on – it’s here in abundance. Read more
Hyde Park in London
Perhaps most famous for the Speaker’s Corner, where citizens stand atop a soapbox and shout their views to the crowd, there’s much more to see and do here than listen to political opinions.
The land forming the park was first acquired by Henry VIII from the monks of Westminster Abbey in 1536. While Henry used the park for deer hunting, the horseback riding today is strictly not for sport. Read more
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre is in fact long gone – closed by Puritans in 1642 and taken down 2 years later. Fortunately for fans of the bard, there’s a faithful reproduction housed only a few hundred meters from the original site. Read more