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Her
Top Tips About London...
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St.
Martins in the Field...
Whenever I visit
London I make a point of going to St.
Martins in the Field, across from Trafalgar
Square. It's a beautiful old church and during the day in summer
they have chamber music rehearsals, free and open to the public.
Go downstairs and have a snack or lunch in the underground restaraunt,
try your hand at brass rubbings, browse the gift shop and book
store. It's lots of fun and a good place to rest your tired
feet.
Carole, Baja California, Mexico |
Tips,
tips, tips...
Hi
there! I just had to reply to Journeywoman's query about London.
I spent part of my travels there last summer and absolutely
loved it! Here's some things I learned along the way:
(1) Stay to the right on escalators (or you may get yelled
at). Walkers use the left.
(2) The tube (subway) felt very safe. I travelled by myself
a number of times and felt fine. There's always so many security
people and cameras watching.
(3) However, be very careful at Kings
Cross train station and hold your backpack
tight -- theft is reportedly rampant there.
(4) The Apple Market
in Covent Garden was great, lots of locally made crafts but
no apples (Information: 020 7836 9136). P.S. If you like Doc
Martens sturdy footwear there is a store there that sells
Docs relatively inexpensively.
(5) Combine cardio with sightseeing. Climb the 311 steps of
the "monument"
(a tower built to commemmorate the London Fire of 1666). You'll
get a fabulous 360 degree view of the
city plus a certificate that proves you climbed all the steps
so you can boast when you get home.
(6) I took the London City Tour
Bus on my first day. It gave me a great overview
of the city, a general idea of where things are and I was
able to plan what I wanted to come back to explore. The ticket
lasts for 24 hours, you can ride it as often as you wish in
that time period and hop off and on wherever it stops. I got
on at Trafalgar Square, an easy landmark to find. The bus
ticket also included a cruise down the Thames River.
(7) If you can, fly into Heathrow,
it's right on the tube system. I flew into Gatwick
and had to take a train (11 pounds one way) whereas a tube
ticket would have only cost me about five pounds.
(8) If you are Canadian and miss home, there's The
Canada Shop (27 Maiden Lane Street, Covent
Garden) that sells A&W Rootbeer, Hickory Stix, Coffee
Crisp, Tim Hortons , and different types of Canadian beers
– they also do home deliveries www.canadashop.uk.com
(9) If you're a history buff, go to All
Hallows on the
Ave Church (built on ancient roman ruins near
the Tower of London). The caretaker might give you an amazing
history lesson on the City of London and the Knights Templar.
He talked to us for about two hours.
(10) The British Museum
was definitely a highlight for me. I'm a history teacher
and spent most of the day in the Egypt area of the museum
-- the Rosetta Stone and Cleopatra's Mummy are there. The
museum was free too, a plus for us budget travellers.
Chantel, Montreal, Canada
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| Her
Royal bras...
Want to know
where Queen Elizabeth reportedly buys her bras in London? I
didn't
see her there myself but the word is that a shop called Rigby
and Peller at 2 Hans Road (close to Harrod's)
is her Royal Outfitter. Almost any woman is assured of finding
her fit in this boutique. Sizing goes from 32AA to 46FF and
prices are very posh, indeed.
Leslie, London, England |
| Walk,
walk, walk...
For those women
who are planning a trip to London, be it the first time or the
twentieth, I have a suggestion. Make sure you put on your sturdy
shoes, and walk. I had been to London numerous times before
I took my own advice. Sure, I saw plenty of neighbourhoods,
and many museums, etc. But I had
never truly walked the city. My first "opportunity"
came when there was a tube strike during one of my visits. All
the passing buses were packed - no room for me and my husband.
It was a fine day, no rain to be seen for once. So, map in hand,
we walked from St. Pancras Station
to Buckingham Palace.
That was just the beginning of our day, and I already felt like
I had really discovered London for the first time. Just taking
in the truly local sights, stopping at small shops for picnic
supplies, saying hello to people on the street. Taking the Underground
can be addictive, with the different coloured lines and the
pure efficiency of it all. But most of the time you are not
really travelling that far, and it pays to go above ground once
in a while. I promise, you'll gain a new appreciation for this
city.
Jennifer, Olympia, USA |
More great tips 1/3/4
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