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Travel London:
The Living Past And The Ever-present by Frank Johnson
London Bridge may have fallen,
but this tenacious society has a knack for bouncing back from just about
anything. Although much of the city's visible history has been wiped out
by centuries of fires, rebuilding and modernization, London is inescapably
a prevailing icon of the global past, present and future. Museums, monuments
and the presence of the Royal Family all maintain an air of London's ancient
and imperial history about the city.
The London Reality: From
Lackluster to Illustrious During the Industrial Revolution, London was
by far the most polluted city in the world. The infamous London Fog killed
thousands of people while Parliament had to move away from the River Thames
due to the unbearable stench. London cleaned up its act since then but
the streets are still a composite of poverty and wealth, doldrums and brilliance.
The proximity of these realities is what makes London so fascinating and
unique to the city's visitors.
The Tate Modern Museum is
a leading example of how London likes to reinvent itself. The exclusively
contemporary museum is housed in the old Bankside Power Station, contributing
an industrial, factory-like feel with sharp lines and a smokestack exterior.
From the Tate, the sleek Millennium Footbridge stretches across the Thames
with the elegant St. Paul's Cathedral jutting paradoxically into the sky
beyond. Just down the bank, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre also stands in
a dilemma of time periods. The shiny plated sphere shatters the mental
image of Old English literature and seems to be a modern nod to a coveted
and precious part of London's cultural identity. In the center of London's
progressive bustle, Buckingham Palace sits as regally as it ever has while
visitors press up against the iron gates daily to view the ceremonious
changing of the guard.
London stands apart from
other major cities due to its unusually expansive range of parklands. Hyde
Park once served as Henry VIII's hunting ground and covers 350 acres of
land, divided by Serpentine Lake. The Park is used for many public events
and is contiguous with the prestigious Kensington Gardens. An interesting
twist to greenery can be found in the Highgate Cemetery, known for its
eerie Victorian-Gothic tombs and overgrown catacombs.
Eat, Drink, Shop, and be
Merry Busy Londoners love to consume and indulge. Even in this rather fast-paced
commercial capital, the nightlife is even more tireless. Pubs are packed
in the early evenings and some of the world's most famous nightclubs rage
until dawn. The world's top restaurants are booked until midnight and offer
some of the finest dining experiences anywhere, with a focus on international
cuisine. During your stay in London you will indulge, buy, see and schmooze,
but any attempt to schedule sleep into your itinerary may be foiled.
About the Author
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