The Big, The Loud
and The Crazy
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CHAPTER 3: The Big, The Loud and The Crazy
Welcome to the Great Britain! You are finally here, I bet you feel excited or tired, maybe both, but
the important part is that the real travelling begins now. Take a moment to sit back and relax in
WHSmith, McDonalds or whatever your airport or current position has and give yourself a pat in
the back. You‘ve made it. Congratulations.
Assuming that you‘ve had a quick breather and are ready to continue, I‘ve got some questions for
you.
If you came here by yourself – Feels good to feel the ground again, doesn‘t it? So, you are in Dover,
do you feel like staying here for a while, having a look around or do you want to keep going? If you
are not in a rush, please skip to Chapter 4 and find Dover in it. In other case, keep on reading.
If you came here by bus/train – Cool, so it looks like you ended up in London Victoria Coach/Train
Station. Did I guess correctly? I mean, it wasn‘t that hard, as these are the only stations that are
suitable for international travel. For trains, there is a possibility, that you may find yourself in
London Paddington Train Station, but don‘t worry, it really isn‘t an issue at all. However, if you are
anywhere near the places mentioned above, please get to know where you are, carry on reading,
follow similar instructions listed below and we‘ll get things sorted.
If you came here by ship – Oh dear, so you are in one of the ports, right? I suggest you look for the
instructions that are listed for those that came here by plane. Then, continue reading.
If you came here by plane - Do you have an airport transfer ticket that I‘ve mentioned earlier? Yes?
Wicked, go to your terminal and wait for your coach. No? Then go to the nearest National Express
or Megabus self-service ticket machine, till or office, I‘m pretty sure there‘s one inside the airport.
Where to, you may ask? Well, it depends on your current whereabouts, really, so knowing that you
have no bus to attend, take some time to read further on.
You are about to discover Britain‘s biggest cities. Hopefully, this Chapter will give you and idea
where can you make your first settlement and where can you start exploring this unique country.
So, without further due, let‘s take a look at the giants of the Great Britain.
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London
The capital of the United
Kingdom, official home to the
Queen of England, one of the
largest cities in the world,
reaching up to more than 10
million citizens, therefore being
amongst the top desired
destinations for international tourists.
This city is very multicultural, with
a third of all Londoners foreign
born, representing 270 different
nationalities. What unites them
and visitors alike is the English
language, for this is both local
tongue’s birthplace and its
epicentre. These cultures season
the culinary aromas on London’s
streets, the often exotic clothing
people wear and the music they listen to. London’s diverse cultural dynamism makes it among the
world’s most international cities.
The Structure of The City
London is a city with 33 small 'cities'
within it, each has their own
governments, schools, centres,
suburbs, and sense of identity. Find
out more about each borough, from
Hillingdon to Havering, and their
chief attractions.
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City of London - It is the
nation's financial centre
and embodies the capital's
mix of tradition and
change. A place of mighty
skyscrapers, this tiny area,
only twenty-minute walk
from one side to the other,
generates 3% of the UK's
income. The City by night
is among the most
stunning sights in London, a ghost town of towering skyscrapers and stunning churches, including St
Paul's Cathedral, the spiritual heart of Great Britain. Around the edges of the city are some of the best arts and entertainment venues in London, including Fabric nightclub, Smithfield Market, and the wonderful Barbican Centre, where much of the capital's best classical and contemporary music, theatre and art can be found.
City of Westminster - It is
impossible to even begin to
capture everything that
Westminster - the seat of
Britain's government - has
to offer. From
stately Buckingham
Parliament to the raucous Soho nightlife,
from the bustle of Oxford Street, to the rolling vistas of the Royal Parks it would take weeks to describe everything to see and do in London's heartland. It also contains some of the best shopping
in London, with Covent Garden's bustling market, the boutiques of Soho and Carnaby Street, and the towering department stores around Oxford Circus. As the shops close, London's West
End comes alive, with dozens of theatres and music venues, and hundreds of bars and restaurants making sure that this is a borough that never sleeps.
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Camden - Camden is one of
London's liveliest boroughs
and the centre of the
capital's underground music
scene with a plethora of
seductively scuzzy venues.
The locks along Regent's
Canal are the focus for some
London's
most
varied
shopping,
with
fashion,
antiques, music, arts, crafts
and bric-a-brac filling this labyrinth of boutiques and markets. In the south of the borough lies
picturesque Regent's Park famed for its wonderful open air theatre and London Zoo. For more intellectual pursuits, there is the British Library, whose 150 million books, magazines CDs and DVDs are stored on 625km of shelves.
Southwark -
Southwark is the
historical home
of the capital's
arts and
entertainments
industry. The
rebuilt Globe theatre is now one of the best theatres in London, while the neighbouring Tate
Modern, housed in the stupendous Bankside Power Station, is among the world's most popular art galleries. London's modern City Hall and the magnificent, gothic Southwark Cathedral, complete a remarkable set of buildings that show five centuries of London's architectural achievements. Next
to Bankside, the borough takes in the up-and-coming areas of Bermondsey, Camberwell and
Peckham, where Only Fools and Horse was set. This part of London is currently popular with young
professionals and artists due to its proximity to the centre of town and low property prices.
Nearby Borough Market is heaving with fresh, organic food and drink. In the south of the borough lies leafy, suburban Dulwich which forms a welcome contrast to the bustling energy that defines
the rest of one of London's oldest areas.
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Tower Hamlets - Tower
Hamlets is the heart of
London's East End and takes
its name from the Tower of
London, located within the borough's boundaries. The
borough is dominated by the
White Tower, built in the
eleventh century and home
to the crown jewels, royal
armouries, yeoman warders and the famous ravens. The Tower Bridge Exhibition brings to life more than 100 years of the bridge's fascinating history with exciting animatronics and interactive displays.
For shoppers, Tower Hamlets has a wealth of street markets including the century-old Sunday Flower
Market at Columbia Road.
Hackney - Hackney
possesses a rich mix of
cultures and traditions.
Popular destinations
include super-trendy
Shoreditch, a thriving
cultural fringe of the City of
London with a wide range
of restaurants, bars,
nightclubs and comedy
venues. Visit the
acclaimed Geffrye
Museum which tells the history of domestic furniture from 1600 to the 1950s. The area is filled with thriving street markets including Petticoat Lane, Brick Lane and Ridley Road in Dalston which offers goods from across the world in a friendly, bustling atmosphere. Other attractions include the
National Trust owned Sutton House - a rare example of a Tudor red-brick house built for the Principal Secretary of State for Henry VIII. Hackney is also home to the Hackney Empire theatre and
Stoke Newington Church Street with its eclectic array of specialist shops, cafes and ethnic
restaurants.
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Islington - Islington is
traditionally a mecca for
the cream of London's
liberal, journalists, writers
and artists. This vibrant
borough boasts a thriving
fringe theatre scene, a
wealth
of
fantastic
restaurants and vibrant
nightlife. Islington is the best place to buy antiques in London. Spend an afternoon browsing the
specialist shops and boutiques in the renowned Camden Passage Antiques Market. Continue your journey of discovery through elegant Georgian squares, along peaceful Regent's Canal and through
historic Clerkenwell. Football fans will be unable to leave the borough without a trip to the world
famous Arsenal football ground.
Brent - Brent's most famous
feature is the
legendary Wembley Stadium,
the home of English Football.
Wembley Arena also attracts huge crowds and is one the
capital's largest music venues.
Brent is a multi-cultural
heartland and offers
fascinating glimpses into
London's many faiths. The
Hindu Temple in Neasden, The Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, was carved in India but assembled in North London and rises spectacularly out of its urban surroundings. For shoppers, the famous
Swedish furniture store IKEA is located within the borough, as is Wembley Market which boasts a good selection of clothes, jewellery, food and bric-a-brac. Escape the city buzz in leafy Gladstone
Park or enjoy a walk along the tow path of the Grand Union Canal.
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Newham - Newham is in the
heart
of
London's
historic
Docklands. With fast rail links to
the continent planned for
Stratford and London City
Airport overlooking the docks,
the borough is set to become a
hub of the international travel
network. Historic features of the
area include the Royal Docks,
built in the 1850s, which stretch from one side of Newham to the other and enclose the country's
largest area of dock water. The Thames Barrier is also located within the borough, the largest ever of its kind, built at a cost of over £400 million. Additional attractions include Abbey Mills Pumping
Station - an important example of Victorian industrial architecture - as well as Beckton Dry Ski
Slope, Newham City Farm and the internationally acclaimed Theatre Royal Stratford East.
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The Prices of Accommodation
Highest rates in London are the shoulder periods May, June, early July, late September and October
when both leisure and business custom are running full throttle.
A Broad Summary Of The Main Hotel Districts Of London
West End - Very
central, expensive, 4
stars dominate, close
to theatre and
nightlife, tedious
airport transfers. A
loosely defined area in
the centre of London
geographically
(Trafalgar Square is
technically the centre in London). The area is dominated by 4/5 star hotels with some of the highest
prices. The theatre district (but not all the West End theatres) and much of London's nightlife is in
this area.
Leicester Square and Covent Garden is the heart of this area and where the
greatest concentration of theatres and
nightlife are. Poor transport links to
airports, walking is the best way of
getting around.
Mayfair and Piccadilly is in the western sector of the West End and is perhaps
London's most exclusive hotel district with many of London's most exclusive and expensive hotels.
No major attractions are here, but some of the highest class shopping is.
Oxford Street and Marble Arch is stretching the West End label to the edge of its envelope. On the norther border of Mayfair is London's busiest shopping street. Most UK retail chains have their
flagship stores here. At the western end of Oxford Street is Marble Arch, around which most of the
hotels are situated. Mostly large 4 star chain hotels. Paddington Station is nearby with convenient
trains to Heathrow and there are direct airport buses to Stansted and Luton Airports.
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Bloomsbury - Very central, walkable to West End, not a budget district but
cheaper than West End and with a
wider range of hotel types. Attractive
district in itself to stay. Only 15-minute
walk north of Covent Garden and
Leicester Square. Very interesting
district with lots of bookshops,
collectors’ places and quirky attractions
as well as the British Museum. A great
area to just wander the streets and make your own discoveries. A wide range of all types of
accommodation, but a step change in price downwards from the West End. The only direct airport
link within the district is the London Underground to Heathrow, but is not a bad choice for any
airport or cruise port.
County Hall - Very
central, good base for
sightseeing not so great
for nightlife, shopping.
Mostly luxury large 4 star
hotels but with some
notable budget
exceptions. Cheaper
rates at weekends,
holiday periods.
A small cluster of hotels, mostly very large luxury 4 star chains (but with notable exceptions) by the
London Eye. County Hall itself on the riverfront by Westminster Bridge directly facing Big Ben,
Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey. Because of the UK government offices in the area a
lot of trade comes from people on government business. At weekends room rates can be very
attractive as a result given the quality of hotels here.
A fantastic location for the sightseeing orientated visitor, not that close to nightlife or the shops
though. Quite convenient for those using Gatwick Airport and those on cruise ships out of Dover
and Southampton (direct trains from Waterloo Station that is next door to County Hall).
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Victoria - Central
location, all grades of
accommodation.
Major transport hub