Here are some snapshots of other places of interest in London. It was a pleasure to explore her streets; marveling at the fabulous mix of history, modernity and pop culture located at almost every corner. In fact more so than New York or Paris but equal to Chicago (still my favorite city outside of Manila and Cebu), I could actually see myself living here, maybe as a student, possibly as an expatriate. Time will tell.
* It seems that almost every corner in the city has a story to tell, a tale of heroism, tragedy, travesty or oddity, what with the thousands of random things you can find; such as this
Memorial to the Royal Artillery located randomly in the middle of a park.
* Carnaby Street is home to numerous independent fashion boutiques and lifestyle shoppes and is located in the Soho district near Oxford & Regent Street.
* The parental units posing outside of
Harrods, the upscale department store famous for being a favorite of wealthy Londoners throughout the years and formerly owned by the
Al-Fayed family, from whom a scion, Dodi, was Princess Diana's boyfriend when she passed away.
* If you do get to check-out Harrods,
make sure to go to the basement where a memorial to Diana and Dodi can be found!
* While I would definitely prefer to be on the ground taking photos as I survey the land, sometimes one must develop the useful skill of taking photographs from behind glass while in a moving vehicle!
* I could never get over the fact that everyone was driving on the opposite side of the road! I guess a lot of tourists were getting into accidents as all roads had signs to "look right when crossing."
* This Harry Potter Academy-ish building is actually the
Royal Courts of Justice, housing both the High Court and Court of Appeals of England and Wales.
* Bargain Books AND Sex Shop, where book lovers and perverts ignore each other in peace!
*
Oxford Circus is the intersection of Oxford Street and Regent Street, containing the highest number of pedestrians at any given time in London. Of course, all the major shops and clothing brands can be found in this area.
* Including
Hamleys, the world's oldest and largest toy shop! As you can read in my previous entries, I'm a big collector of action figures and in fact, spent quite a bit of time exploring their vast collection of goodies. Some highlights include Will, Kate and the Queen all made out of LEGO, and a great collection of Harry Potter and Doctor Who merchandise!
* One cannot go to London and not catch a
West End Play! On this night, we watched
We Will Rock You, a musical based on the music of
Freddie Mercury and Queen. I just really wanted to hear the Bohemian Rhapsody!
* The
London Tube is the fastest and most convenient way to get around the City. If you plan to explore various places throughout the day, it's highly advisable to get a whole day ride-all-you-can card. Make sure to stop-by and admire the beautifully designed
Canary Wharf and Westminster stations!
* Go a bit north from the City Center and you'll find the world-famous
Abbey Road Studios, where the
Beatles recorded their album, Abbey Road, and whose pedestrian crossing is one of the most popular tourist areas in London, to the irritation of Britons who have to stop every time someone crosses for a photo-op.
* No London experience would be complete without sampling some
Fish and Chips! While I found the dish rather bland, I must say that I enjoyed every single piece of smoked salmon that I had!
* Finally, we were lucky enough for our hotel to have been within walking distance of
Hyde Park, one of London's largest and most popular parks, famous for its
Speakers' Corners and various monuments, including the
Marble Arch (top) and a statue of a
Drinking Horse (bottom).
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