Saturday 19 April 2014

One Year Old!

Whee! One year old today! Well, it's past midnight now, so the anniversary was yesterday - but never mind. Sorry, I was busy! Anyway, it doesn't feel like a year since I started posting blogs about lovely London.. but if you check the records, it is. And the play I saw then is one I didn't even remember the name of when I saw it - had to read the post to bring it all flooding back.

Anyway, I've had a ball, both in writing about things, and more particularly, going to them. So here's a list of some of my favourite things about London, as they occur to me.. if you know them too, hope you agree! If you don't know them, maybe you'll get some ideas. In no particular order, here are the things I love best about the place:


  • The view from the Hungerford Bridge
    I've often mentioned this. I love going to the BFI, the National Theatre, or, less frequently, the Southbank Centre, if it's a fine evening, because then the handiest way is to get the Tube to Embankment station and cross the bridge. And, day or night, the view is STUNNING! (As evidenced by all the photo-taking tourists you need to dodge as you cross.) By day, you get skyscrapers and St. Paul's; by night, it's lit up like a year-round Christmas tree. You get views of the London Eye and Westminster if you cross on the other side of the rail bridge. Really, you can't lose! Free sightseeing. Good buskers, too.
  • The cluttered skyline
    They keep complaining about it, but I love it. Yes, St. Paul's is swamped by skyscrapers, but it's a function of just how much there is in this relatively small area. And it's all as dramatic as ever, down at ground level.
  • That sweep around the front of Buckingham Palace and down the Mall
    If anything were designed to make you feel small.. yes, there's a huge expanse of pinkish tarmac outside Buckingham Palace, with a whopping great statue of Queen Victoria in it, and it's all so much more imposing than just the palace itself. Terrific place to feel like a tourist, and join the hordes of them. Great on a sunny day, and plenty of souvenir shops around if you desire. And the atmosphere on the night Prince George was born was electric, with crowds clambering over each other to see the easel inside the palace gates, announcing the news, and the world's media staked out across the road!
  • The South Bank, around the Southbank Centre, BFI, National
    So, when I get off the bridge and am heading to one of the above venues, it's just annoying, with the crowds that usually throng it. But when I'm not in a hurry, it's fantastic on a sunny day, with river views, tourists, restaurants, and a massive book market under Waterloo Bridge.
  • Further down the South Bank, around the Globe
    I don't get down here so often, so it's a treat when I do. As well as the Globe, a reconstruction of Shakespeare's original theatre - which stages exhibitions and Shakespearian plays - there's a Pizza Express nearby whose first floor has fantastic views across to St. Paul's.
  • The City
    I love history, so I'd have to love the City, which covers the area of the original city that was London. Give me an excuse, o please, to wander the winding alleys between the skyscrapers. In a glorious lack of planning, there is no separation between old and modern buildings, so if you know where to look, you can find the most astonishing gems. Walking tours involving this area are highly recommended.
  • The Tube
    My favourite way of getting to places too far to walk. The fastest, most reliable, and most frequent of London's many transport methods - most places will list the nearest Tube station in their directions, and certainly on the North side of the river, you're never far from one. 
  • The Overground
    Cleaner, newer, and more spacious than the Tube, it's also cheaper for getting to the far side of town, as it goes around, rather than through, the centre. Trains are infrequent though, which can be a nuisance.
  • The buses
    They get hampered by traffic, and road works, otherwise I'd take a bus more often. It's cool - usually less crowded than the Tube at busy times, and you get a better view. It's nice to see the streets of London, rather than speed underneath them. They're a nice, bright red colour. And these are the easiest buses in the world to use - each stop has a name, and the name of the next stop is displayed on an lcd screen, and by announcement, on the bus. So all you have to know is the name of your stop! Cheaper than the Tube, and lots of the bus stops have displays telling you what number buses are due, and how long it should take them to get there. Once you get a basic idea of what buses go where you want, you're laughing!
  • The Royal Albert Hall
    I don't get here so often these days, but it's a grand old building. And the highest level of boxes are my favourite seats in the house - for £20 you get a seat in a box that sits four, and really isn't too high to enjoy the action. I don't like going higher here - it gets very steep.
  • The Royal Opera House
    Another grand old building - once you get into the theatre. Before you get that far, it's all modern design, with some striking features. And it's quite a fairytale feeling, getting off the Tube at Covent Garden. Lift access, so no breathlessness from climbing stairs. Definitely a place worth dressing up for.
  • The BFI
    A terrific and varied programme, with many rare films. The seats are plush, all showings include film notes that you can pick up on the way in so you know what's notable about what you're seeing. They take film seriously. Also sells books and dvds. The place for film buffs!
  • Cineworld
    There are lots of them, and they show a good range of films. Particularly good for that Bollywood blockbuster that nobody else is showing. Seating is comfortable, and they give a 10% discount for booking in advance, if you've registered (for free). Or, if you can guarantee that you'll buy at least two tickets a month, you can get an Unlimited card, which does what it says on the tin - all tickets and food bought at the cinema are free. But there is a monthly fee, which is why I say you need to ensure you buy enough tickets to make it worthwhile!
  • Theatres above / behind pubs
    These are amazing. Lots of London pubs have a back room, or a room upstairs, that is used as a theatre. Sometimes tiny, but you wouldn't believe how good the shows can be in these places! Most of the plays I see are in such venues, and by and large the quality is far superior to the bigger shows, with higher prices, in places like the National Theatre.
  • The Curzon Soho
    Worth a mention because of its proximity to Chinatown - very handy for a bite to eat, before or after. Also a nice cinema in its own right, with a little cafe. Good range of arthouse films.

2 comments:

  1. Tis the great life you lead over there in London! You are spoilt.....AM xx

    ReplyDelete