The London Traveler

Westminster Abbey is one of the top tourist destinations in London. Not only is it conveniently located next to the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament), but it is the location where kings and queens are both crowned and buried. There is an incredible amount of history in and around this building.

When you first enter Westminster Abbey (as shown in the picture to the right), you will be awed by the size and detail of this church. What was originally a shrine on an island in the Thames (1400 years ago) is now a magnificent church.
The other …read more

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This has been a very busy month here on the London Traveler, with some quite popular posts! I wanted to take a look back and let you know what other people thought was interesting in case you missed it.
These were the most popular posts this month:
A Visitor’s Guide to London Pubs – This was a very popular post, and a bit controversial. I mentioned that tipping isn’t necessary in pubs, which is true! But please don’t think that tipping isn’t necessary anywhere… restaurant tipping is still quite common!
Translating the “Queen’s English” (aka, London slang) – This was …read more

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One of London’s more unique museums recently opened after a two-year and £22million renovation. One week ago today, the completely re-designed museum opened to the public. If you’re at all interested in the systems that make up London’s public transportation infrastructure (trains/tube, buses, trams, etc.), then it is certainly worth a visit!
Here are photos of just some of the new exhibits:

If you’re not all that interested in the museum, but instead just want to relax for a bit, you can do so in the museum’s new cafe:

The building itself is in the heart of the Covent Garden area, …read more

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Gatwick Airport is one of the major airports in the London area. Just outside the M25, London’s main beltway motorway, it serves both European and North American destinations.
Getting to London from Gatwick is fairly easy. Here are your options:
1 – Gatwick Express
This is the easiest option. The train leaves every 15 minutes, and the journey is 30 minutes long. It’s a little expensive, but the train has plenty of space for luggage (always nice, particularly for families traveling together!) and it doesn’t stop between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria station. London Victoria station is in …read more

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Rockefeller Center in New York has a famous Christmas tree, (most likely because of the NBC studios there!) London has a famous Christmas tree of its own every year in Trafalgar Square, one of the best public areas in the city. (Lots of statues, fountains, big lions, and views down to Parliament and Big Ben.)
Each year, Norway gives a Christmas tree (over 20 metres, aka 60 feet high!) to the city of London as a sign of gratitude toward British support to Norway in World War II. The official lighting ceremony of this years’ tree will take …read more

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Just a few days ago I wrote about Emma Clarke, the “Voice of the Tube.” She has been creating the recorded announcements for the Underground trains and stations for several years.
My post linked to some of her “spoof” Tube announcements, which poked fun at people who play Sudoku, yuppie professionals, American tourists, and more. Well, it turns out that she has now been fired as the “Voice of the Tube!”
London Underground is saying that it actually wasn’t for the spoof announcements, but for an interview she recently did with a London newspaper where she “slagged off” the Tube. …read more

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Twinings is one of the most well-known English tea brands, and has had a London store since 1706.
Since 1717, Twinings has had a shop on the Strand in the heart of London. It still exists today, and is a must-see shop for anyone that has a spot in their heart (or palate) for tea! It’s good enough that they have a Royal Warrant… ie, they supply the British Royal Family with tea.
Be forewarned, though… the Twinings shop is tiny! But it’s filled with all kinds of varieties of tea, coffee, biscuits, and everything else you need for …read more

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One of the more interesting party areas in London is the infamous Old Compton Street in the heart of Soho. It is known as the center of the gay/lesbian community in London, and the area is vibrant and a lot of fun at night, no matter who you’re attracted to.
Soho in general is home to a number of the bars and clubs that are open until the wee hours of the morning. Old Compton Street, while not officially “pedestrianised,” is very pedestrian-friendly and very vehicle-unfriendly. (As you can likely tell from these photos!) During the day …read more

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London is an extraordinarily safe city. No matter where I’ve been, no matter what time at night, I’ve never felt unsafe.
That said, London is a large city, and a very few people might be up to no good. Most crime is opportunistic, so if you follow some easy steps, you’ll dramatically minimise the already small chance that you may be a victim of crime in the city.
Here are a few general tips for late-night London:

Keep a little cash hidden somewhere, if possible.
Stick to public transport: Tube, buses, black cabs.
If walking, stick to brightly lit streets and try to …read more

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Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American readers!
If you plan on visiting London during the holiday season, here are some events that you won’t want to pass up:
Ice Skating at the Natural History Museum
Toy shopping at Hamleys (go early to avoid the crowds!)
Christmas Lights

On Regent Street
On Oxford Street
On Marylebone High Street
Also St. Christopher’s Place!

Perhaps a “flight” on the London Eye
The Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park
And if you’re looking for inexpensive places to stay, check out my post on how to keep costs down on your visit to London.
Happy Thanksgiving, and I hope you have a great visit to this wonderful …read more

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