Trafalgar Square from the porch of the National Gallery. Nelson's
Column is in the foreground, and Big Ben is in the background. Notice the
cranes flanking Big Ben. They are associated with work done on the Underground
at the Westminster Station.
Before I get into this part too far, let me state up front that I like London. It's just that I don't think London is part of England. How can I say that? After all, no other city is more synonymous with England than London. That's what I thought before I went there. But, once there, one begins to realize that London moves to a totally different set of rhythms than the rest of England. Most of that is due to simple size, which typically gives a big city a different character from smaller cities. But, London differs from England in another way. The fact that London was the center of the British empire has caused people from all over the world to congregate to it. As a result, it's not uncommon to visit a place like the British Museum, which is the depository of much of Western civilization's artifacts, wander over to a Tandoori restaurant for some Indian food, ride the underground with a group of Chinese from Hong Kong, and then go to a pub to share a pint with someone from South Africa. It is this international mixture that gives London a unique quality that is found in much smaller quantities in the rest of England. So, if you want to see England, stay out of London. However, if you want to have a unique cosmopolitan experience, make sure London is on your itinerary.
Here are my thoughts on some of the more popular attractions in London which I visited while I was there.
Places to Stay - We stayed at St. Margaret's Hotel in Bloomsbury. The room we had was rather small, but comfortable. We found the staff at St. Margaret's to be exceptionally friendly, the rooms to be very clean, and the breakfasts to be very filling. A double with sink, TV, and telephone cost £52 per night. I thought it was a good value considering you're a block away from the British Museum and close to just about everything else. It's a good idea to make reservations well in advance for this place, as it does tend to fill up quickly.
Stamp Purchases - If you're a philatelist, the best place to get stamps is the postal shop next to St. Martin-in-the-Fields church, across from the National Gallery. They have sets of all of the British stamps issued during the year, as well as first day envelopes and other stamp collecting items.
Temple Church - Contrary to what's in the Lonely Planet Britain
guide, the Temple Church is not open on Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m.
to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. When we visited, a sign labeled "August
Hours" said that the church was closed on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Wednesday
through Friday, the church was open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m and Saturday it
was open from noon to 4 p.m. I'd recommend calling the church to find out
its hours before going to see it.
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