London has existed as a major city for nearly two millennia. The origins of its name are obscure; some suggest that it is derived from the Celtic 'lyn-dyn' meaning across the river but it was the Romans who invested their time to give Londinium its real-kick start as a major metropolis. Then as now London was a hub for trade and commerce being situated on the estuary and banks of the river Thames. Today the visiting tourist has a wealth of fantastic destinations to enjoy, this article will describe the most widely visited.
Royalty has left its mark across London. The Queen's palace, Buckingham Palace has been a royal residence since Queen Victoria bought it from Lord Buckingham. It is where you can watch the changing of the guard.
Trafalgar Square contains Nelson's column, a monumental tribute to the great admiral who destroyed Napoleon's army and established Britain as the major naval power in the world. You can visit the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery in the square.
The Houses of Parliament is where the government does its business. It includes the world-famous icon clock tower, commonly known as Big Ben although strictly speaking this is the name of the bell that famously chimes the hours across the city.
Westminster Abbey, just across from the Houses of Parliament, contains the remains of the great and good from down the centuries - kings, queens, writers, poets and politicians have found a final resting place here.
St Paul's cathedral, designed by the great architect Sir Christopher Wren, was where the marriage of Charles and Diana took place. It is the greatest and most important cathedral in the city. You can enter inside and gaze up at the underside of the huge dome. It was iconically pictured standing proud and undaunted in the midst of the London Blitz.
The Tower of London was originally built by William the Conquerer as part of the huge building campaign that stamped the new authority of the Normans across England through the construction of motte-and-baileys. It has been a royal fortress ever since, being added to and modified by subsequent monarchs. Most famously the Tower is the place where the enemies of monarch and state have met their end. It is where two of Henry VIII's wives met their untimely ends at the end of an axe.
The British Museum holds an enormous collection of artifacts from every corner of the world. It has the fascinating Saxon treasure of the Sutton Hoo longboat burial, Egyptian mummies, controversially the Elgin marbles from the Parthenon in Athens and much, much more. It is also free.
The Tate has two major art galleries that offer free permanent exhibitions for the public to enjoy. Tate Britain contains, as you would expect, British art and Tate Modern holds exhibitions from modern eras.
The Globe is a fabulous reconstruction of Shakespeare's original theatre. A vision realised by the American director Sam Wanamaker, the Globe stands near the original site and gives regular performances in the round.
Harrods is the most famous department store in the city. Not for the faint hearted when looking at the price tags; Harrods is worth a visit to see how the other half shop - plus the food hall has mouth-watering produce.
The West End is the entertainment district of the city. In terms of theatres it is the equivalent of Broadway in New York. There are many great shows for you to enjoy often the same shows as you would find on Broadway.
Wembley Stadium has undergone a complete rebuild and is where the English national football team plays its home games and where the F.A Cup final takes place. There are new stadia in construction, mostly in the east side of the city, in preparation for the 2012 Olympics. There are several professional football teams in the city, the top sides from London are Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, West Ham and Arsenal.
Hyde Park includes Speaker's Corner where you can go and listen to people get their thoughts off their chests. Their thoughts are often not what you would describe as conventional but it is an entertaining place to spend a little time. Other parks that provide breathing space for the city are Regent's Park, in which you can find London Zoo, and St James' park near Buckingham Palace.
These, then are the main tourist attractions in London. It is the tip of the iceberg in a city that has a thousand other delights.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Best Things to See at the Epcot Center
Best attractions in Epcot, now that's not easy because there are so many, all entertaining unique attractions which double as excellent sources of information, not to mention the fact that a lot of them come with added value. They educate us all, not just children; many adults will gain insight from many of the displays within the Epcot theme park.
Space Ship Earth is a definite not to miss attraction, the large globe structure you see as you enter Epcot is where Space Ship Earth is located. It is a totally thought provoking experience, it takes you from the early days of communication from the beginnings of the printing press, through movie pictures up to the present day and the world wide web. A carefully well designed animated history of how man started the communication revolution. You will probably need a few trips inside the sphere before this super animated story makes some sense; it's a great place for all the family.
The many countries that are represented in world show case are an attraction in themselves; however the outside of these magnificent well constructed buildings hide even greater mind dazzling entertainment inside. The Norway pavilion houses a very special water ride where you meet a troll tormented Viking ship, where you are taken through early Norwegian history to present day Norway, it's an exhilarating trip with a few surprise on the way. Your journey culminates in a quiet harbor area where you are treated to a magnificent film of present day Norway, including pictures of its beautiful natural landscape.
Mexico pavilion is another well crafted imaginative set where an authentic Aztec temple has been built for your amusement and education; there are many artifacts that paint a picture of historical Mexico through to modern day. Finish your Mexican tour by sampling the mouth watering food available at the San Angel Inn. New! To the Mexican pavilion is La Cava del Tequila, which celebrates the heritage and tradition of tequila making in Mexico, don't take too much it will make your head spin. Don't miss the exciting Three caballeros, which is a gentle ride constructed from the film of 1944, with the same name. Join Donald Duck and his friends Panchito, a Mexican rooster, and José Carioca, a Brazilian parrot, who make up the characters, in this fun attraction.
The seas with Nemo and friends are a definite must for families with small children, this very colorful enchanting ride was inspired by the Pixar film finding Nemo, Nemo is a little fish who you will meet as you gently descend below the waves into a magical under water arena complete with tropical reefs and ship wrecks. Your ride ends with a look at real fish flocking around Nemo in a 5.7 million gallon salt water fish tank.
Space Ship Earth is a definite not to miss attraction, the large globe structure you see as you enter Epcot is where Space Ship Earth is located. It is a totally thought provoking experience, it takes you from the early days of communication from the beginnings of the printing press, through movie pictures up to the present day and the world wide web. A carefully well designed animated history of how man started the communication revolution. You will probably need a few trips inside the sphere before this super animated story makes some sense; it's a great place for all the family.
The many countries that are represented in world show case are an attraction in themselves; however the outside of these magnificent well constructed buildings hide even greater mind dazzling entertainment inside. The Norway pavilion houses a very special water ride where you meet a troll tormented Viking ship, where you are taken through early Norwegian history to present day Norway, it's an exhilarating trip with a few surprise on the way. Your journey culminates in a quiet harbor area where you are treated to a magnificent film of present day Norway, including pictures of its beautiful natural landscape.
Mexico pavilion is another well crafted imaginative set where an authentic Aztec temple has been built for your amusement and education; there are many artifacts that paint a picture of historical Mexico through to modern day. Finish your Mexican tour by sampling the mouth watering food available at the San Angel Inn. New! To the Mexican pavilion is La Cava del Tequila, which celebrates the heritage and tradition of tequila making in Mexico, don't take too much it will make your head spin. Don't miss the exciting Three caballeros, which is a gentle ride constructed from the film of 1944, with the same name. Join Donald Duck and his friends Panchito, a Mexican rooster, and José Carioca, a Brazilian parrot, who make up the characters, in this fun attraction.
The seas with Nemo and friends are a definite must for families with small children, this very colorful enchanting ride was inspired by the Pixar film finding Nemo, Nemo is a little fish who you will meet as you gently descend below the waves into a magical under water arena complete with tropical reefs and ship wrecks. Your ride ends with a look at real fish flocking around Nemo in a 5.7 million gallon salt water fish tank.
Visiting Bury in Lancashire
In Greater Manchester North West England, there is a favorite tourist spot which is now a Metropolitan Borough called Bury. Bury is popularly known as the "Home of the Black Pudding". It is a town that has survived in different forms from the Industrial Revolution where Bury was one of the mill towns which makes textile production their primary business. Over the years, Bury has developed progressively and became the metropolitan borough's capital.
If you want to have some spiritual time in Bury, you can go to the monument of Sir John Peel. Beside the monument, at the town's center, you will find a parish church. Outside the town, you can visit The Peel Tower located up the sheerest hills of Ramsbottom. Once you get to the top of the tower, you can see the North Wales during a sunny day. You can also visit the Bury Art Gallery & Museum which is located at the center of the town. The museum houses a marvelous collection of different exhibitions as well as neo-classical and pre-raphaelite paintings.
If you are in the mood to go for some shopping, you can do so during Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. This is called a full market. Meanwhile, selected stalls at the Market Hall are open daily except Sundays. The Market Hall has everything you need in one place.
One of the most popular parks of Bury is the Burrs Country Park. Aside from hosting the Caravan Club, it has more to offer the people, local and vacationers alike. Some of the fun activities you can enjoy in this park include kayaking, canoeing and other water sports. For the energetic people, the park offers a lot of obstacle course, climbing, adventure playground and rope-based activities. The Burrs Country Park was once a water mills and steam mills site, which is why the place is of historical significance in Bury. The park is also a great location for tourists to look for trains passing through the East Lancashire Railway. A very good backdrop at the park for walkers and tourists is the River Irwell. The river is connected and is flowing through the park which also drags in the kayakers. The Burrs Country Park also has a pub called the Brown Cow which was a renovated old building.
You can also visit the Met in Bury which is the center of entertainment in the country. Ticket prices are very affordable at this place.
If you want to have some spiritual time in Bury, you can go to the monument of Sir John Peel. Beside the monument, at the town's center, you will find a parish church. Outside the town, you can visit The Peel Tower located up the sheerest hills of Ramsbottom. Once you get to the top of the tower, you can see the North Wales during a sunny day. You can also visit the Bury Art Gallery & Museum which is located at the center of the town. The museum houses a marvelous collection of different exhibitions as well as neo-classical and pre-raphaelite paintings.
If you are in the mood to go for some shopping, you can do so during Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. This is called a full market. Meanwhile, selected stalls at the Market Hall are open daily except Sundays. The Market Hall has everything you need in one place.
One of the most popular parks of Bury is the Burrs Country Park. Aside from hosting the Caravan Club, it has more to offer the people, local and vacationers alike. Some of the fun activities you can enjoy in this park include kayaking, canoeing and other water sports. For the energetic people, the park offers a lot of obstacle course, climbing, adventure playground and rope-based activities. The Burrs Country Park was once a water mills and steam mills site, which is why the place is of historical significance in Bury. The park is also a great location for tourists to look for trains passing through the East Lancashire Railway. A very good backdrop at the park for walkers and tourists is the River Irwell. The river is connected and is flowing through the park which also drags in the kayakers. The Burrs Country Park also has a pub called the Brown Cow which was a renovated old building.
You can also visit the Met in Bury which is the center of entertainment in the country. Ticket prices are very affordable at this place.
Jamaica Is More Than Beaches - Visit The Black River Safari
There are many incredible activities to get involved with when staying in Jamaica accommodation, one of the most memorable must be the Black River Safari: a day long trip along the Black River searching for native crocodiles and experiencing the magical wildlife which is aided by the words of an experienced guide.
The Black River is located on the beautiful South Coast of the island, in the parish of St. Elizabeth. The local tour operator organizes what could be a long journey to the river into an excellent tour of the centre of Jamaica. This is done by planning for you to travel there through Montego Bay, where there is the whitest sand and the bluest sea on which you will have ever laid your eyes. Then travel back to your Jamaica villa through Mandeville and over the rolling hills.
The boats which take you on your voyage along the river are comfortable and not overcrowded, unlike many other pontoons which are piled high with passengers. Therefore it is guaranteed that your expedition will always be thoroughly relaxing and enjoyable.
The tour guides are informative as they have great knowledge of the flora and fauna, whilst still being able to share funny jokes and anecdotes with the passengers, so every visitor remains entertained for the entire exploration. They even know of the best restaurants to stop off for a delicious lunch on the way.
The scenery is absolutely breathtaking, with its towering mangroves, emerald waters and luscious greenery. These striking surroundings make you feel as if you are no longer your average tourist, but Indiana Jones on an adventure, attempting to discover the wild crocodiles which reside in the depths below your vessel. Everyone is always astounded when they see these fascinating creatures as they expect to get a distant glimpse of them; however they receive a delightful surprise when they discover that the crocodiles come so close to the boat they are in touching distance. There is a multitude of other wildlife to observe as well; such as pearl coloured birds bathing in the water and flowers which nestle in the trees like precious rubies.
You have the option to incorporate a visit to YS falls in the tour. The YS falls are famous for their jagged sky-high rocks with crystal clear torrents of water flowing over them into vast pools below. Your guide gives you the opportunity to then swim in the lakes, and picnic beside them on the expanse of fields nearby, where you can just sit back and enjoy the view. If you visit Jamaica you simply can not miss a visit to this fantastic attraction.
Your local tour operator will be happy to book a tour for you, so you an go ahead and arrange your trip of a life time. It is an absolutely amazing experience, so no wonder it has fantastic reviews.
Prem Chadeesingh is an authority on vacation rentals in Jamaica. He writes for Mysilversands, a company dedicated to providing quality accommodation in Jamaica villas, cottages, and apartments by the sea.
Prem lived at Silver Sands Jamaica for over seven years. He holds a BASc degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto and an MBA in International Business from City University of New York.
The Black River is located on the beautiful South Coast of the island, in the parish of St. Elizabeth. The local tour operator organizes what could be a long journey to the river into an excellent tour of the centre of Jamaica. This is done by planning for you to travel there through Montego Bay, where there is the whitest sand and the bluest sea on which you will have ever laid your eyes. Then travel back to your Jamaica villa through Mandeville and over the rolling hills.
The boats which take you on your voyage along the river are comfortable and not overcrowded, unlike many other pontoons which are piled high with passengers. Therefore it is guaranteed that your expedition will always be thoroughly relaxing and enjoyable.
The tour guides are informative as they have great knowledge of the flora and fauna, whilst still being able to share funny jokes and anecdotes with the passengers, so every visitor remains entertained for the entire exploration. They even know of the best restaurants to stop off for a delicious lunch on the way.
The scenery is absolutely breathtaking, with its towering mangroves, emerald waters and luscious greenery. These striking surroundings make you feel as if you are no longer your average tourist, but Indiana Jones on an adventure, attempting to discover the wild crocodiles which reside in the depths below your vessel. Everyone is always astounded when they see these fascinating creatures as they expect to get a distant glimpse of them; however they receive a delightful surprise when they discover that the crocodiles come so close to the boat they are in touching distance. There is a multitude of other wildlife to observe as well; such as pearl coloured birds bathing in the water and flowers which nestle in the trees like precious rubies.
You have the option to incorporate a visit to YS falls in the tour. The YS falls are famous for their jagged sky-high rocks with crystal clear torrents of water flowing over them into vast pools below. Your guide gives you the opportunity to then swim in the lakes, and picnic beside them on the expanse of fields nearby, where you can just sit back and enjoy the view. If you visit Jamaica you simply can not miss a visit to this fantastic attraction.
Your local tour operator will be happy to book a tour for you, so you an go ahead and arrange your trip of a life time. It is an absolutely amazing experience, so no wonder it has fantastic reviews.
Prem Chadeesingh is an authority on vacation rentals in Jamaica. He writes for Mysilversands, a company dedicated to providing quality accommodation in Jamaica villas, cottages, and apartments by the sea.
Prem lived at Silver Sands Jamaica for over seven years. He holds a BASc degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Toronto and an MBA in International Business from City University of New York.
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