Visiting London without knowing anything about Celts, Druids, Romans or Vikings doesn't make much sense.
London was founded about year 43, when armies of the Roman Empire started to conquer the isle. The Romans built a seaport on the Thames near present-day London Bridge. They probably chose this site because the riverbanks east of this point were too marshy for settlement. The Romans called the port Londonium.
Remember how people from the mainland of present-day Europe invaded the Isles. First came the Romans and they didn't leave too many stones un-touched. Then came the Angles (Low-German tribe who settled in Northumbria, Mercia and East Anglia), Saxons (Old Saxons, Germanic people who conquered the Isles in and around year 500), Jutes (from Jutland, Low-German tribe who invaded the Isles around 500) and Frisians (from Friesland, south of Denmark). These people really managed to wipe out most of the native Celts. Now you know they came to stay, and so they did.
This is, in so many words, some of the
explanation and history behind the culture transforming into a
culture later to be referred to
as Anglo-Saxon.
Today we consider
Anglo-Saxon culture evident
in the United Kingdom & Great Britain, the United States of America, Canada,
Ireland, Australia and New Zeeland. We tend to put it together with a context
where the English language is the dominant or official national language.
However, culture and tradition, politics and democracy, as well as
religious freedom, all have played their parts in the development of these
"new countries" and a great majority of the soldiers, fugitives,
seamen, pioneers, traders and
settlers were simply bringing their baggage in forms of values, attitudes,
inventiveness, ambition as well as their various creative powers and
achievements, in both social and financial matters, wherever they went.
We
would neither gain nor improve a darn thing if we were to forget the
importance of, and developments in, countries such as England and
France during the 1700s. No doubt there's been a tremendous turmoil
throughout Europe both in the 1800s and 1900s. However, when it comes to
matters in our societies such as our parliamentary systems, democracy, freedom of speech
and religion, not much has happened over the last couple of hundred years.
From a purely philosophical viewpoint the so-called Anglo-Saxon
countries have all transformed and developed in similar ways, and they all
have their roots in the old Western European culture if there ever was but
one, once perhaps even looked upon as a feature of London and England.
Political and military powers, together with financial powers originating in London, have most certainly come to both influence and dominate the developments seen over the years in Australia, US and Canada. Power, politics, influence and business principles originating in London have all strongly helped to form as well as establish basic procedures in these countries just as they have strongly steered or regulated smaller and weaker countries such as Ireland, New Zeeland and Scotland, depending solely of course upon the historical timeline or time-frame applied by the observer or scholar in question.
Then came the Vikings, first from the Scandinavian countries and later also from "their colony Normandie" in present-day France.
What originally were typical Scandinavian (Norse) words, spellings and sounds, today is looked upon as typically English. Look at words such as 'window', the definite article 'the', 'thief', 'three' and lots & lots more. Basically many words starting with 'th' and words starting with 'w' came with the Vikings.
So some of the words and sounds causing pronunciation problems today for people from the Nordic countries are still to be found in their own countries with the difference of course that pronunciation and spelling have changed through the years. Languages develop, change and transform. Cultural changes are always reflected in the language being used.
Just look at Scandinavian words once starting with [ þ ] or [ ð ], spelled 'th' in English since way back, developed, changed and transformed throughout the Scandinavian countries into either 'd' or 't' and several similar changes took place over the years. Things do or do not change differently in one environment compared to another. Development sometimes is based upon the simple fact of being more or less isolated, and here of course the time of changes referred to might primarily be between the years 700 & 1500.
Today quite a few of us know that there was an early Viking who went with some of his men to the East Coast of present-day North America. England wasn't even invented at that point in time.
Some Anglo-Saxon language historians refer to the English language as a language not until around the year 1300.
And then again, come to think of it, the native Australians have been on their own soil for thousands of years. That's really something else.
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Looking for a good hotel in London?
British
Council
(How the British Council
is working to promote English)
EF
International Language Schools
(Learn English in London,
Cambridge, Brighton and Hastings)
TouraLondon
(Specialists in English
language courses and homestay programmes)
School
Trips
(Everything you need to
know to plan a worthwhile and exciting educational trip)
Host
and Guest Service
(Reasonably-priced
accommodation in family homes throughout Britain)
LONDON, a two-day visit meaning "ett tvådagarsbesök"
...but nobody in his (her) right mind goes to London for a 2-day visit!
Hotel - See Bayswater area, NW & N Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park & Bayswater Rd. This is only one of a hundred possible hotels; Anna Hotel, 74 Queensborough Terrace, LONDON W2 Tel 221 - 6622
Underground -Subway Station - tunnelbanestation:
Queensway
(Bayswater, NW Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens)
One Day
-Suggestions for a newcomer to London, 1st day
8.30
(am) Samling entrén
Meet in the hotel lobby
Gå
till T-stationen
Walk to the Underground/Tube Station/ Queensway
Åk
till/ Go to Bond Street, Central Line, 3:e anhalten/ 3rd stop
Change to/Byte till Jubilee Line North
9.30 Stig av vid/Get off at
Baker Street!
Madame Tussaud's is about 100 meters East on - österut på - Marylebone Rd
12.30 Meet at corner of/Samling i hörnet/
Marylebone Rd
& Baker St,
för gemensam avfärd till/Group departure to/ Marble Arch.
Take/Go
by/Get on/ Jubilee Line South till/to Bond St and then walk to /plus promenad till/ M.A.
(Marble Arch) at the NE corner of Hyde Park.
13.30 Sightseeing Tour: See London by bus (13:30-15.00/ 1:30-3:00 pm)
15.00 Underground (The Tube) from Marble Arch, Central Line East
to Oxford Circus, 2nd stop - 2:a anhalten, walk down Regent Street,
or take Bakerloo Line, south to Piccadilly Circus (1st stop)
16.00 Guiness World of Records, The Trocadero, E of Piccadilly Circus
Walk east to Leicester Square, then north to Tottenham Court Road.
From here you can either go by Underground (the Tube), Central Line, west to Queensway, or simply stroll (take a walk)...
Another Day
-Suggestions for a newcomer to London, 2nd day
|
8 (am) 08:00 |
Samling utanför hotellet. |
in Bayswater Take the Tube,
Circle Line south, |
|
09:00 |
Samling utanför för gmg. |
Science Museum |
|
11:00 |
Samling utanför för
avrapportering. |
Science Museum |
|
11:20 |
Tube station Knightsbridge, Piccadilly Line |
Visit Harrod's Department Store |
|
Have lunch/Go out for lunch |
in the vicinity of Harrod's |
|
|
|
|
|
|
13:00 |
Underground, Knightsbridge, Piccadilly Line to Piccadilly Circus for a walk. Walk around the vicinity of Piccadilly Circus and then up Regent Street to Hamley's, the great toy shop (store). |
Knightsbridge |
|
|
Alternativ: fortsätt Piccadilly Line till Covent Garden samt promenera till Leicester Square |
|
|
15:00 |
Circle Line or District Line to Tower Hill, The Tower of London |
Tower Hill |
|
16:00 |
Visit to the Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road (tel 735 8922) |
Tube station is Elephant & Castle (Bakerloo Line, or Northern Line) |
|
18:00 |
Bakerloo Line to Embankment
|
Embankment |
|
18:15 - 20:00 |
A walk around Westminster... (until about 8 pm) till appr. 20:00 hrs |
Westminster |
|
20:00 |
Underground Westminster, Circle Line back to Notting Hill Gate |
Notting Hill Gate |
|
22:55 |
The Local (the pub) |
|
|
|
|
|
At this point in time, you're familiar with some of the areas in and around the West End, and London is a bit more...
London By.Com - Hotels in London, Apartments Bed and Breakfast
NOTE: See below for current information on Underground, lines served & stations etc.
"-We all need to see and visit at least one pub regularly, or we don't know anything about London, or England for that matter."
|
|
|
ATLAS, 16 Seagrave Road, SW6 (020 7385 9129)
No development has been more welcome to pub-lovers over the past decade than the arrival of the gastropub. The Atlas is a classic of the genre: great food, ale and wine in a magnificently unspoiled setting.
THE BEDFORD, 77 Bedford Hill, SW12 (020 8682 8940)
"Community pub" is usually a euphemism for squalor and neglect. Here it's glowing praise for a gigantic and lively establishment with something for everyone, whether you want to dance, laugh or just think quietly - as you drink, of course.
THE NAG'S HEAD, 53 Kinnerton Street, SW1 (020 7235 1135)
Kevin Moran's free house is everything which all the pub chains and leisure-spend brands can never be: simple, timeless perfection. If you're Newted out and All Barred Off, make for Kinnerton Street.
YE OLDE CHESHIRE CHEESE, Wine Office Court, 145 Fleet Street, EC4 (020 7353 6170)
Great pubs are celebrated because they can defeat time - as the Cheshire Cheese, little changed since it was Dr Johnson's local, has done. You don't live in London until you've spent an evening here.
THE ROYAL OAK, 44 Tabard Street, SE1 (020 7357 7173)
Strange that it takes a Sussex brewer to create a perfect London local - but that's what Lewes-based Harvey's has managed to pull off in one of London's least promising streets. The Globe, Tate Modern, Borough Farmer's Market and now the Royal Oak: welcome to the glories of New Southwark.
THE TOUCAN, 19 Carlisle Street (Soho), London, W1 was hatched in June 1994. The Guinness theme was extended together with an extensive repertoire of Irish/Celtic music (both traditional and contemporary) and probably the largest collection of Irish whiskey's in the world. A unique atmosphere was created in this tiny Soho basement bar beckoning customer's and Guinness devotees from both far and near.
In June 1996, the ground floor sandwich bar was refurbished, licensed and opened as an extension to the burgeoning basement bar. All this was to cope with the rapidly growing number of customers, which in turn increased the vast quantities of finest Guinness it sold.
In April 1998, THE TOUCAN at 94 Wimpole Street opened its doors. It continued the Guinness theme and tradition of the smaller Soho bar and allowed more people to experience the unique atmosphere of THE TOUCAN.
Young & Co Brewery
Description: brewery tours, seasonal ales, beers, lagers, branded merchandise
and pub information.
Cask Ale
One Pub Finder
Pubs & Pubs
-Swingin' London-
606
Club - Kensington and Chelsea - jazz club and
restaurant near Chelsea harbour.
Backpacker
Pub, The - your weekend pumping party pub in London.
Bar
Rumba - all the latest news and full listings for the
upcoming month.
Blow
Up - club night and record label.
Bondi
Bar Company - Ealing - offers live music and a women only
hostel.
Camden
Road - Camden - private members club for the film
and music industries.
Cargo - music, drink, and food, located in Shoreditch.
Carwash - disco and funk across three club rooms in Leicester
Square.
Club
Caesars - South London nightclub featuring three bars, and a
large array of entertainment packages.
Club
Fabulous - for acoustic and electric nights at Moriarty's, The
Tatty Bogle Club, and The Red Eye.
Club
Montepulciano - club mixing comedy, cabaret and easy listening with
live bands, kitsch films, a resident hairdresser and manicurist, a Roulette
table, dinner and dancing.
Cynthia's
Cyberbar - where the cocktails are mixed and served by robots.
D
Kama - Kensington and Chelsea - club in South
Kensington specialising in corporate and private parties, including ice
sculptures and digital photographer.
Dog
House Bar, The - drinking den in the heart of Soho. No ties allowed.
Don
Hewitson's London Wine Bars - thee wine bars situated in the West End offering a
relaxing place for eating and drinking.
Elbow
Room, The - pool lounge and bar.
Embassy
Bar - Islington
Euphoria - Barnet - under 18 dance club.
Fabric - nightclub featuring resident DJs and other artists.
Forest
Gate Hotel - hotel, bar, and restaurant in the East End of
London, offering budget backpackers' accommodation.
Fox
Reformed - Hackney - Stoke Newington wine bar renowned
for its backgammon, book club, and tasting evenings.
Fridge,
The - nightclub located in Brixton.
Gun
Tavern, The - Croydon - live music venue for rock, jazz,
soul, and pop.
Home
Corp - seven floor restaurant and nightclub experience.
House
Of Fun - 70s and 80s disco, Saturdays at The Forum, Kentish
Town.
Jazz
After Dark - jazz and blues cafe in the heart of Soho. Live music
every night.
Lab
Bar, The - cocktail bar in the heart of Soho.
Lion,
The - Richmond-upon-Thames - Victorian pub serving
real ales.
Load
of Hay - Uxbridge - serves tradtional home cooked
meals and real ales.
London
Parties - offers party news for some of London's bars and
clubs.
London
Restaurant Club - membership club giving access to weekly events,
parties, promotions, and more.
Mike
Geileskey's London Club Guide - containing all the details you need to go clubbing
in London - provided you like dance music.
Ministry
Of Sound - includes live video, DJ chats, live broadcasts, tour
info, music releases, chat, competitions, a vinyl search, and club shop.
Motcombs - nightclub, wine bar, and restaurant spread over
three venues in Belgravia Village.
Old
Pack Horse - near the tube in Chiswick.
Po
Na Na - expanding nationwide chain of late night drinking
and dancing clubs with a unique, North African Atmosphere.
Pubclick.com - offers reviews of London's drinking scene, events
diary, searchable directory of pubs by feature or location, and more.
Queen
Mary - floating venue on the Thames. Caters for parties in
two function rooms and three bars.
Red
Eye, The - music venue near King's Cross presenting live bands
seven nights a week.
Redback
Tavern, The - Australasian live music venue. Find out what's on
tap, get directions and more.
Rhythm
Factory, The - funky nightclub on the Whitechapel Road.
Ronnie
Scott's Jazz Club - includes information on the Club's 40th anniversary.
Saci
Cultura - salsa club in Brixton.
Saucy
Jack and the Space Vixens - offers information about the disco-inspired cabaret
club and musical show.
School
Disco - 70s and 80s disco dance club.
Sherlock
Holmes Pub & Restaurant - public house and restaurant devoted to Sherlock
Holmes. Memorabilia, opening hours, menus, staff, etc.
Sherlock
Holmes, The - Westminster - restaurant and pub amidst
official Sherlock Holmes and Sir Conan Doyle memorabilia and souvenirs.
Slimelight,
The (2) - London goth/industrial club.
Social,
The - offers seven nights a week of music, drink, food,
and more.
Strawberry
Moons - bar/club, with 3am licence, in the heart of London's
west end. Available for corporate functions.
Toucan,
The - Guiness bar in Soho.
Trinity - Harrow
Whirl-Y-Gig - the most visionary club in London.
Woody's - bar, club, and restaurant located in London, W9.
Zeta Bar - cocktail bar situated to the side of the London Hilton in Park Lane.
CORNEY & BARROW, Broadgate Circle, EC2 (020 7628 1251)
Corney & Barrow (affectionately nicknamed Horny and Shallow) has been satiating the thirsty palates of City workers for more than 100 years with its eclectic range of wines. This, its flagship venue, was recently expanded to take in the entire length of the upper level of Broadgate Circle.
LOWLANDER, 36 Drury Lane, WC2 (020 7379 7446)
Opening a bar that specialises in the best of food and drink from the Netherlands and Belgium isn't exactly out of the mainstream. John Riddell and Auberry Johnson now have a strikingly good looking venue that appeals to all ages.
NYLON, 1 Addle Street, EC2 (020 7600 7771)
DJ Bruno Brookes loves this place so much that he's even taken to turning the tables himself on the occasional night. Towards the end of the week, you'll regularly find upwards of 900 people packing into this two-floored shrine to all things retro. It seems that cheesy glam decor and music is very much de rigueur in this part of the City these days.
ROCKWELL BAR, Trafalgar Hotel, Spring Gardens, SW1 (020-7870 2900) Where in the world would you expect to find more than 100 different styles of bourbon in one place? In Bourbon County, Kentucky, of course. And at the spacious Rockwell Bar in the lobby of the Trafalgar Hotel. The Rockwell has quickly established itself as one of the coolest bars in town.
|
Station Name |
Lines
Served |
|
Acton
Town |
District,
Piccadilly |
|
Aldgate |
Circle,
Metropolitan |
|
Aldgate
East |
District,
Hammersmith & City |
|
Alperton |
Piccadilly |
|
Amersham |
Metropolitan |
|
Angel |
Northern |
|
Archway |
Northern |
|
Arnos
Grove |
Piccadilly |
|
Arsenal |
Piccadilly |
|
Baker
Street |
Bakerloo,
Circle, Metropolitan, Jubilee |
|
Balham |
Northern |
|
Bank |
Central,
Northern |
|
Barbican |
Circle,
Metropolitan |
|
Barking |
District,
Hammersmith & City |
|
Barkingside |
Central |
|
Barons
Court |
District,
Piccadilly |
|
Bayswater |
Circle,
District |
|
Becontree |
District |
|
Belsize
Park |
Northern |
|
Bethnal
Green |
Central |
|
Blackfriars |
Circle,
District |
|
Blackhorse
Road |
Victoria |
|
Bond
Street |
Central,
Jubilee |
|
Borough |
Northern |
|
Boston
Manor |
Piccadilly |
|
Bounds
Green |
Piccadilly |
|
Bow
Road |
District,
Hammersmith & City |
|
Brent
Cross |
Northern |
|
Brixton |
Victoria |
|
Bromley-by-Bow |
District,
Hammersmith & City |
|
Buckhurst
Hill |
Central |
|
Burnt
Oak |
Northern |
|
Caledonian
Road |
Piccadilly |
|
Camden
Town |
Northern |
|
Cannon
Street |
Circle,
District |
|
Canons
Park |
Jubilee |
|
Chalfont
& Latimer |
Circle,
Metropolitan |
|
Chalk
Farm |
Northern |
|
Chancery
Lane |
Central |
|
Charing
Cross |
Bakerloo,
Jubilee, Northern |
|
Chesham |
Circle,
Metropolitan |
|
Chigwell |
Central |
|
Chiswick
Park |
District |
|
Chorleywood |
Circle,
Metropolitan |
|
Clapham
Common |
Northern |
|
Clapham
North |
Northern |
|
Clapham
South |
Northern |
|
Cockfosters |
Piccadilly |
|
Colindale |
Northern |
|
Colliers
Wood |
Northern |
|
Covent
Garden |
Piccadilly |
|
Croxley |
Circle,
Metropolitan |
And here you can visit Scotland.
