"Ah, London!" a London Travel Page by bzh

Does London really need to be introduced? One of the largest cities in Europe, if not the largest, London has a history that spans millenia. One minute you are in the middle of the City, next to the latest futuristic building, the next minute, you are looking down onto a piece of the original Roman city wall built 2000 years ago.

And if the spectacle of the street was not enough, just go to the museum. The main ones, such as the National Gallery, the British Museum or the Tate Gallery, are free. So, no need to plan a whole day there, just pop in for half an hour, leave a pound or two in the donation box and come back the next day, or the next month. From XVth Century paintings to modern art, you will find everything here.

You've done the musuems during the day but still have energy for more? Go to the theatre, a classical or pop concert, see a musical, go to a rave party or a night club, or just relax in a good old pub. The choice is yours. And if you're still fresh the following morning, go to one of the multiple markets, in Portobello Road, Covent Garden or Leadenhall.

Or then again, you can go shopping. Oxford Street, Knightsbridge, South Kensington, they're all waiting for you... and your credit card.

Of course, maybe you just want to stay home and do nothing?

London is also a melting pot of cultures and nationalities. Every language of the planet is spoken on the streets of London. Indeed, on an summer afternoon in Oxford street, you're more likely to hear French or Spanish spoken than English. So, beware, don't assume you can speak your own language and make fun of the people next to you on the tube. They might understand every single word...

In a pub where I used to go a lot when I was working next to it, one of the barmen, when asked where he came from, would answer "Well, I come from a small unknown village called London", this to point out that he was the only British bar staff in the pub., out of a dozen.

So, if you like diversity, London is the place to go.

London is a city. Or is it? Well, according to the October 2002 edition of Scanorama, the SAS inflight magazine, the zone inside the M25 motorway, at the centre of which is London, is the largest urban forest in the world.

Indeed, wherever you are in London, there is a park near you. From Green Park to Richmond Park, via Regent's Park, there are hundreds of places where you can escape the bustle of the town and have a rest.

So, if you've had enough of the town, take your camera, forget your watch at home and head for the nearest piece of nature.