London-Places of Interest

Albert Memorial

This memorial was not of Albert’s wish; nevertheless it is very impressive and is, if anything, a memorial to Victorian arts and crafts. The Prince Consort (1816-1861) sits under a canopy holding the catalogue to the Great Exhibition of 1851, beneath him is a high relief frieze of 200 figures: musicians, poets, painters etc.

Getting there Kensington Gore. South Kensington tube.
Read more about Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, London Eye...

Buckingham Palace

The London residence of the Queen the forecourt of which is guarded by the colorful sentries of the Guards Division, and the scene of the Daily ceremony of The Changing of the Guard.

Daily May-August 11.30, weather permitting. Alternate days September- April.

Getting there The Mall Street, the nearest tube is Green Park on the Piccadilly Line.
More sightseeing...

St. Paul’s, Covert Garden

Many parts of the Covent Garden area were owned by the EARL OF Bedford; he commissioned Inigo Jones to build the Piazza and the church which dates from 1638, although it has been altered slightly when it was restored. Known as the ‘Actors Church’, there are many memorials to entertainment personalities: Charles Cochrane, Ivor Novello, Vivien Leigh, Noel Coward.

Getting there Covent Garden, the nearest tube is Covent Garden tube.

Houses of Parliament

The supreme legislature of the United Kingdom, a late-Gothic style building designed by Sir Charles Barry on the site of the former royal palace. The House if Lords, a lavishly decorated Gothic chamber, contains the throne of the Sovereign, the Woolsack, the seat of the Lord Chancellor and red leather benches for the peers. The House of Commons, rebuild after war damage in its original style, has the Speakers chair and parallel rows if green leather benches for members. In the large Victoria Tower-336 feet to the top of pinnacles- are stored many Parliamentary records.

A part of the old 14^th century Palace of Westminster to survive is Westminster Hall, which is renowned for its hammer-beam roof- it has been the scene of great historic events and trials.

Big Ben the Clock Tower, rising to 320 feet has four dials and houses the famous fourteen-ton bell which is struck hourly. When parliament is sitting there is a light above the clock.

Book well in advance to see Prime Minister’s Question Time 15.00-15.30 on Wednesdays.

Debates on Mondays-Tues-Thurs from 14.30, Weds & Fris 9.30, when in session. In recesses 10.00-17.00.

Getting there Palace of Westminster, which is in frond of the entrance of Westminster tube.

London Aquarium

A spectacular display of aquatic life, with fishes and invertebrates from all over the world, including sharks, sea scorpions, sting rays and deadly piranhas.

Opens Daily 10.00-18.00

Charge

Getting there Country Hall, go out from the Westminster tube, cross the Westminster Bridge and turn left and you will be there, beside the Thames River and London Eye.

London Planetarium

Adjoining Madam Tussauds in a dome shaped building where you can sit and see a spectacular reproduction of the night sky, as seen from any point on the earth’s surface, projected on the hemispherical ceiling. Shows last 30 minutes.

Opens Daily Monday-Friday 11.30-17.00 Saturday-Sunday 9.30-17.00

Charge

Getting there Marylebone Road, Baker’s Street tube and turn on the left.

London Eye

The 443ft frame of this giant wheel, which has 32 glass capsules that each hold 25 people, commands superb views over the heart of London and beyond during 30-minute ‘flight’. You can book in advance, or queue for a ticket on the day.

Getting there Riverside Building, next to Country Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, South Bank www.londoneye.com. Waterloo tube.

Madame Tussauds

Renowned waxworks exhibition with figures of the famous and infamous from the past and present. The garden party, chamber of horrors and other striking tableaux.

Opens daily 11.00-21.00

Charge

Getting there Marylebone Road, Baker’s Street tube and turn on the left.

Tower Bridge

A unique drawbridge across the Thames- a symbol of London. The bridge’s twin bascules, each weighing about 1000 tons, are between two huge Gothic towers, connected near the top by a fixed glazed walkway with panoramic views, and standing 140 feet above high water level. The central span measures 200 feet and the suspension chains on either side 270 feet.

The bascules carrying the roadway are raised hydraulically to permit the passage of large vessels.

It is amazing the view from the Tower Bridge!

You can visit the museum daily on April- October at 10.00-18.30 and on November- March at 9.30-18.00. Charge entrance!

Getting there Tower Bridge, Tower Hill tube, gets there with Circle and District Line on tube.

St Paul’s Cathedral

The passing of time has done nothing to diminish the magnificence of Sir Christopher Wren’s domed cathedral: its extravagant façade looks as brilliant today as it must have when first unveiled in 1708.

Getting there Ludgate Hill, City, www.stpauls.co.uk, St Paul’s tube.

ZSL London Zoo

Opened in 1828, this was the world’s first scientific zoo. The 16,000sq ft walk-through squirrel monkey enclosure allows you to get close to the animals in an open environment, while animal adventure, a new children’ s zoo, is aimed at the three-to-six age group. Bring a picnic and you can easily spend an entire day here.

Getting there Regent’s Park (020 7722 3333/www.zsl.org/London-zoo). Baker street tube then 274, C2 bus.

Transportation in London- Getting there!

Gatwick Airport

0844 335 1802

www.gatwickairport.com

About 30 miles south of central London...

• The Gatwick Express rail service (0845 850 1530, www.gatwickexpress.com) runs to Victoria station, and takes 30 minutes. Tickets cost £16.90 for a single or £28.80 for a return.

• Southern (0845 748 4950, www.southernrailway.com) also runs a rails service between Gatwick and Clapham Junction/Victoria, with trains every 5-10 minutes. It takes about 35 minutes, and costs £10.90 for a single or £23.80 for a return.

• A taxi into town costs around £100.

Heathrow Airport

0844 335 1801

www.heathrowaiport.com

About 15 miles west of central London.

• The Heathrow Express train service www.heathrowexpress.com runs to Paddington approximately every 15 minutes, and takes 15-20 minutes. Tickets cost £16.50 for a single or £32 for a return.

• The Heathrow Connect rail service www.heatrowconnect.com runs to Paddington every half-hour, and takes 25 minutes. A single costs £7.40; a return costs £14.80.

• The tube ride on the Piccadilly Line into central London takes around an hour. Trains run every few minutes. A single is £4.

• National Express www.nationalexpress.com runs coaches to Victoria every 20-30 minutes. It takes 90 minutes and costs £5 single; a return is £9.

• A taxi into town will cost roughly £100

London City Airport

020 7646 0000

www.londoncityaiport.com

About 9 miles east of central London.

• The Dockland Light Railway (DLR) runs to London City Airport. The journey to Bank station in the City takes around 20 minutes, and the fare is £4.

• A taxi costs around £30 to central London; less to the City or to Canary Wharf.

Stansted Airport

0844 335 1803

www.stanstedaiport.com

About 35 miles north-east of central London.

• Stansted Express trains www.stanstedexpress.com leave every 15-45 minutes to Liverpool Street station. The journey time is 40-45 minutes; a single is £18 and a return is £26.80

• The Airbus coach service to Victoria www.nationalexpress.com takes at least 80 minutes. Coaches run roughly every 30 minutes; it costs £10 for a single or £17 for a return.

• A taxi to London is about £80.

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London is a cosmopolitan, tredy and exciting place to visit..

London is a cosmopolitan, trendy and exciting: a truly wonderful place to visit...

The city combines old-fashioned charm, cutting-edge fashion, quiet courtesy and a great deal of fun. All of these characteristics will be revealed as wander from museum to gallery, down Victorian arcades and busy streets, across vast parks and along cobbled streets. The contrasts are endless: next to every historical sight, there is a skyscraper gleaming with the wealth of modern life. Discovering these contrasts is one of the city’s great pleasures.

London-Places for interest.Read more here..

Headwear: The Men's Driving Cap

The men's driving cap.  Perhaps the golf cap, in later years.

So practical.  So understated. So ...so ... bewitching. Mysterious, even.  The driving cap.  There are differences between the economy models, and the Heir Apparent. 

An Heir Apparent will be sure that his cap is stitched to the visor, all the way across, and not snapped.  Fit from the base of the skull, back at the hairline, angled a little to the front at that hairline (remember to comb your hair or smooth it down when you take the thing off, or it looks like you have bed hair).  Not too wide on top, and certainly not the eight panels that the old newsboys' caps used in the 1930's.  The proper driving cap has three panels. Three.  No more, no less.

Men's driving cap, guide at Vlad Dracula's ruined castle, Poinari Citadel, Romania

 For techniques of sizing and measurement, see that Romania site at Romania Road Ways II, Vlad Tepes Sites.

This fetching model, on the spousal tourist-gent on Aran Island, Ireland, was lost somewhere thereafter, as I recall.

Men's driving cap, Aran Island, Ireland (with horse)

This next Irish model, at Blarney Castle, Ireland, seen from the top down, looks like one piece of fabric at the entire top, like a U going to the visor,  not a lot of segments radiating out. Then other pieces angled toward the visor from the back, wide in back, narrow and pointy where they meet the visor area.

Men's driving cap, a Holder at the Blarney Stone, Blarney Castle, Ireland

The one being held is Himself, Daniel.

The Wood-Burning Stove. The End of the Dark Ages? The Renaissance Stove.

Renaissance stoves.  Tiled. Ceramic.

Did the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, Reformation, depend upon the development of this efficient, handsome wood-burning stove. See descriptions at ://www.castle.ckrumlov.cz/docs/en/zamek_oinf_renkac.xml/  These wood-burning stoves are an aesthetic far cry from those of today.  See collections of separate tiles, see ://www.wawel.krakow.pl/en/index.php?op=18; then feast upon the great complete ones.

Now, sidle up. Here is a collection of some fine old stoves we have found, some tiled, some enamel, some ceramic, some ceramic tile, some humble, some gloriously excessive.

Renaissance wood-burning stove, Gasthof Maria Plain, near Salzburg, Austria

 Renaissance stove I, Salzburg Castle, Festung, Salzburg, Austria

Renaissance stove II, Salzburg Castle, Festung, Salzburg, Austria

 Renaissance stove I, Kremsmunster Abbey, Kremsmunster, Austria

 Renaissance stove II, Kremsmunster Abbey, Kremsmunster, Austria

 Renaissance stove III, Kremsmunster Abbey, Kremsmunster, Austria

Renaissance stove, Cheb Castle, Cheb, the Czech Republic

Renaissance stove, Wittenberg, Germany, in home of Martin Luther

See Martin Luther's Stove for issues arising from too much warmth. Gravity and whimsy around the heater.

Perhaps the rebirth of great thought did depend on availability of reliable, sustained, even heat. The old fireplaces sent that heat right up the chimney. Consider the effect of sustained, relatively even warmth on talk. Imagine the further difference that ductwork made in cold Europe and its colony appendages, bringing warmth elsewhere in the house. Can you really explore issues when you are shivering. Is warmth the reason civilization bloomed in warm places first.  Of course.

Read Gary Novak's suppositions at this site, that addresses morality issues - but that is not our focus here.  See FN 1 for a fair use quotation. In summary, the snowy parts of Europe specialized in outdoor activities like horses and wars, because they couldn't heat their houses - goes the idea.  Enter the wood stove, and intellectual activity grew, away from the chill, in the nice warm insides. Is that so?  An interesting thought. FN 1.  Finger on chin, tilt head, hmmm.


Missing:  stoves from Goethe's house, Weimar, Germany. We weren't interested at that time, and took no photo. -

In contrast to the fancy ones is this plain one - very plain and we recall elaborate ones, but here is a fair use thumbnail -and consider the gaps between rich and poor, whose lifestyles get touted, and whose do not.

See it at  ://images.google.com/url?source=imgres&ct=ref&q=http://flickr.com/photos/your_teacher/147683919/
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FN 1  Read Gary Novak's site, Why Thomas Aquinas Was Wrong (the site focuses on different issues not endorsed here, just this interesting notion that does apply to our love of wood-burning stoves). 

Rough summary:  Mr. Novak lays out that people in more northern Europe could not heat their houses in the dark ages, as could those in warmer climates such as Italy in the south. 

Then the northern Visigoths beat the Romans - and took up residence in the south - and ideas spread to the north.  

What difference did that make? This: If you are cold, you tend to stay inside to try to get warm -- and that may well foster "intellectual" pursuits, but on your own. Stay at one place, think, huddle, write, etc.  Outside is cold, stay inside, and that is cold, too.

If you can get warm inside after being outside, however, you may well do more outside -- with the security of a stove within.  Is that?  Head for soldiering, hunting and pestering your neighbor, horses and wars. Go ahead. Think up reasons to hunt other people. Is that so? 


Why didn't fireplaces do the job.  Fireplaces are inefficient because they require vent holes, and that lets in cold air. Open the window to get the smoke out, if the smokehole fails. And heat vacates with the smoke. 


So, it took enclosed stoves to make the difference. No air gets in except what is needed to keep the combustion going. Smoke stays in. Heat radiates out. 


Enter, the Renaissance! Dependent on the stove in the north. Is that so? That led to a joint scholasticism, not just the isolated intellect shivering over there. Share the warmth, share the ideas.  Next, the Reformation. Martin Luther's Stove made a difference.  See Martin Luther's Stove.

Humanity's Humor and Oddities, Advertising, Communicating.

Update:

We are separating out the more frivolous photos, out of concern that they might distract from more serious issues.

See the LITE at Common Thread Roadways Lite:

Surnames, place names, graffiti portion of post now exported to Common Thread Roadways Lite, Surnames, Place Names, Graffiti

Unexpected rest stop portion of post now exported to Common Thread Road Ways Lite, Unexpected Rest Stop .
Others:  go to same site

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 Nonsense and Intellect

Does the nonsense benefit us?

Silly People are Smarter? - if they don't go overboard?

1.  The serious anomaly.

Nonsense and intellect.  See the connection.  See Benedict Carey's article, How Nonsense Sharpens the Intellect, at NYT ://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/health/06mind.html/

Find something that defies expectation, defies logic, an anomaly, something absurd, and can you laugh at the disorientation that results? The good news, is that the discomfort at the outset, getting bearings, signifies an ability to find a new pattern, solve a new problem.  Some anomalies have serious intent, others merely fun. 

Here is a deadly serious anomaly.

Geneva, Switzerland. Landmines protest. Near Palace of Nations.

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Is the new image a threat? Threat results in clinging to biases.  How about thinking of death.  The article points out that thinking of death produces a hyper-patriotism, hyper-religionism, and less tolerance. Do a bad job on a test, and watch the heightened feelings of loyalty to the winners.

We want coherence. We will impose a pattern to help us get that. The brain gropes for meaning, while the hands and voice go toward old ritual for comfort.

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2.  The Thought-Provoking Anomaly

The odd Juxtapose. Posejuxta.

Charlie Chaplin at the Fork, Montreux, Switzerland

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Charlie Chaplin was here first. Then came the fork.
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3.  The Literary Allusion

Climbing the walls.

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This bug on the building needs a metamorphosis.  We are in Prague now.

Prague, CZ. Kafka's building bug. Metamorphosis. 

. A literary refresher course.  Meet Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis (the novella, see ://www.themodernword.com/kafka/kafka_works_novellas.html).

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 4. Attention-getting advertising

Liquid recreation.

And back to Poland.  This Pharaoh in the Field is nameless, as to  identity or function.  Until you drive a few miles to the next one, similarly situated.

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Poland, Pharaoh in the Field

Welcome to the Egyptian Bar, waiting just for you with some nice schnappes, just in the next town.

Is now the best time to get cheap travel to Europe?

So, the million dollar question right now is whether or not to book that deal that you are looking at for cheap travel to Europe. One opinion I read yesterday on Yahoo says you have plenty of time as none of the airlines are really doing great. They said that as the economy continues to slump, they will get more and more desperate and will drop their prices lower. I have several people looking for tickets now and I tend to agree. If you haven't already booked for cheap travel to Europe between June 15 and August 15, you are probably looking at flights that don't have bargain seats left and your best deal may materialize in the coming months. Is it a gamble? Yes. So if you have to take the trip and can't sleep until you have your ticket in hand (or in your email inbox in the case of an e-ticket), go ahead and jump. The best policy is to keep looking for cheap travel to Europe at consistent intervals. You may hit it right on in a couple weeks from now. Or maybe a couple months, or even a last-minute special.

If you do, here are a couple hot suggestions: Delta has Ireland on sale with some crazy cheap fares to Shannon (Cleveland $415 including taxes, SFrancisco $515 also including tax!). Once you get there, you can get all over from Dublin on Ryanair.com (no I'm not getting any kickback from them--yet!) smile.
or..


Otherwise, wait. The airlines are going to get more desperate, I'm afraid. But that will mean lower prices hopefully. Have they dropped the fuel charges since oil went way back down?? Just curious.

By the way, I don't know if you saw the news that Ryanair (of which I am a big fan), one of the great pioneers of cheap flights in Europe may start charging for the bathroom (or "one pound for the toilet, please" if you're British). I don't know if it's true or legal or whatever, but it sure is an ingenious idea to get more publicity for free. The "low cost" European airline will be in the heading of most of the stories and I noticed it on my news home-page yesterday. Cheap travel in Europe is alive and well thanks to this kind of ingeniuty. They also make money off the ads on their web-site, which they sell to hotel and car-rental type places and even now has a partnership to book camp sites in Europe. That's just a fun little freebie.

Happy travels!