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Posts Tagged ‘London’

Adding Mystique To The Railways

October 27th, 2009 No comments

There is something quite magical about the railways. Right from the time when there used to be steam engines to the transcontinental high speed trains that zip across Europe and Asia, trains have captured the imagination of people from across the globe. If you are one of those who just keep flying from place to place, it may make sense to savor the magic of the trains every now and then, just for a change. Whether it is Moscow or Tokyo, Mumbai or London, the common thread happens to be the railways which have tied together huge countries leading to unparalleled connectivity as well as a world of luxury.

Train journeys, especially if they are long in duration are not quite complete without consumption of certain beverages or drinks, either cold or hot. This is where cup holders come in quite handy so that one can keep the cup, bottle or even pouch in the cup holder and take sips from drinks that they would like to savor. It is possible to get quite thirsty in trains, which means that the cup holder’s utility is unquestioned.

Cup holders on trains are quite convenient as these can help hold not only the beverages that you love, but also some chocolate or small packet snacks that you may have purchased from vendors along the way. Some people find this extremely convenient as placing these items on the seat or in flaps in the seat ahead can get rather cumbersome and not the tidiest of options. After all, as the train zips by at dizzying speeds, any imbalanced movements could cause the drink to spill, which is prevented by using cup holders.

Train cup holders come with easy to use Velcro straps which mean that you do not have to fumble as you try and hold the cup holder in place on high speed trains. If you want some coffee, just order it, place it in the cup holder and enjoy sips of this utterly stimulating drink that can help wake you up from a stupor.

If you want to buy cup holders that can be used in trains, you need not really look too far. There are so many websites that you can refer to which list various types of cup holders at various price points too, to meet your needs in terms of style, size and cost.

Cooper “Coop” Shepherd makes his daily commute by rail, to a job where he investigates the usefulness of the drink holder especially in reference to stadium accessories.

London Vacations And Shopping

October 15th, 2009 No comments
by Karl Fraser

London, as a vacation destination, is very hard to beat. It is the most popular city in England for city breaks and longer vacations. Most people travel there to take in the wonderful sights of the capital city of England and some endeavor to see the British Royal Family (with the Queen being the top of everyone’s list). Many people head to London to take advantage of the finest shopping in the land.

London is one of the main three cities of the world associated with serious shopping, the others being Paris and New York. Check any bottle of perfume and the city is bound to appear somewhere on the packaging and usually on the bottle itself. Virtually every company involved in the retail trade has it’s UK flagship store in one of the primary shopping districts of London.

Department stores, designer shops, fashion shops and boutiques, music shops, bookshops, jewellery shops and virtually any other type of retail outlet is found within easy walking distance of a London tube station. Usually the different types of store tend to appear in groups in certain areas such as Oxford Street, Knightsbridge, New Bond Street and the likes.

Oxford Street And Knightsbridge

This is where you will find many of the nations flagship department stores. Oxford street has the likes of Selfridges and Knightsbridge has the famous Harrods and also Harvey Nichols. Oxford Street is said to be the busiest shopping street in Europe.

Old/New Bond Street

Armani, Gucci and virtually any luxury brand can be found on Bond Street. Associated with designer clothing, perfume; art, antiques and other items of luxury Bond Street has the biggest number of suppliers the Royal Family than anywhere else in London.

Covent Garden

If you find Bond Street a bit too expensive for your budget then you will find Covent Garden a pleasant alternative. This is where you will find most of London’s smaller independent fashion shops and shoe shops.

Other Places In London Associated With Shopping

Carnaby Street has a long association with fashion and in recent years the street is once again becoming trendy. If you want an old fashioned British tailor then Savile Row is the most famous place but you will also find tailors in and around Piccadilly. Hatton Garden (near Farringdon) is another place to go for jewelry shops. Shopping for books is best done around the Charing Cross Road although you may find some bookshops in Covent Garden too.

You could write a book on the places to go shopping in London, and I suppose there are many to choose from. If you want to go looking for more places to visit take a look at the many London markets.

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Watch Live Art In Trafalgar Square London During Summer And Fall

August 1st, 2009 No comments
by Rajul Chande

Until October 14th this year, the Fourth Plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square (traditionally reserved for Kings and Generals) is transformed into a space for living art, with the artist Antony Gormley’s amazing One and Other project.

The artist has invited UK residents to stand on the “plinth” for a full hour in front of the world. There is a live webcam and tv recording the action.

The 2,400 places on the project have been allocated by pure chance. One person stands on the plinth for every hour of the day, 24/7. The project goes on for a full 100 days.

You can do absolutely anything you want on the plinth as long as it’s legal! Many participants intend to take advantage and show the world their full range of talents.

The artist’s own description of the project is shown on the London Hotels Insight blog (link below), which also links you to the live webcam showing the 24/7 “performance” in progress.

This groundbreaking project will offer London visitors an incredible snapshot of the UK’s diversity, eccentricity and understated patriotism. Make sure you check it out if you’re in London over the summer and fall.

To stay as close as possible to the action, we’d like to recommend a couple of nearby hotels which come up pretty high on TripAdvisor. There’s both a luxury and a budget option below:

A top-notch luxury hotel

If you’re visiting London with someone special and want to stay in one of the city’s best hotels then One Aldwych might offer you exactly what you need. This stunning modern hotel has a reputation for warm and friendly service.

The staff who greet you as you enter the stunning lobby exude a natural warmth and friendliness.

When I personally interviewed the hotel’s founder, Mr Campbell Gray, he told me that he wanted every guest to have a stay which was “as exquisite as possible”.

You can read more about One Aldwych and search for the best rate from 30+ hotel booking sites at the blog linked below.

A value for money hotel

A great option for those visiting London on a budget is the Travelodge Covent Garden. This is located right in the heart of the theatre district and Trafalgar Square is just a few minutes walk away.

You’ll feel smug about getting a functional, clean room in an amazing location for much less than other tourists with accommodation in the same area!

Guest reviews on TripAdvisor suggest that Travelodge Covent Garden is a steal for its modest room rate and unbeatable location.

If you stay at either of the above hotels and like modern art, you can easily cross the river to the Tate Modern and take a ride on the London Eye.

If you stay in this area you will also be in a convenient location for the fantastic markets and street performers in Covent Garden.

So if you do plan to drop by London this summer or fall, don’t forget to visit the people on the plinth in Trafalgar Square!

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Try London Weekend Breaks For Something Completely Different

June 22nd, 2009 No comments
by Arthur Townlands

London is one of the largest and most exciting cities in the world. If you live in the UK London weekend breaks are great, but they can be a bit of a tourist trap. There are ways and means of avoiding this so we shall look at a couple of things which are a little bit more exciting.

Although visiting the British Museum has its merits and it is one of the most visited place in London, why not try to avoid the camera clicking crowds and see something really interesting instead. Who wants to see the same old sights anyway?

The Hunterian recently underwent a 3 million revamp, and if you fancy having a look at Winston Churchill’s gnashers, this is the place to see them. The Hunterian is a medical museum annexed to the Royal College of Surgeons of England, so if you fancy your history mixed up with the curious and the downright gruesome, it is worth a visit. You will find medical instrument, from centuries ago which look like torture instruments, body parts pickled in formaldehyde and all sorts of strange exhibits.

Not too far from Bromley you will find 22 miles of man-made underground caves. These are the Chilsehurst Caves, and to reach them you get a train from London Bridge. They offer a 45 minute tour of the caves where many people spent their time during the Blitz of London. The tour informs you about the relationship caves have with the Romans, Druids and the Kent Mushroom Co, and quite disconcertingly the guide refers to the world above as “topside”.

What about trying the Secret Cinema? This brings a whole new meaning to cinema-going. These days watching a film has really lost its charm, it is all pop-corn, multiplexes and ridiculous ticket prices. Joining the Secret Cinema society could provide you with even more excuses for visiting London, as they screen a “secret” film once a month in an unusual location. You are informed of the location, but don’t get to know what film is showing till you arrive, hence the name “Secret Cinema”. Once of the most recent screenings was “Paranoid Park” by Gus Van Sant and it took place in an unused railway tunnel.

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Bicycle Touring Italy Style

May 7th, 2009 No comments

Finding An Affordable Italy Vacation

During your search for an Italy vacation, you’ll find many companies offering Italy vacations and vacation packages. While they’re all going to sound exciting and perfect, if your budget is a consideration, you need to take time deciding. Check out all the available options in each Italy vacation package. Decide which of these options you’ll want on your trip and then compare prices. You’ll want to get the best value for your money, while not paying for things that you won’t benefit from.

Your Best Options For An Italy Vacation

When you decide to narrow down the many available Italy vacation packages, try to stay with reputable companies that are willing to give you a good deal. Select Italy, is a global family company that offers some great Italy packages. These trips will provide some extraordinary Italian heritage. Select Italy has always been committed to offering their customers only superior service while giving them an affordable vacation package. They have guide that are incredibly knowledgeable in the subjects of art history, archeology and Italian culture. They know the area well and can help you find the Italy vacation package to suit you and your personal preferences.

Another excellent company to check is Virgin Vacations. They are well known in the travel world and offer some great Italy vacation packages. Since 1994, they’re main goal as been providing their customers with inclusive vacation packages to Italy, London and beyond. They offer the finest in service and value for your money. Virgin Vacations is partners with many hotels and will do their best to set you up in an excellent hotel that will also suit your budget.

The Final Decision

When deciding on which vacation company to go with, the two things you need to keep in mind are quality and price. You don’t want the cheapest vacation you can find if it’s not giving you what you want. Alternatively, you won’t enjoy having the highest quality vacation if you can’t afford it. So, check over the vacation packages, determine what you will use and what you can afford.

Attractions in Italy

While many Italy vacation plans include some activities, many of them leave you with a lot of time to yourself. You’ll want to make plans ahead of time on things you want to do and places you want to see. If you enjoy bicycle touring, Italy has many touring companies that will provide everything you need to enjoy a bicycle tour.

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