Things to do in London ?

[barry luxton]

People actually go to london for pleasure? During the week it's a battle to get up there, a battle to get back, thats on a normal day, without any traffic reports of a broken down vehical anywhere near the tunnel approaches. Ohh yes, the other good excuse for the traffic is maintenence work on the ferry, most every other day that one is heard. Now if anything was to happen around the blackwall tunnel, that makes being on the other side of the river a big mistake, twice, no three times this year i have been and the time it takes to get out from that area can be upto 4 hours, for a total of 10 mile, then you have to que up at the dartford crossing to pay for the privilege of queing up. It last happend two weeks ago, errr, that was on a saturday as they in their wisdom closed the tunnel southbound, so that one took me 3 hours to get from bow to the dartford crossing. The last govenment had a rather large increase in the toll, used congestion as the reason. The olympic stadium is being built vitually in an island surrounded by duel carrigeway and intersections, so it not pedestrian friendly in any event, only when the games are on and they close the roads to the people who actually earn their living up there will it be possible to stroll around. Ahh yes the brick lane, white chappel and commercial street, for a ruby murrey you have to dodge around the many thousands of street market stalls, most of them are selling tatty looking womans clothes, hand bags and vege stalls, as the corner shops and sweat shops are now full up, the market stalls are now the in thing, if you like veg and handbags etc, even for pedestrians dodging around the market stalls is hard work if your on a mission.

 

There is nowhere in london that is traffic friendly or parking friendly, all want to empty the back pocket for what ever miniscule excuse. Even when you pay your 8 quid, yup you will invaribly join a que somewhere. Now hope against hope, if they was to ever concider opening up the roads to ensure the traffic lights are re set to allow the waiting for a mythical pedestrian to end. Might just help the air quality as opposed to considering making it another chargable excuse on the motorist.

 

Went upto a job right near the houses of parliament a couple of weeks ago, in strutton ground, during the week, street market, selling the normal tat, so nice if you wish to stroll around and do a few purchaces, hand bags, veg, or a paella thats been cooking all day to actually work, forget it. Gawed, I do love london.

[Zigs]

People actually go to london for pleasure? During the week it's a battle to get up there, a battle to get back, thats on a normal day, without any traffic reports of a broken down vehical anywhere near the tunnel approaches. Ohh yes, the other good excuse for the traffic is maintenence work on the ferry, most every other day that one is heard. Now if anything was to happen around the blackwall tunnel, that makes being on the other side of the river a big mistake, twice, no three times this year i have been and the time it takes to get out from that area can be upto 4 hours, for a total of 10 mile, then you have to que up at the dartford crossing to pay for the privilege of queing up. It last happend two weeks ago, errr, that was on a saturday as they in their wisdom closed the tunnel southbound, so that one took me 3 hours to get from bow to the dartford crossing. The last govenment had a rather large increase in the toll, used congestion as the reason. The olympic stadium is being built vitually in an island surrounded by duel carrigeway and intersections, so it not pedestrian friendly in any event, only when the games are on and they close the roads to the people who actually earn their living up there will it be possible to stroll around. Ahh yes the brick lane, white chappel and commercial street, for a ruby murrey you have to dodge around the many thousands of street market stalls, most of them are selling tatty looking womans clothes, hand bags and vege stalls, as the corner shops and sweat shops are now full up, the market stalls are now the in thing, if you like veg and handbags etc, even for pedestrians dodging around the market stalls is hard work if your on a mission.

 

There is nowhere in london that is traffic friendly or parking friendly, all want to empty the back pocket for what ever miniscule excuse. Even when you pay your 8 quid, yup you will invaribly join a que somewhere. Now hope against hope, if they was to ever concider opening up the roads to ensure the traffic lights are re set to allow the waiting for a mythical pedestrian to end. Might just help the air quality as opposed to considering making it another chargable excuse on the motorist.

 

Went upto a job right near the houses of parliament a couple of weeks ago, in strutton ground, during the week, street market, selling the normal tat, so nice if you wish to stroll around and do a few purchaces, hand bags, veg, or a paella thats been cooking all day to actually work, forget it. Gawed, I do love london.

 

Reminds me of something there Barry, oh yes...

 

Tourist: And then some adenoidal typists from Birmingham with flabby white legs and diarrhoea trying to pick up hairy bandy-legged wop waiters called Manuel and once a week there's an excursion to the local Roman Remains to buy cherryade and melted ice cream and bleeding Watney's Red Barrel and one evening you visit the so called typical restaurant with local colour and atmosphere and you sit next to a party from Rhyl who keep singing "Torremolinos, torremolinos" and complaining about the food - "It's so greasy isn't it?" - and you get cornered by some drunken greengrocer from Luton with an Instamatic camera and Dr. Scholl sandals and last Tuesday's Daily Express and he drones on and on about how Mr. Smith should be running this country and how many languages Enoch Pow ell can speak and then he throws up over the Cuba Libres.

[jedibond]

I know it's a bit touristy Rob but the London Eye at night is amazing, you can see the whole city lit up and get some amazing photographs. Pre book it though as you can avoid most of the queues that way. If you want to go for a curry, let me know as I used to work in Aldgate and know the good ones to go to around the Brick Lane area and, more importantly, which ones to avoid !

 

It depends how much time you've got on your hands as well, as it's that time of year, most of the touristy places will be mobbed. Somerset House is a good place to go to though, some stunning architecure and there's usually lots going on there as well as the film4 festival at night where they show new and classic movies in the courtyard. I went last year and it was great. The proms are on as well if you like your classical music and you can usually get tickets okey.

 

Lots of stuff on in the theartres too at the moment and there's a ticket place in Leicester Square that does some good deals on last minute seats if you're looking. Other than that there's walks in St James Park, Hyde Park, etc or go for a wander round the City at the weekend, you get to see all sorts of fantastic buildings and it's really quiet.

[Tony U]

Barry

There is nowhere in london that is traffic friendly or parking friendly, all want to empty the back pocket for what ever miniscule excuse. Even when you pay your 8 quid, yup you will invaribly join a que somewhere. Now hope against hope, if they was to ever concider opening up the roads to ensure the traffic lights are re set to allow the waiting for a mythical pedestrian to end. Might just help the air quality as opposed to considering making it another chargable excuse on the motorist.

 

Use the Public Transport provided by TfL at least it will keep me in a job :D

 

Tony

[barry luxton]

Barry

There is nowhere in london that is traffic friendly or parking friendly, all want to empty the back pocket for what ever miniscule excuse. Even when you pay your 8 quid, yup you will invaribly join a que somewhere. Now hope against hope, if they was to ever concider opening up the roads to ensure the traffic lights are re set to allow the waiting for a mythical pedestrian to end. Might just help the air quality as opposed to considering making it another chargable excuse on the motorist.

 

Use the Public Transport provided by TfL at least it will keep me in a job :D

 

Tony

 

Wot you a bus conducter or something.

[Tony U]

Wot you a bus conducter or something.

 

Do they still have them??

[medwaygreen]

Not sure you have any answers that you wanted Rob, but my suggestion is go to Portobello road, just of Ladbroke Grove on the Tube, it is a market now, but in the past, my time, a hot bed of racial violence. The stalls are very diverse and you can see almost anything that is in you mind.

The thing is Rob you will get the flavor of London and it will be a get three hour spent.

[arbocop]

Depends where in London. Hyde Park is a good place for a few hours, it's spacious, central and you can watch the carp in The Serpentine while having a beer.

 

I'll be there!

[n4lly]

Reminds me of something there Barry, oh yes...

 

Tourist: And then some adenoidal typists from Birmingham with flabby white legs and diarrhoea trying to pick up hairy bandy-legged wop waiters called Manuel and once a week there's an excursion to the local Roman Remains to buy cherryade and melted ice cream and bleeding Watney's Red Barrel and one evening you visit the so called typical restaurant with local colour and atmosphere and you sit next to a party from Rhyl who keep singing "Torremolinos, torremolinos" and complaining about the food - "It's so greasy isn't it?" - and you get cornered by some drunken greengrocer from Luton with an Instamatic camera and Dr. Scholl sandals and last Tuesday's Daily Express and he drones on and on about how Mr. Smith should be running this country and how many languages Enoch Pow ell can speak and then he throws up over the Cuba Libres.

 

 

Dont forget, The Germans forming pyramids in the pool frigtening the children

[Leon Roskilly]

In the Barbican there are a couple of large lakes stuffed with big koi, goldfish, carp and rudd.

 

Take a loaf of bread and start feeding them.

 

They will take it right out of your hand and climb out of the water over each others' backs to take it.