How London got that buzz

If London were a book every street would be a chapter and every cobblestone would have a story to tell. But, London wears its history lightly and it is most often served up with a dollop of humor. Ask anyone who has been to the Tower of London on a typical damp, drizzly day and laughed their heads off at the witticisms from the tour guide as he brought long gone royalty to life and made them seem like regular (and not so regular!) folks like you and me.

The best way to see London is to take a tour: there are open bus tours, coach tours, walking tours, “duck” tours that use DUKW craft of WWII vintage or do a River Thames cruise. Any of these will ennable you to get a good look at the architecture and skyline, and fill you in on the rich history of the city. The London Tube is another grand old institution that continues to be your best bet at getting around the city quickly and with least aggravation as the traffic tends to be dense despite measures in place to curb traffic congestion. Cabs are prohibitive but an old fashioned Black Cab tour might be worth splurging on for local flavor.

What really makes London is the diversity of its population and the variety of attractions (it has almost 200 of them) and things to do for the visitor. It also has four World Heritage sights. There are any number of museums, galleries and entertainment options. Synonymous with the word entertainment is Covent Gardens. Here the street performers and fairs offer a good way to pass the day. The theatre scene is one of London’s biggest draws and though tickets are expensive there are those half-price ticket booths at Leicester Square that can come to your rescue.

London has over 6000 restaurants and 26 street markets making it a dream destination for foodies. According to Time Out Eating and Dining awards 2006, Gaucho Piccadilly won top honours for a good steak with Notting Grill in Chelsea following close on its heels. A good bet for fish and chips would be fish!kitchen according to the same poll. Inn the Park was a close contender for Best Family Restaurant serving typical British fare.

For those who like something more spirited, the city boasts a huge variety of pubs: historic, sporty and international; and from the oldest of the oldies, Ye Old Cheshire Cheese (1667), to a slew of younger competitors. This younger lot of upstarts would have to be the sports bars that cater to sport-crazy Londoners and visitors. If you want to globetrot with a pint in hand, there are international bars. And last but not least, you can head for your friendly neighborhood pub.

Shopping in London is seemingly endless: Oxford Street and Regent Street; Portobello Road and Notting Hill; the King’s Road in Chelsea; Carnaby Street; Covent Garden, Bond Street; Knightsbridge; Soho and Chinatown; Islington and Camden. When your feet have had enough, a good way to sign off would be to have an English afternoon tea consisting of scones, pastries, sandwiches and of course, tea. Try Sotheby’s Café on Bond Street, The Court Restaurant at the British Museum or the one closest for comfort.

And finally when you are burnt out from seeing and doing there are vast parks where you can simply stroll and forget that you are in the heart of a huge metropolis. Park yourself on a bench in Kensington Gardens and watch the ducks go by. Can you hear something in the air – it sounds like a  buzz. Yes, it’s time to put your feet up…

By Chitra Mogul