After a really shitty year at work, I'm seriously considering taking some days of holiday and going to London with the family. Tentative timeframe would be from Dec 28th to Jan 4th.
Being with the wife and kids, I cannot make promises about a Languish Meet, but one beer at the pub (or a hot cup of tea!) with fellow languishites would be more than welcome :cheers:
Oh, and being there with the kids means I'll be forced to do all the classic tourist attractions: Madame Tussaud's, Tower Bridge, British Museum, Natural History Museum, Buckingham Palace, etc.
Any suggestions for more interesting sightseeing?
:bowler:
L.
Greenwich is good. Take a river bus there from central London. There's a good market and shops, the Maritime museum, the Cutty Sark, the Royal observatory and a nice park.
The London museums are generally very good if crowded during the school holidays. Close to the natural history (the most popular one with parents) are the Science and the excellent Victoria & Albert (less popular with families). I wouldn't bother with Tussads or Buck House.
Near the British Museum are lots of lovely squares to the South and to the north there is a new development near the canals. Further afield, the hipsters congregate around Shoreditch whcih has lots of good bars and restauraunts including ones specialising in table football, ping pong etc
I'd also suggest getting a good map and walk between your attractions, assuming the kids are old enough. For example Tower of London to the Tate Modern over Tower Bridge and through Borough Food Market or St Pauls to the British Museum through Fleet Street and the Temple is another.
If the weather is OK, the parks are great - St James, Hyde and Regents are the most central ones but Hampstead, Richmond and many others are worth wondering around.
Bad timing. :P Would have been great to say hi but I won`t be back until the 5th of January.
Some advice on the tube. In the centre of town the underground stations are often only a couple of hundred yards apart, tourists sometimes make the mistake of getting the tube when the walk in dreary corridors and riding on escalators is longer than simply walking the surface route.
Imperial War Museum.
I don't expect I'll be going anywhere!
Yes, the Tower Of London is far more interesting than Buckingham Palace, especially for kids. Madame Tussauds is vastly overpriced crap.
Keep an eye on Time Out's kids' section for things to do. The various winter fairs and skating rinks should still be in operation then.
http://www.timeout.com/london/kids (http://www.timeout.com/london/kids)
If your wife likes shopping, it'll be sale time, the shitty economy means they're practically giving it away!
Remember January 1st is a public holiday so quite a lot will be shut, but many pubs will be open.
Traditional British food is strangely hard to come by in central London, but pie and mash in the East End is an authentic alternative to fish and chips. Local areas specialise in naturalised ethnic cuisine - Soho (off Leicester Square) for Chinese and Brick Lane for curry.
Quote from: Grey Fox on December 12, 2013, 08:30:40 AM
Imperial War Museum.
Not right now, it's undergoing refurbishment until next spring.
Quote from: Brazen on December 12, 2013, 08:37:34 AM
Quote from: Grey Fox on December 12, 2013, 08:30:40 AM
Imperial War Museum.
Not right now, it's undergoing refurbishment until next spring.
That's really unfortunate.
Pedrito, you should postpone your trip.
Quote from: Brazen on December 12, 2013, 08:37:07 AM
I don't expect I'll be going anywhere!
Brick Lane for curry.
C'mon Brazen. Brick Lane is about the worst place in London you could go for a curry. Good market on Sundays though and great bagel shop.
Ten minutes walk from teh south end, however, is Whitechapel with the incomparable Tayyabs and Lahore Kebab House :mmm: spicy lamb chops :mmm:
Quote from: Gups on December 12, 2013, 10:01:46 AM
C'mon Brazen. Brick Lane is about the worst place in London you could go for a curry. Good market on Sundays though and great bagel shop.
Ten minutes walk from teh south end, however, is Whitechapel with the incomparable Tayyabs and Lahore Kebab House :mmm: spicy lamb chops :mmm:
Oh yeah, I kind of transposed those in my mind with Brick Lane. Far superior, and BYOB is much cheaper :P
The bagel shop's a 24-hour operation and has proved useful in the past when traversing from south to north after a long night out.
Is the London Dungeon still around? For the kids.
Quote from: The Brain on December 12, 2013, 12:18:24 PM
Is the London Dungeon still around? For the kids.
I went to the Hamburg version years ago. It was fun, but the queue was murder.
Quote from: Syt on December 12, 2013, 12:49:52 PM
Quote from: The Brain on December 12, 2013, 12:18:24 PM
Is the London Dungeon still around? For the kids.
I went to the Hamburg version years ago. It was fun, but the queue was murder.
A German version strikes me as incredibly tasteless.
At the time it had Inquisition, pest hospital, Viking Raid, Klaus Störtebeker (a ride, and then an execution as shadowplay - nice touch: sprinkling warm water into the audience's faces at th beheading), a 19th century city fire and 18th century flood. They've since revamped it, and I doubt it's half as cool as the ones in the UK.
Thanks for all the suggestions. :)
I'm still looking for humanly-priced flights, but have found what looks like a really interesting accomodation: a 3-bdroom flat in Knightsbridge, very near to Natural History and Victoria and Albert Museums: is ita convenient location? Restaurants, pubs, Tescos in the area?
Oh, and are there nearby hospitals/clinics, in case my allergic daughter eats something that gives her a bad reaction?
L.
Very posh and convenient area. There are several hospitals within a few miles.
Quote from: The Brain on December 12, 2013, 12:18:24 PM
Is the London Dungeon still around? For the kids.
Yes, but it's moved - it's now on South Bank next to the London eye. Buy timeslot tickets in advance to avoid the queues.
Quote from: Pedrito on December 13, 2013, 02:43:47 AM
Restaurants, pubs, Tescos in the area?
Don't know about Tescos, but there's Harrods, which is the posh people's Tescos!
For food maybe Hawksmoor Sunday roast? If you're on Brick Lane I've heard really good things about Chez Elles.
How old are the kids? Maybe try and get tickets at one of the outdoor rinks?
Yes, if your wife enjoys shopping then she should be let loose in Harrod's, apparently it is a paradise if you like that sort of thing.
I have a bunch of Spanish/Danish in-laws coming over between Xmas and NY. I've taken on responsibility for one day of their intinery
Will be taking them for breakfast at the Shard (Aquashard) followed by a wonder around Borough market, the river bus to Greenwich, lunch at the market then we split into some going to the Maritime museum with the missus and the less-informed being inflicted with Charlton v Sheffield Wednesday at the Valley.
It'll probably piss it down all day
Quote from: Pedrito on December 12, 2013, 04:01:52 AM
After a really shitty year at work,
...because the shitty year is getting even shittier right at the end, my trip to London is postponed indefinitely.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
L.
It's for the best. If you can visit the IWM, it's not worth the trouble.
Quote from: Pedrito on December 13, 2013, 09:14:57 AM
...because the shitty year is getting even shittier right at the end, my trip to London is postponed indefinitely.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
L.
:console:
Call in sick?
Quote from: Grey Fox on December 13, 2013, 09:17:34 AM
It's for the best. If you can visit the IWM, it's not worth the trouble.
It's still open, just not the good bits. It closes for 6 month in January though:
http://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-london/directions (http://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-london/directions)
Quote from: Pedrito on December 13, 2013, 09:14:57 AM
Quote from: Pedrito on December 12, 2013, 04:01:52 AM
After a really shitty year at work,
...because the shitty year is getting even shittier right at the end, my trip to London is postponed indefinitely.
FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
L.
:( :console:
OH YES.
I decided I don't give a fuck about my job schedule and I booked a flight to London for the whole family, from april 16th to 21st :showoff: :bowler:
It will be during the Easter holidays, because I will make a mess with the job but my wife doesn't want the kids to skip too many school days, so the city will be overcrowded and expensive as hell <_<
Mandatory visits (more to be added):
- Tower of London
- British Museum
- Natural History and maybe Science Museum, complete with Imax show
- One or two of Tate, Tate Modern, National Gallery, V&A, depending of the whining level
- Rainforest Cafe ( <_<)
- London Eye and maybe river cruise
- Westminster Abbey & Big Ben
- Harrods and Fortnum & Mason (for the lady)
- Hamleys...
I assume the museums will be surely open on Easter and Easter Monday, can the same be said about major attractions and stores?
Are there regulations about minors entering pubs? Just in case some fellow languishite wants to catch up with a family of noisy italians and have a pint :)
L.
Fabulous news! :) :bowler:
Pubs that serve food generally allow kids in.
And while Harrods is best for browsing (and getting free samples) Selfridges is a better luxury store to actually shop in. I'm filming at the Science Museum tomorrow so I'll check out the latest exhibits there.
Happy to join La Familia Pedrito as your agenda allows. A South Bank death walk day incorporating much of your to-do list might make a good one for Languishites.
I'm not sure the museums will be open on Easter, maybe worth checking. The Abbey and St Paul's will though :P
Quote from: Sheilbh on February 19, 2014, 11:15:42 AM
I'm not sure the museums will be open on Easter, maybe worth checking. The Abbey and St Paul's will though :P
:lol:
The museums are open over Easter (most only shut 24-26 December), school holidays are when they do their most business.
Ah, right, Easter is one of the insanely few public holidays in the UK, so I imagine crowds will be massive.
Quote from: Pedrito on February 19, 2014, 06:00:35 AM
- Hamleys...
My kids had a blast in Hamleys back in the day. It will take you longer to drag them out than you thought it would.
Quote from: Tamas on February 19, 2014, 12:57:50 PM
Ah, right, Easter is one of the insanely few public holidays in the UK, so I imagine crowds will be massive.
Yes, the attractions and Hamleys will be insanely busy.
It's the half term holiday for schoolchildren this week and I just filmed a piece at the Science Museum. It opened to the public just as we finished and I was nearly washed away by a tidal wave of a bazillion knee-high people. It took me twice as long to get to the tube station platform, and for a while none of the trains were stopping to allow the platform and ticket hall to clear.
I recommend booking into one of the Science Museum flight simulators if your kids like planes. The Typhoon one had us squealing with delight like nine-year-olds!
You have my sympathy, parents.
The plan is coming together.
I found and booked an apartment in Earls Court,
decided not to buy the London City Pass (the only included attractions we want to visit are the Tower of London and Westminster),
fainted at the prices for the Lion King musical and decided to pass this too.
Developments to come.
L.
:thumbsup:
Man this whole board is being over-run by Panzer Ponies.
The prices of Lion King will be extortionate because it's holiday season.
But. It is AMAZING :w00t:
Quote from: Sheilbh on April 02, 2014, 11:09:12 AM
The prices of Lion King will be extortionate because it's holiday season.
But. It is AMAZING :w00t:
No doubt about it, but for a family of 5 it would be 440 GBP, i.e. almost all what I've budgeted for beer. The decision is already taken :beer:
L.
Quote from: Pedrito on April 02, 2014, 11:48:22 AM
Quote from: Sheilbh on April 02, 2014, 11:09:12 AM
The prices of Lion King will be extortionate because it's holiday season.
But. It is AMAZING :w00t:
No doubt about it, but for a family of 5 it would be 440 GBP, i.e. almost all what I've budgeted for beer. The decision is already taken :beer:
L.
Man with his priorities sorted. :cheers:
Family over alcohol? Ugh.
Quote from: Pedrito on April 02, 2014, 09:36:16 AM
The plan is coming together.
I found and booked an apartment in Earls Court,
decided not to buy the London City Pass (the only included attractions we want to visit are the Tower of London and Westminster),
fainted at the prices for the Lion King musical and decided to pass this too.
Developments to come.
L.
I'd really cut your itinerary of big ticket attractions down to just one a day and take some time to just wonder around a few neighbourhoods (I recommend Greenwich, Spitalfields, Covent Garden, Bloomsbury but there are plenty more).
Go to a big traffic circle and do the "the Queen is a man" scene from American Werewolf in London until a Bobbie tells you to move along.
Quote from: Admiral Yi on April 02, 2014, 12:30:33 PM
Go to a big traffic circle and do the "the Queen is a man" scene from American Werewolf in London until a Bobbie tells you to move along.
Better yet, rent a car, for to a big traffic circle, and drive around loop after loop saying "Look kids, Big Ben! Parliament!" each time until they slug you.
I always recommend the riverboat service to tourists visiting London. You can pick it up at various points, I usually start at Westminster pier, and go downstream to Greenwich or upstream to Kew gardens. You get to see a lot of London from the river and get to rest your feet, fills in a few relaxing hours in a long hard day of tourism :cool:
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on April 02, 2014, 01:21:49 PM
I always recommend the riverboat service to tourists visiting London. You can pick it up at various points, I usually start at Westminster pier, and go downstream to Greenwich or upstream to Kew gardens. You get to see a lot of London from the river and get to rest your feet, fills in a few relaxing hours in a long hard day of tourism :cool:
+1
The Thames is a good avenue from which to view London.
The Thames clipper is a great idea - get on at Westminster or Embankment, go down to Greenwich, have a look round there and then get back.
Equally I would suggest a walk along the South Bank in the evening after dark starting at Blackfriars Bridge and going west to Lambeth Bridge - you get lovely cross-river views of a lit-up St Paul's, the buildings on the Strand and of course Parliament.
A shame you have the family with you, otherwise I could suggest a few very sleazy nights out in West London. :lol:
The Queen is a bit mannish but that has more to do with age than anything else.
Quote from: Pedrito on April 02, 2014, 11:48:22 AM
No doubt about it, but for a family of 5 it would be 440 GBP
:blink:
Christ.
Quote from: Sheilbh on April 04, 2014, 07:16:58 AM
Quote from: Pedrito on April 02, 2014, 11:48:22 AM
No doubt about it, but for a family of 5 it would be 440 GBP
:blink:
Christ.
:D I told you it was absurdly high.
L.
Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on April 02, 2014, 01:21:49 PM
I always recommend the riverboat service to tourists visiting London. You can pick it up at various points, I usually start at Westminster pier, and go downstream to Greenwich or upstream to Kew gardens. You get to see a lot of London from the river and get to rest your feet, fills in a few relaxing hours in a long hard day of tourism :cool:
Hmm. I need to try that next time around.
Might even remember visiting London, too.
Quote from: Caliga on April 08, 2014, 07:21:37 AM
Quote from: Pedrito on February 19, 2014, 06:00:35 AM
- Rainforest Cafe ( <_<)
:wacko:
Please don't go to the Rainforest Cafe Pedrito. You'll pay a vast amount of money for shit food to people who are laughing at you as they pick your pocket.
http://cheesenbiscuits.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/rainforest-cafe-piccadilly.html
I went to one in Nashville. It was the same food you'd get at a TGI Friday's or Applebee's for like twice the price. You're paying for a bunch of dumb animatronic shit and fake rainstorms every 20 minutes. :mellow:
Pedrito, instead make yourselves a picnic and hire some deck chairs in a London park; Hyde park is good, St.James nice and nearer to Westminster, but somewhat affected by traffic noise in the Mall.
I'm guessing by your busy itinerary you won't have any time to meet any Languishites :D
You don't have the time for psychological romance.
Quote from: Brazen on April 09, 2014, 09:18:09 AM
I'm guessing by your busy itinerary you won't have any time to meet any Languishites :D
I'd love to meet the Languish Londoners!
The schedule potentially is pretty tight, but for what it's worth weather forecasts are promising shitty british weather for the five days of our stay, so I don't know if my planned Death marches around the city will be feasible. I mean, today here's 26° centigrades, and we're almost in short sleeves: next week in London the forecast is between 6° and 13° C :glare:
Brazen, I did not forget you offered to immolate yourself in a South Bank Death March with La Famiglia, but I cannot make promises, the more so because the family's whims and necessities are pretty unpredictable :( It will be far easier to meet the Londoners when The Larch and I will be in London late July for the Monty Python show.
I will nevertheless keep you posted so that, if the occasion rises and everyone's schedules permit, we can have a drink together.
L.
Quote from: Pedrito on April 09, 2014, 11:42:03 AM
The schedule potentially is pretty tight, but for what it's worth weather forecasts are promising shitty british weather for the five days of our stay, so I don't know if my planned Death marches around the city will be feasible. I mean, today here's 26° centigrades, and we're almost in short sleeves: next week in London the forecast is between 6° and 13° C :glare:
Forecast's for next week are pretty unreliable. Looking at it now the range seems to be somewhere between 8 and 20 degrees :lol:
There is the possibility that I may need to go to the UK soon on business. :ph34r:
Quote from: Caliga on April 09, 2014, 03:39:01 PM
There is the possibility that I may need to go to the UK soon on business. :ph34r:
I'm sure Gups or Shelf could show you some really good eateries in The Smoke.