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TM
Be Truly Thankful This Thanksgiving
For a Visit to London and Some Uniquely British
Experiences
5 November 2005 is Bonfire
Night. Bonfires are lit and there are fireworks displays all over
London (and the UK) to commemorate the Gunpowder Plot, an attempt to
blow up James I and his Parliament. The plot's most famous
conspirator, Guy Fawkes, ("The Guy") is burned as an effigy.
Although the official anniversary is on the 5th, bonfires and
firework displays start up to 2 weeks before and go on for a week
after the actual date. More details at: http://www.bonefire.org/guy/
12 November 2005 will be The Lord Mayor's Show.
The inauguration of the new Lord Mayor of the City of London. The
first Lord Mayor's Show was held in 1215 when King John's Charter
stipulated that the new Lord Mayor must swear an oath of allegiance
to the King and also to literally 'show' himself to the people.
Since then only major disasters such as the Black Death have stopped
the show. The Lord Mayor's procession used to travel down the River
Thames - hence the term 'floats', however since 1757 Lord Mayors
have travelled in the famous ceremonial gold coach. In the 21st
century, it's a great day out for many Londoners. More details: http://www.lordmayorsshow.org/
No visit to London is complete
without a trip to the theatre, shopping and good eating!
Theatre productions of
particular note are: Billy Elliot - The Musical (music by Elton
John), Kevin Spacey making his UK Shakespearian debut as the doomed
king in Richard II, Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Woman in
White, A Few Good Men (gripping) and The Producers
(hilarious); as well as such favourites as Mary Poppins, Guys and
Dolls and High Society (with Jerry Hall). http://www.whatsonstage.com/ is a great web site
to see what's on and to book your tickets.
For shopping, if you need help deciding where to go, visit:
http://www.londontown.com/London/Essential_Shopping/
but don't forget to visit Hamleys on Regent Street - Europe's
largest toy shop for the past 240 years and a paradise for kids (and
grown-ups!). Find a special Christmas presents for your children or
your favourite nephew or niece. More details at: http://www.hamleys.co.uk/.
London is one of the world's
most diverse cities for eating - every national cuisine is
represented and the city boasts a number of truly world class
restaurants. http://www.london-eating.co.uk/
is a good site to explore the possibilities.
Where to stay without it costing
you an arm and a leg?
If you are two or more, staying
in a vacation rental often works out cheaper than a hotel. Coach
House London Vacation Rentals is the leading specialist in short
term central London rentals. They have over 75 properties on their
books, ranging from cosy apartments just for 2 to grand mansions
that will sleep up to 12. They are a fully accredited member
of Visit London – the official visitor organisation for London. Full
details of their services and all their properties, together with
suggested itineraries and a helpful list of things to see and do can
be found at: http://www.rentals.chslondon.com/.
Or, for a real British
experience, stay at the Coach House (http://www.coachhouse.chslondon.com/), a charming
old Victorian Coach House, and experience true English style
hospitality. Prices from $58 (Euro45) per person per night and this
includes a real English breakfast.
Edited by Erika
Wright
Hamleys photo by "2005 Hamleys"
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