Category Archives: London

With just 105 days to go to the start of the London Olympics, the ultimate full-on glitzy party destination will be St. James’s Palace! In an unprecedented move, Queen Elizabeth II has announced that 3 rooms within the palace will be open to select partygoers during the Olympics to be held in London from July 27 to Aug. 12. Each room will rent for $47,500 a day. Apparently, even the Queen wants to capitalize on the Olympics.
The first room to be opened will be the Throne Room. This room is normally used by the Lord Mayor and Councillors of London to welcome Heads of State to London. This room is so secluded that the public is normally not even let near this sacred ground. The red and gold throne room will be alive with celebrities that will be dying for a look at this secluded location. The celebrities who become bored with the inside scenery will enjoy a short stroll to see the hot babes from around the world at the nearby beach volleyball events to occur at the Horse Guards Parade.

Guests can also party in the Tapestry Room which is decorated with tapestries woven for King Charles II. The palace guards better keep a watchful eye on those tapestries because they may come off the wall and then who knows what might happen. Partygoers can also opt for a tour of the palace and a top-notch dinner prepared by the palace staff. After more than a few drinks, party goers can wander over to nearby Hyde Park where some of the Olympic swimming events will occur. Women may especially enjoy this opportunity as it will give them the opportunity to watch some of the hottest bodies in athletics today. After a few drinks, who knows what will happen. London authorities have announced that they will have ground to air missiles ready to use! They may need them to stop the action at Hyde Park and in the Tapestry Room.

Each party can hold up to 500 excited guests and the 500 guests in the Queen Anne Room will be equally excited. Under the watchful eye of the portrait of George III, party attendees will be able to party the night away. Arrangements are being handled discreetly by intimate ties to the royal family. Those attending parties here will be able to watch the start and finish of the Olympic marathon.

One of the best things about travelling the world is sampling the different cuisine, but sometimes, just sometimes, you need to think twice about putting that thing in your mouth, trust me…

1. Fugu in Shimonoseki, Japan

More commonly known as the Pufferfish, the Fugu’s internal organs contain deadly amounts of tetrodotoxin, a poison. And not just any old poison, this one has no known antidote and can paralyse your body, or even kill. Specially trained chefs know to leave just enough of the poison in to give diners a bit of a buzz and a tingling tongue. If you do want to give it a go visit the city of Shimonoseki, they boast a clean record of deaths.

2. Blood clams in Shanghai, China

A great choice if you fancy pumping a deadly disease through your veins. Blood clams from Shanghai are regarded as one of the top Chinese delicacies. To get rid of the hepatitis A, E, typhoid, and dysentery you need to flash boil them, although it doesn’t always work. That’s the risk you take if you want to indulge in one of the world’s deadliest delicacies.

3. Ackee in Jamaica
I’ve always been quite partial to a bit of ackee from the local Caribbean takeaway, but if scoffed before it’s fully ripe it can stop glucose being released from the liver. This can quickly lower your blood sugar, causing hypoglycemia, vomiting, seizures or sometimes even death. If you don’t want the “Jamaican Vomiting Sickness”, make sure your ackee has been cleaned and boiled beforehand.

4. Giant Bullfrogs in Namibia

The Namibians just can’t get enough of their national Giant Bullfrogs – they’re considered a delicacy. But you should only have them ‘after the third rain’ or when the frogs start croaking and breeding because of the poison in the skin and internal organs. If you don’t adhere to the Giant Namibian Bullfrog rules you could fall victim to Oshiketakata (kidney failure) and find yourself hopping around your lily pad in the sky.

5. Casu Marzu in Italy

To make the dessert Casu Marzu all you need to do is leave sheep’s milk to ferment, then introduce it to a particular species of fly, allow that fly to lay eggs on the cheese, embrace the maggots who will come and soften the cheese, and then it’s your turn. To prevent toxicity the maggots should be eaten live along with the cheese. Unsurprisingly production is banned throughout much of Italy, but surprisingly, it’s considered a delicacy in others.

Thanks for this post to HostelBookers

England, perhaps the most visited area of Great Britain, is so versatile that it allows for a great variety of tourist experiences. If you are really into history, culture and exquisite classical architecture, then London, Oxford, Cambridge and Stratford-upon-Avon are great places for you to see and experience. If you would like to keep your journey low-cost, England can offer you that as well, thanks to its large number of youth and student hostels, as well as family-run bed-and-breakfast facilities scattered around the land. Clubbing and concerts are also great fun in England, and most major cities imbue their venues with a wild atmosphere that you are not very likely to find anywhere else in Europe, neither on the mainland nor in any other corner of Britain. However, possibly the best way to see England, a realm of royalty, is in exquisite style, during a luxury vacation in which you sample the best things the country has to offer. In case you’re wondering what those things are, read on below for a self-professed snob’s guide to the British province. Just bear in mind that doing all these things during the course of a single voyage to England would probably drive your traveling budget for a whole year through the roof. However, on a more positive note, all the experiences described below are fully worth having, and entirely unique to England.

The Horse Races at Ascot

Horse races are held in many parts of the world, from the tracks at La Jolla in the United States of America, to several venues on the European continent, to India, the so-called ‘pearl of the British Crown of colonies’. However, there is only one original template when it comes to horse racing, and that is the annual racing season at Ascot. You may have seen pictures of the races and their attendees – the Queen herself rarely misses any of the June races. The most outstanding aspect of the race, beyond the competition itself, the skill of the jockeys and the beauty of the horses, is the very strict dress code that all attendees must abide by. Guests who are seated in the Royal Enclosure are not allowed in there without a tie, top hat, cutaway and waist in the case of men (an outfit otherwise known as morning dress). Women, on the other hand, have to wear appropriate, modest dresses that are not excessively revealing, and a hat. Remember the wonderfully eccentric hat models we’ve gotten used to seeing in pictures from previous years?

The Glyndebourne Opera Festival

Just like the Royal Ascot race, the famous opera festival also takes places during the summer season, in East Sussex, an hour away from Lewes, a town in East Sussex. There are few other experiences more posh than this one, since, besides the music festival itself, it is largely about fine dining and socializing. You can choose to book a table at any of the swanky local restaurants or have a gourmet picnic basket delivered to a meadow or park nearby. Amateurs of luxury holidays in England know not to miss out on the festival, but they always need to make sure they book their tickets well in advance, since, in spite of their high prices, they tend to sell out in record times.

Guy Fawkes Night

This odd, yet traditionally English celebration has historic roots, that go all the way back to five centuries ago, on that fateful night of November 5, 1605, when a man called Guy Fawkes was apprehended as part of a conspiracy plot to set the Houses of Parliament ablaze. The so-called Gunpowder Plot, which aimed to assassinate King James I, was overthrown. In its wake, people have been celebrating Guy Fawkes’ night with fire. Fireworks are set off across England and a life-size human shaped dummy is set on fire at the top of a pyre. Families and entire communities get involved in the organization of this event, which takes the whole province by storm (as well as by flame).

Dine Out for Sunday Lunch

This particular experience might not sound like too much, since English cuisine isn’t exactly world famous for how tasty it is—quite the contrary. However, their traditional Sunday roast, which can be enjoyed on a bed of potatoes or vegetables, or with a side of Yorkshire pudding, is not quite bad, to be honest. If you want to recreate the genuine British experience, then gather up your entire family and company of friends and go out to a local pub. Sit down, order a helping of roast and wash it down with some genuine local beer, or ale as the English call it. Socialize with fellow weekend diners, if you will, but remember to observe politeness and manners codes.

Shop at Selfridges

You may have heard that Harrod’s is the place to be for luxury shoppers, but, in truth, most Londoners and affluent Britons from other parts of the country prefer to do their shopping at Selfridges & Co.. The chain of stores offers virtually anything, from gourmet food, desserts and beverages, to jewelry, fashion and home décor items. The original Selfridge’s is a six-story building located on London’s Oxford Street, and offers so many options that you will most likely spend at least half a day in there.

London is a wonderful city to visit, one of the greatest cities in the world. For better or worse, everyone that visits London visits the same places: the British Museum, the Tower of London, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, and a few others. What about instead visiting a few of the more unusual and unforgettable museums London has to offer? We’ve listed six of our favorites here – they may not be the most visited places in London, but they are all awesome!

Sir John Soane’s Museum

The Sir John Soane’s Museum is an impressively huge collection of antiques and art collected by architect Sir John Soane in the 1800s. When he passed away in 1837 he left his entire collection (and home) to Britain, and the museum was born. The museum admission is free, and expect to be amazed by the unique collection, including gems such as the sarcophagus of Seti I, major paintings by Hogarth and Canaletto, and Neoclassical sculptures by John Flaxman. The museum is located in central London near the British Museum.

Guards Museum

The Guards Museum is dedicated the the Foot Guard Regiments of the Household Division – the Guards that protect the Queen and perform the Changing of the Guard ceremony daily outside Buckingham Palace. We’ve included it on the list for one reason: you can dress up in a Guard’s tunic and bearskin cap and have your photo taken! And the tunics have also been altered to child sizes, so everyone can get in on the fun! Admission is £5.

National Army Museum

This National Army Museum is a free museum dedicated to the history of the British Army. Containing very little pro-England propaganda, the museum is huge (five floors), and also contains a popular Kid’s Zone. On the weekend you can even bring in a packed lunch and use the lunchroom area! That’s budget traveling done right.

The Museum of Brands, Packaging, and Advertising

Featuring over 12,000 original consumer items collected from the past few hundred years, the Museum is a fun way to learn about products, marketing, and haow brands have evolved. The museum is located in Notting Hill, admission is £6.50.

Bank of England Museum

Where else but the Bank of England Museum can you pick up a real gold bar? It weighs 13kg and is quite secure, so don’t think you can use it to pay for your night out! Other than the gold bar the Bank of England Museum has a few interesting displays of banknotes, gold and silver bars, even muskets and pikes used to defend the Bank in the old days. Oh, and it’s free and located in the heart of London.

Grant Museum of Zoology

Containing amazing displays of skeletons, specimen jars and other various weird stuff, the Grant Museum may be on the small side (for a museum) but it makes up for it with cool displays. Some of our favorites include skeletons from the now-extinct dugong, dodo, and quagga. Admission is free.

While we aren’t necessarily suggesting that you skip the British Museum, we do believe that stepping off the beaten path is a great way to see unusual sights, meet different people and maybe have a little more fun. It’s worth a try!

Randall Pinkston is an avid traveler and travel writer, and spends his work time and spare time compiling travel deals for Neotravel.com, especially coupons for Budget and other rental car companies.

Given its size, global importance and historical significance, it’s no surprise that hundreds of well-known movies have been set in London. While many of these are actually shot in the US, a few key exterior scenes are usually filmed in England’s capital itself. As in many other cities, it is possible to visit some of the most famous movie locations as part of special guided tours, most of which focus on mainstream blockbusters such as the Harry Potter series.

Of course, much of Hollywood’s family-friendly output is not to everyone’s taste. Some of us prefer nothing more than to be scared out of our wits by rampaging serial killers, hoards of zombies and devious vampires. Fortunately, London makes a great setting for creepy horror films as well. Here are five not-to-be missed locations for fans of terror – visit them at your own risk!

1. All Saint’s Church (The Omen, 1976)

Watching Richard Donner’s tale of Damien, an adopted child who turns out to be the Anti-Christ, is probably the most effective form of birth-control devised to date. One of The Omen’s most famous scenes is the one in which Father Brennan, a well-meaning priest played by Patrick Troughton, comes to an untimely end outside a church. Struggling through a swirling, devil-induced storm, he eyes the place of worship as a refuge. Unfortunately for him, it turns out to be anything but – instead, he is impaled by a falling lightning rod. You can visit the very spot where he met his at All Saint’s Church in Fulham.

2. Duke of Albany Pub site, New Cross (Shaun of the Dead, 2004)

Whilst it is strictly a comedy, Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead descends into genuine horror during its last act. Having fought their way through armies of zombies, Shaun and his ragtag group of friends make their last stand in a local pub. Known as The Winchester in the movie, the drinking hole proves to be a remarkably resilient fortress as hundreds of the undead gather outside. While much of the rest of the film was shot in Crouch End, the pub itself was located in New Cross where it was known by its real name of the Duke of Albany. Sadly, it was demolished in 2007 to make way for an apartment block – but the surroundings are still recognisable.

3. Westminster Bridge (28 Days Later, 2002)

The concept behind the opening scenes of 28 Days Later is simple: what if you awoke from a coma after 4 weeks to find that the entire city ofLondon was deserted? The resulting scenes are some of the most incredible ever shot in the city, as hero Jim (Cillian Murphy) wanders entirely alone past some of the most famous sites in the world. It’s possible to trace much of the route that Jim takes, taking in Trafalgar Square,Whitehall and crossing over Westminster Bridge. It’s the bridge that provides the clearest contrast with the movie – you’ll find it packed with tourists, whereas Jim found it barren, deserted and strewn with abandoned souvenirs.

4. St Dunstan’s in the East (Children of the Damned, 1963)

1960’s Village of the Damned saw the British village of Midwich terrorized by sinister children with mind-control powers. The unsettling theme helped the film achieve infamy, and it has since received an homage in The Simpsons, as well as an inferior remake in 1995. It is also spawned a spiritual sequel, Children of the Damned, which saw the action move toLondon. An ethnically-diverse group children are identified by a UNESCO research programme as having extraordinary telepathic abilities, as well seemingly having been born without a father. After making their inevitable escape, the children hide out in an abandoned church in Southwark. The war-damaged church is actually St Dunstan’s-in-the-East, which can still be found on St Dunstan’s Hill close to the Tower ofLondon. Its ruins have been converted into a garden, but you can still see its shell and the steeple.

5. Winchester Walk (An American Werewolf in London, 1981)

Hopefully, your trip to London will be less eventful than that of David (David Naughton), who sees his friend killed by a werewolf and then becomes one himself. As well as the house where his transformation takes place (64 Coleherne Roadin Earl’s Court), it is also possible to visit the dark alleyway in which the werewolf finally meets his end at the hands of the police. While it’s apparently in the West End, in reality it is Winchester Walk, located close toLondonBridge.

There are literally hundreds of other horror movie locations in London and the rest of theUK. Grab a camera and get ready to visit the sites of some of the most horrifying scenes ever captured on film!

In addition to being a huge horror movie fan, Nick Sim likes to experience terror of a different type at UK theme parks.

The words London and ‘spooks’ may conjour up visions of James Bond 007 and M, but this article is about those other British spooks – the ghosts and ghouls that are said to haunt many of London’s historic streets and buildings. Many visitors to London have begun their travels as sceptics in search of fun and excitement and by the end of their time in London have been convinced that there are other, ever restless spirits out there, permanently haunting those cobbled streets and grand old townhouses.

They would not be alone. Early in 2011 managers at the Thorpe Park theme park in Surrey, just outside London, called in a paranormal detection agency after construction workers reported ghostly sightings, including that of a headless monk around a new ride. The investigation revealed that the building work might have disturbed an ancient burial ground so a decision was made to relocate the 64 foot water ride to another area of the park and call in a forensic team to carry out further investigations.

Ghostly anecdotes in London

Whether it is due to their creepy atmosphere or their occupants, burial grounds and graveyards are a great source of ghost stories, so where better to start our modern ghost tour than Highgate Cemetery in North London? As it happens, Highgate Cemetery could be the first stop on a political tour of London, or a scientific tour or London or even a literary tour of London, as famous former visitors include Karl Marx, Michael Farraday, and Geroge Eliot, but during the 1960s and 1970s the cemetery was the location for several consistent and unexplained vampire sightings. Vampires are often associated with Eastern Europe but vampires of the English school England are just as terrifying.

A contrasting location for a ghost hunt in London is the splendid Georgian mansion at 50 Berkley Square which has earned a reputation as ‘the most haunted house in London.’ The deaths of three people – all apparently collapsed from terror – have been attributed to ghost sightings in one of the upper rooms. Each of the people affected was so terrified they were unable to give a description of what they saw and never recovered their wits.

Ghostly antidotes in London

Luckily all of the sightings referred to above took place at night. And at night in London there is no reason to linger around Highgate Cemetry or 50 Berkley Square, as London nightlife has far more to offer.

If you still have a taste for chilling spirits then a far more convivial destination is the Icebar, just off Regent Street. Icebar London http://www.belowzerolondon.com/ is the UK’s only permanent icebar, in which the ambient temperature is kept at -5 degrees and guests are given thermal clothing for their visit.

If those pesky vampires are still troubling you then a traditional vodka and garlic remedy (or a silver bullet) may be just the shot. So try www.garlicandshots.com.

And if your aperitifs have made you a little peckish, then head to London restaurant Dans Le Noir, quite literally for dinner in the dark.

If you prefer London a little lighter then Summer schools England may be just your thing. You can choose from schools in modern purpose-built buildings or ghostly old mansions.