Episode 1 Kings and Queens and Boy George
The London Tube map
London is a vibrant city that experienced changes all the time. Lately the most notable was the change in its inhabitants. People with different ethnic background filled the streets, making the true Britons a rarity. One thing they all have in common is they all speak with a cockney accent. I always enjoy the humour of watching them amongst the ‘bli-me’. This kind of assimilation has its pros and cons but that is not our topic of discussion.
When you are in a city like London, knowing how to get around is essential. Forget about driving. The streets are narrow and often they drive on the other side of the street when it is clear of traffic to get some extra room. They drive on the right hand side which is different from what we do. Luckily, the transportation system in London is frequent and accessible. The bus, the subways and the trains are all inter-connected. The map looks complicated but it is not.
When you are in London, go to the subway station (they call it ‘the tube’) and buy a pass which costs 30p (British pounds) and you can get unlimited rides on both buses and the subway for 7 days within certain zone 1 and 2 which is central London. Most of the sightseeing places are within zone 1 and 2. There is also a deposit required when you first get the card but you can get it back upon surrendering the pass when you leave.
Take a look at the map and you will realize there are different color coded lines which denote different subway lines. The most commonly used one is the Circle Line [yellow] and District Line [green]. The inside of the trains are also color coded and you would not make mistake on this. From the circle line which runs around central London, you can transfer to all other color coded subway lines and get to your destination. One thing you have to take caution is to notice the final destination of your train so you can get on the right direction.
The bus lines work on the same principle. There are time schedules of how often the buses run at the bus stops and of course you have know the final bus terminal to decide the direction of the bus. Once you get the hang of it, you can easily venture on and go to
Trafalgar Square – British National Museum
Piccadilly Square – China Town
Parliament – very close to #10 Downing Street
Victoria – Buckingham Palace
You can also go to the London Eye, different markets, London Tower, London Bridge. The choices are yours to pick. London has history. It is also famous for its gardens and parks, the love for art and theatre. British are more conservative by nature. They are cautious and traditional. They are practical and without much fanfare. They buildings are still straight line, concrete and could last 1000 years. There is not much fanciful appearance.
You have to lend them lots of respect for keeping things to their maximum utility.
You are comfortable with transportation and let us cruise through my free-will journey in London.