Endlessly eclectic, dynamic and effervescent, London is
truly one of the world‘s great cities. This sprawling
metropolis is a far cry from the scrabble of dwellings
that first sprouted up along the banks of the River
Thames to house river traders during their voyages towards
the sea. It was the Romans who really kick-started the city,
by establishing “Londinium” as an important fortress town
in the southeast of this then untamed island, guarding
over the Thames and protecting against any incursions by
fierce Celtic tribes. The Romans brought with them forts,
roads and the rule of law prompting Roman historian Tacitus
to boast of an AD60 city “filled with travellers and a celebrated centre of commerce”. Over the ages, London has
grown against all odds as its resilient citizens faced up
to a myriad of dangers that would undoubtedly have sunk a
lesser place. The Great Plague, the Great Fire, the bitter
English Civil War and a plot to blow up the Houses of
Parliament to name but a few. Even as London was taking
its place on the 20th-century‘s world stage, the German
Luftwaffe attempted to bomb it off the face of the Earth
during the World War II “Blitz”.
These days, London is a truly multicultural city, with 37
distinct immigrant groups, each consisting of more than
10,000 people, as part of a population that is pushing
inexorably towards the ten million mark. This multiculturalism
perhaps best manifests itself on the plate. While Indian food
is as much of a British institution as fish and chips, London
residents and visitors could actually choose what type of
restaurant to dine in by putting a pin in a globe.
The sheer scale of Greater London can be daunting at first,
sprawling 1500 sq kilometres (580 sq miles) across a voluminous
plain, swallowing all in its path as it goes, but it is a
city that is surprisingly easy to get around, as the “Tube”
is an easily understandable and comprehensive underground
system. The old cliché of London being a collection of
villages still rings true with each cog of the organically
developed wheel boasting its own attractions, from leafy
Richmond in the southwest or Hampstead in the north, trendy
Hoxton in the east or Notting Hill in the west, right through
to bustling Soho in the centre and the high-tech landscape of
the Docklands to the east. The twin axis on which London rests
is the Houses of Parliament to the west and “The City” to the
east. The seat of government (not far from the home of the
royal family) is connected to The City (the financial engine
room of London and the whole of the UK) by the River Thames
and in between lie most of the tourist attractions and the
busiest, liveliest nightlife areas. Overseeing the whole lot
is Ken Livingstone and his mayoral government, who started
their jobs in 2000, and are keen to make an impact on the
city, probably most visible in the changing skyline. The
City and the Docklands are both already shooting upwards.
In summer, London‘s bountiful green spaces fill up with
office workers and tourists enjoying the surprisingly balmy
days as café tables sprout across a multitude of pavements.
In the depths of winter, when the grey skies and rain clouds
descend, there are always the numerous cosy pubs to hide away in.
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