Thomson in London

London Millennium Footbridge in Video

2010-03-17T09:55:00.000Z

Windsor Castle Panoramics

2010-03-17T09:51:00.000Z

What follows are two panoramic videos taken from inside Windsor Castle.

Windsor Castle Guard Change in Video

2010-03-17T09:48:00.000Z

The regiment detailed to the Queen's Guard changed at 11am on the day of our visit to Windsor Castle. What follows are a few videos of the ceremony...

This first video shows the Old Guard awaiting the arrival of the New Guard.

This next video shows the arrival of the New Guard, accompanied by a full band.

This next video shows the formal meeting of the Old Guard and the New Guard. You can see the two commanding officers meet in the middle of the Parade Ground, then return to their men.

This next video shows the band entertaining the soldiers and the spectators. The band plays a short concert while the two commanding officers leave the Parade Ground to share tea.

This next video shows the departure of portions of the New Guard to posts around the Castle grounds.

This final video shows a member of the New Guard marching at his post some time after the ceremony had concluded.

Windsor Castle

2010-03-16T21:01:00.000Z

Windsor Castle, located a 30 minute train journey to the west of London, is the largest inhabited castle in the world with just short of 500,000 square feet.

This first picture is an aerial view I found via Google.

This is a view of the Castle on the horizon from a window of our approaching train.

This is The Round Tower, the last keep and most secure location within the Castle. This Tower has its own moat and a secure water supply in the form of a deep well, both built so that the Tower could withstand a long siege.

This is St. George's Chapel, the religious center of the Castle and the sight of many royal weddings and burials.

This pictures points to a remote corner of the grounds where the Queen's Royal Apartments are located. The woman you can see to the right of the corner tower is the Queen's head housekeeper, who was walking one of the Queen's dogs.

This picture and the following two deal with the The Most Noble Order of the Garter, an order founded in 1348 by King Edward III, which numbers some 24 Knights at any given time. This picture shows St. George's Hall, which holds the coats of arms of past and present members of the Order. You will notice that some shields are white. These members have brought disgrace to the Order, but their shields remain.

This picture shows the Quire inside St. George's Chapel. The 24 current Knights of the Order fly their standard above their position wthin the Quire. You will also see a half-drawn sword above each Knight's position. This is to represent their readiness and willingness to fight to defend the Realm.

This picture shows the Throne Room of the Order of the Garter, one of the State Rooms open to the public.

This is the official State Dining Room at Windsor Castle.

Dover Castle

2010-03-15T22:51:00.000Z

The Dover Castle was constructed by the the Romans, expanded during the Middle Ages, and utilized as a first line of defense against occupied France, just 21 miles away across the English Channel. What follows are some pictures from Dover Castle, in which you can see the Castle and its surroundings, as well as mainland France across the Channel.

Canterbury Cathedral

2010-03-15T22:31:00.000Z

Our first stop today was in Canterbury, home of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Canterbury Cathedral, seat of the Anglican Church. What follows are some pictures of the cathedral, both inside and out.

White Cliffs in Video

2010-03-15T22:13:00.000Z

What follows are two videos I took while walking along the cliffs earlier today.

My Brother The Nerd

2010-03-15T21:44:00.000Z

As I said in the previous post, my brother is currently in London. Part of his trip was spent speaking to The American Civil War Roundtable UK here in London. You can get an introduction to his presentation here. And what follows are a few pictures I took during the presentation, held at the National Army Museum this past Saturday afternoon.

White Cliffs of Dover

2010-03-15T20:49:00.000Z

My brother David is in London this week. Today we took the train out to Canterbury and to Dover. The following are some pictures of the famous White Cliffs of Dover, located just outside of town. The cliffs, composed of exposed chalk and located just 21 miles from the French mainland, cut an intimidating horizon. Future updates will show the castle in Dover, the busy port, and views of the French mainland.

Look very carefully in this picture and the next and you can see my brother serving as a scale...

Hyde Park, late winter

2010-03-07T17:00:00.000Z

It may be warming up in London, but we've yet to reach the point where things start to flower. I was in London a bit later in March last year and there were bright and colorful flowers so I'm holding out hope for the next few weeks.

East Meets West

2010-03-01T20:30:00.000Z

I took some time out at midday today to travel to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, just east of Central London. The site, just south of the River Thames, is home to the Prime Meridian, the physical point from which all east/west measures are made. I'd been to the Royal Observatory before, but never at 1pm. As you'll see in a video below, something special happens at 1pm...

This picture and the next show the Royal Observatory up on the hilltop from the entrance to Greenwich Park.

The display, at the entrance to the Observatory, contains a clock and calibrations for various units of measure.

This picture and the next show a view of Canary Wharf and the Docklands, the former shipping center of England made new financial center. In the first picture, you can see some of the taller buildings in Central London at the far left of frame.

And here's the Prime Meridian.

Facing North... Left foot in the Western Hempisphere, right foot the Eastern Hemisphere.

The red ball has traditionally risen and dropped at 1pm GMT every day so that ship captains could set their watches.

Here is video of the ball dropping at 1pm GMT on Monday, March 1.

Jeremy Bentham

2010-03-01T18:58:00.000Z

The philosopher and political scientist Jeremy Bentham, famous for a variety of things (including as the father of utilitarianism), was fundamental in the founding of University College London as a sectarian alternative to Cambridge and Oxford, where membership in the Church of England was required for matriculation. So great was his love for the school that in his final will he asked that his body be preserved and placed in an autoicon to remain on campus.

So today if you walk through the South Cloisters, you see Mr. Bentham sitting in a big glass and wooden box. Everything is real aside from the head, as his actual head was damaged a number of years ago. There are stories that a group of students stole his head and used it to play soccer, but it was probably just damaged during a long-since-past relocation.

And here's an interesting fact (as if the presence of a dead man - dead since 1832 - wasn't interesting enough)... On a number of noteworthy milestones in the history of University College London, Jeremy Bentham has been wheeled in to meetings of the College Council, where he has been marked as "present but not voting."

Chinese New Year

2010-02-21T16:57:00.000Z

I went for a walk earlier today from Trafalgar Square, up through Leicester Square, and on to Chinatown in Soho.

Abbey Road

2010-02-17T19:51:00.001Z

The iconic cover art from the Beatles' 1969 record "Abbey Road."

With the recent news that EMI announced the intended sale of the famed Abbey Road studios, I made a note to return to that area, one quite centrally located but to which I'd not traveled in the course of my last few trips to London.

Needing a break from my reading and seizing the bright blue skies and near tolerable temperatures, I made my way to Saint John's Wood and Abbey Road earlier today. What follows are a few pictures I took whilst there...

There were the usual collection of tourists taking pictures of one another walking across the street and there were also a few members of the news media reporting on the pending sale.

Abbey Road studios sits just behind the famous crosswalk.

It has been reported that EMI has rejected an offer for £30 million for the building.

The white walls outside the studios are constantly repainted, but it doesn't take long for fans to cover them up once more.

Hampstead

2010-02-13T22:32:00.001Z

The neighborhood of Hampstead in North London, once a distinct village, was, years ago, subsumed by an expanding London. The area is very hilly, a rarity for London, and not on the popular list of tourist locales. The Hampstead Tube Station is on the border of Zone 2 and Zone 3, so a base monthly pass is valid for the journey. The area is very close to Central London and quite remote at the same time.

Olympics

2010-02-13T20:09:00.000Z

As you all undoubtedly know, the 2010 Olympics started last night in Vancouver. With the next round taking place in London in 2012, the city is paying particular attention to the events in Canada. There is a large television screen set up in Trafalgar Square, which is beaming the sights and sounds to London day and night. There is also a nice ice sculpture of the Olympic rings and some interactive booths shilling Olympic video games and other goodies.

What follows are a few pictures I took this morning in Trafalgar Square.

East London From Memory

2010-02-01T16:53:00.000Z

This post has nothing to do with anywhere I've been or anything I've actually seen. It does, however, have to do with a fantastic visual portrayal of London with a wonderful story.

I was watching some television the other night trying to fall asleep when I came across a documentary about a 33-year-old Autistic savant called Stephen Wiltshire. He did not speak until the age of nine, but has managed to overcome many of the social hindrances his condition saddles him with. The man possesses an amazing, if not eidetic, memory and the special centered largely around one large piece he was completing. He flew around East London in a helicopter for 15 minutes, then spent five days sketching what he saw from memory. The final product stretched over 16 feet across and is absolutely astounding.

What follows is a comparison of his work and a skyline view of East London, accompanied by a more detailed copy of his work. Please click on the pictures to make them appear larger. People who looked for their homes or offices commented that he was even correct in remembering how many windows or floors a certain building had.

Security in London

2010-01-31T13:45:00.000Z

Apologies in advance for the quality of these pictures...

They pictures were taken from the second level of a moving bus as I was making my way home on Friday afternoon. This conference center, located opposite Westminster Abbey and just off Parliament Square, is the site of the Iraq Inquiry. Friday marked former Prime Minister Tony Blair's testimony and both protesters and police turned out in force. I particularly liked the "BLIAR" signs.

Portobello Road Market

2010-01-23T18:33:00.000Z

The Portobello Road Market, situated over the course of a mile in Notting Hill, is convened every Saturday throughout the year and hosts a vast array of antiques and vintage collectibles along with fresh food and music. I walked through the market this afternoon and took the following pictures...

The Punch Bowl

2010-01-18T13:40:00.002Z

On Saturday night a few friends and I made our way to a pub in London called The Punch Bowl. It's a traditional country pub that has been open at its current location (Farm Street. a quiet side street as far from any major road or public transport as you can reasonably get in the center of London) since about 1750, but that's not what makes the place extraordinary.

The pub has long been a local boozer for residents of Mayfair, a well-to-do neighborhood just to the east of Hyde Park, but it took on another role when local resident/drinker Guy Ritchie, he of directing (Snatch, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Sherlock Holmes) and marriage (Madonna, now divorced) fame, purchased a stake in the pub a few years ago. Since then, it's become a popular haunt for celebrities looking to avoid the big clubs and top-shelf bars in the capital. It's a classic pub with reasonable prices and no line or guestlist, and there's also a chance you might run into someone famous.

We were ordering drinks when a friend recognized Taylor Kitsch, a Canadian actor most famous for television's "Friday Night Lights" and the most recent X-Men movie. I had never heard of him and still couldn't pick him out of a lineup, but an iPhone search into his business in London turned up a movie filming in town (John Carter of Mars) with a noteworthy director attached who happened to be standing next to the aforementioned actor in the pub.

So in the end, our noteworthy celebrity sighting was writer/director Andrew Stanton, a man from Pixar who had a hand in Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo, Ratatouille, and WALL-E among others. That guy is a genius.

Cambridge

2010-01-13T10:39:00.000Z

Cambridge is set on the River Cam and is less than an hour from London by train. The University of Cambridge, founded in 1209, is spread throughout the city of about one hundred thousand people. I spent the day yesterday visiting a friend from Cornell there; she is an alum of Corpus Christi College, one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge, and was in town for a few days before heading back to New York. What follows are pictures from my excellent guided tour of town...

The colleges are all closed off from the town's streets. This picture and the next portray representative college entrances.

Inside each the colleges the buildings surround a series of courtyards. In the following few pictures you'll see some students passing by but you'll never see one walking on the grass. No one is allowed to touch the grass until they are a Fellow (a tenured faculty member). Punishment for infractions is said to involve physical labor of the brass/silver polishing variety.

This is the Mathematical Bridge over the River Cam. Rumor has it that the bridge was designed by Sir Issac Newton and that it was constructed without the need for nuts and bolts. The story goes that at some point in time past, students and faculty disassembled the bridge and were unable to assemble it again without the assistance of said nuts and bolts. Apparently the story is a complete fabrication and the bridge was built with nuts and bolts after Newton was dead, but it's a fun story nonetheless.

This is the Bridge of Sighs over the River Cam. Despite it's ornate and solid construction, it is barely wide enough for two people to walk side-by-side.

Rowing is quite popular at both Cambridge and Oxford, and each college has its own boathouse on the River Cam.

My friend and I climbed the steps to Great Saint Mary's, The University Church to get some views of town from above. This picture is of Senate House, where graduation ceremonies occur and the central administration is located.

The Chapel of King's College, started in 1446, is home to the famous Chorus of King's College since their founding by Henry VI.

This is a view from the top of Great Saint Mary's onto Market Square.

Christmas Travel (In Pictures)

2009-12-24T20:24:00.002Z

What follows are a few pictures starting at my flat in London and ending aboard a British Airways 777 bound for Boston. At the end are two pictures of a yet-to-be-changed Accenture advert with Tiger Woods. It takes on a whole new meaning now.

Here's a view down Alderney Street (my flat is immediately to the left).

Here's a view of Warwick Square on my walk to Victoria Station.

Here's Victoria Station, where I catch the Tube/bus each morning and where I caught the Tube to Heathrow on Sunday morning.

Here's the classic Underground insignia on the District/Circle Line platform. I caught the District Line westboard and switched to the Piccadilly Line at Hammersmith.

Here's a view of the Piccadilly Line carriage as it neared Heathrow.

Here's the empty Piccadilly Line train at Heathrow Terminal 5.

Another Underground insignia

Here's the Departures board at Heathrow Terminal 5, home to British Airways' operations at the airport.

And we're nearly there. My flight departed London at 4pm and arrived in Boston at 6:30pm. With a five hour time difference, that made for a flight of over seven hours.

This flight didn't operate during sleeping hours, but there's plenty to distract you enroute.

And here's the Tiger Woods advertisement at the top of an escalator in Heathrow Terminal 5B.

"It's what you do next that counts." He better hope so.

Happy Christmas

2009-12-19T14:52:00.000Z

I may have successfully avoided a British Airways cabin crew industrial action (read: strike) to be caught up by a Noreaster hitting Boston over the next few days. If all goes according to plan and the weather behaves itself, I should be back in the United States tomorrow evening. We'll see...

In the meantime, here are a few pictures of Christmas trees in London. The first three pictures a from the Palace of Westminster. The remaining pictures are from the tree in Trafalgar Square. (As an added bonus, you can see London's larger-than-life menorah in a few of the final pictures.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T18:20:00.001Z

This may be my first Thanksgiving spent outside of the United States, but that doesn't mean I had to go without a bit of celebration. No, I'm not talking solely about the turkey sandwich I ate for lunch... I attended the official American commemoration this morning at St. Paul's Cathedral. The Cathedral was full for some time before the start of the service at 11am. As I got there a bit early and was there alone, I actually sat quite close to the front. The first four or five rows were reserved for embassy staff and their families, but I snagged a spot just behind them.

A color guard drawn from the embassy Marine attachment presented the flag of the United States, which was handed to the clergy and, eventually, placed at the altar. The flag was processed in along with a variety of Christian clergy, British and American, from around the capital. The final members of the procession were Ambassador Susman and his wife. The service consisted of a few readings, an offering for this year's charity (microfinance group Opportunity International), a nice sermon from the senior pastor at the American Church in London, and a bit of singing. The musical aspect was led by a chorus drawn from a number of American places of worship around town and added a nice touch. I'm generally not one for overt displays of patriotism, but I felt a bit of a tingle when the service concluded with a few thousand Americans singing "America the Beautiful" in the heart of London.

Photography was not allowed inside the cathedral and, for once, I didn't break that rule as security personnel seemed quite strict. What follows are a few pictures I took outside the cathedral as the service was letting out, a picture of the cover of the program, and a few pictures of St. Paul's from previous trips to London.

As an aside, I've seen the past two US presidents speak whilst they were in office and the security today jointly supplied by the British and the Americans was up there with either of those experiences. There were barrier fences constructed, dogs, and rigorous security searches of one's person and possessions. There was a visible British/American personnel presence both outside and inside the venue and a large number of athletic men with flesh-colored earpieces rising out of the neck of their jackets. It's a sad commentary, but a reality that a collection of thousands of Americans gathering together in thanks may prove an attractive target to some. That was a thought a struggled to shake as I listened to the Ambassador read the President's remarks and proclamation. I'd encourage everyone to be thankful for the incredible blessings we, as Americans, have. But I'd also encourage everyone to consider at just what cost they come.

I might not have had a turkey dinner today, but I'm quite thankful I decided to attend the service.

Ghost Forest

2009-11-19T21:13:00.001Z

There is currently a large outdoor art installation in Trafalgar Square by the British artist Angela Palmer called "Ghost Forest." The exhibition, which consists of a number of tree stumps from an African rainforest, is meant to draw attention to the risk that these habitats face. The installation, which was meant to coincide with the run-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Copenhagen December 7th to 18th. What follows are a few of my pictures from Trafalgar Square...

As an aside, this entry marks my first foray into photo stitching. The panoramic shot featured at the top of this entry is actually a series of six separate photos I took whilst standing atop the stairs in front of the National Gallery. I stitched the distinct photos together to generate a nearly 180 degree display.

Touchdown

2009-11-15T23:43:00.000Z

I happened to be taking the bus to campus last week when we ran into a bit of a backup in the area of Trafalgar Square. It soon became apparent that someone was gravely injured and he was of some importance. When the bus had entered the Square, I saw a man in a pinstriped suit receiving CPR in the middle of the road. There were 3-4 ambulances and 7-8 red police vehicles attached to the Diplomatic Protection Group. Nothing ever appeared in the newspaper, but it did seem to be more of a response than you or I would have received.

I was focused on all that when I heard a muffled noise from outside the bus. I was sitting by the left window and looked out to see a medical helicopter coming in for a landing. Those of you who have been to London will know that there is not a tremendous amount of room for a helicopter to land between those two fountains.

I frantically ripped through my backpack and found my camera. What follows are a handful of pictures I managed to take from the upper level of a moving bus.

Bank of England

2009-11-15T17:04:00.001Z

Last week I visited the Bank of England Museum, which tells the story of "The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street" from its founding in 1694 as The Governor and Company of the Bank of England until the present day. Here are a few pictures from the Bank, located on Threadneedle Street in the heart of the City of London. I don't have any pictures from inside the museum as it is located within the confines of the Bank and security precludes photography. There are some full-scale recreations of the older Bank and I'd recommend the museum to anyone with an interest in economics, politics, or history.

These first few pictures show quite clearly the ancient security walls and the (relatively) new upper portions, which are about 100 years old.

This shot, taken from the intersection of Threadneedle and Cornhill, shows the Bank on the left and the Stock Exchange on the right.

Hastings

2009-11-05T21:00:00.000Z

I spent the day yesterday walking through a nice bit of countryside on the outskirts of Hastings, a town located on the coast southeast of London and famous as host to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Most, if not all, of the land we walked on is private property belonging to various farmers. There is a strong spirit of public access to private lands in the United Kingdom that is largely absent in the United States. The public are welcome to go for a walk so long as the business of the land is not interfered with and the area is left as it was found.

I traveled to the area with classmates and faculty to interact with locals who are questioning the government's plans for economic development and construction in the area. Hastings, with a population just south of 100,000, is a fantastically depressed area. Those living in the country don't want any development, but it's a different story when you head into town. The following are some photos I took as we walked a particularly scenic bit from Crowhurst to Bexhill.

Happy Christmas

2009-11-05T11:45:00.001Z

The various Christmas decorations around London were ceremonially lit on Tuesday evening. The events were set to coincide with the London premiere of the new animated film "A Christmas Carol" and various stars of the film were spread throughout London taking part in the festivities. There were large-scale events at Oxford Street, St. Paul's Cathedral, and Regent Street. I joined a few friends in going to Regent Street, where actor Colin Firth lit the lights in a nationally-televised ceremony. The busy street, closed to traffic, was a sea of people. I've included a few pictures and a video of the lighting.

Our view of the stage from about 250 feet away.

Colin Firth with an unidentified London radio personality.

A view of Regent Street as the crowd started to disperse and I made my way back down to Piccadilly Circus.

The view from Piccadilly Circus looking at the entrance to Regent Street.

Are you ready for some (American) football?

2009-10-25T21:48:00.003Z

The New England Patriots defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers today at Wembley Stadium here in London. The Patriots arrived on Friday morning and stayed on Park Lane (across the street from Hyde Park), a 15 minute walk from my flat. The team's lone practice was held at the Brit Oval cricket ground, located just across the River Thames and less than half a mile from my flat. I saw lots of Patriots fans about town over the past few days. Most seemed to be packing in a day or two of touristing before the big game.

I came across these two British Patriots fans on my way to the Tube this afternoon.

As for the game... I didn't have a ticket, but I did make my way out to the stadium a few hours prior to kickoff to see the sights. The NFL put on an official tailgate celebration that was worthy of a Super Bowl week. You needed a game ticket to enter the festivities, but I took the time to check out the entertainment on offer from the wrong side of the fence. I was unlucky enough to hear Kid Rock "entertaining" the crowd. My one "celebrity" sighting was Steve Burton of WBZ in Boston. He appeared rather surprised to be recognized.

What follows are some pictures I took whilst on my walk.

This is the view from Wembley Park Tube Station.

I took this picture from one of two large pedestrian ramps to the stadium from ground level. Wembley Stadium opened in 2007 on the same plot where the original Wembley (opened in 1923) was located. Wembley is the national football (soccer) stadium in England.

The stadium has a retractable dome roof that is not supported from below in an attempt to eliminate restricted view (behind a support beam) seating required in traditional retractable dome designs. The solution is a large and prominent arch that supports the roof from above.

Time's A-Changin'

2009-10-24T11:21:00.000+01:00

I'll be shifting my clock back by one hour this evening when the UK moves from British Summer Time back to Greenwich Mean Time. That means for one week I'll be situated four hours ahead of the East Coast and seven hours ahead of the West.

Carbon Finance 2009

2009-10-21T23:12:00.002+01:00

Over the past two days I've been in attendance at the annual Carbon Finance conference here in London.

The meetings were held at an incredibly fascinating time. Many of you have undoubtedly heard of the Kyoto Protocol, a protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an international treaty which seeks the "stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system." Of course, some of you in the US may be unfamiliar with the specifics of the protocol because the United States, a state responsible for over 36% of emissions in 1990, did not ratify the protocol. The following map puts the United States' absence in the appropriate context.

Green: Yes, Gray: Undecided, Red: No

The conference centered on the fast-approaching summit in Copenhagen, where our collective path after Kyoto's end date of 2012 will be debated. In the meantime, the EU has instituted a cap-and-trade program for carbon and operates a fully-functioning commodity market in carbon emission allowances. The United States Congress has, of late, made some strides (passing the Kerry-Boxer bill in the Senate and the Waxmen-Markey bill in the House) but much remains to be done.

Delegates at the conference came from governments around the world, as well as from NGOs and private industry. While there were many scientists, economists, policy experts, and entrepreneurs from the United States, there were zero representatives of our government.

Recommendations, Solicited and Issued

2009-10-17T22:27:00.000+01:00

If anyone is reading these missives and would like to see something specific in London, please let me know by posting a comment herein or by sending me an email at patrickjthomson (at) gmail (dot) com. I've been in London on enough occasions that I, at this point, might not know just what people with less or no familiarity would find interesting.

And here's a tip for you while I'm at it... Those pictures contained in my various posts that I actually took (read: that's most of them) are of a rather high quality and can he greatly enhanced by clicking on them. That might seem self-explanatory to many of you, but I wanted to point it out so that all of you could fully enjoy the scenery.

Finally (and, perhaps, most selfishly), each and every one of you should try to make your way to London (preferably while I'm here, but you should do it anyway). I thoroughly enjoy playing tour guide, it's a comparable (albeit much more comfortable) flight from Boston/New York as would be a flight to the West Coast, and, contrary to popular and inexplicably continued belief, it is not prohibitively expensive. If you can be flexible in your plans (and, with enough forethought, most of you can be) a hotel/airfare combination can be downright cheap at Expedia.

London is a pulsing and thriving city that drips with history, culture, and entertainment. What's more, it's the most innocent "international" experience you'll experience and, no matter what the locals say to the contrary, you all already know the language. I hope to see you soon - you'll love it.

What is London... Exactly?

2009-10-15T21:39:00.000+01:00

I mentioned in a previous post that I am currently living in the city of London, a vast and international city with millions of residents. Many people have been to this great city in person and those that haven't have certainly seen its famous landmarks on television. Thinking of London conjures mental images of the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, Hyde Park, and the London Eye. While all of these places are found in the city of London, none of them are located in the City of London.

The Temple Bar monument at the border of the City of London and the City of Westminster. At this point the Strand becomes Fleet Street.

The City of London, located on the northern banks of the River Thames, covers just over one square mile and is the historic birthplace of the sprawling metropolis of London. The full-time population totals approximately 8,000 and is increased to about 350,000 during the workday. The entirety of London consists of 32 boroughs in addition to the City of London, which is led by the City of London Corporation and the Lord Mayor of the City of London, an office distinct from the Mayor of London.

The City of London is bordered to the west by the City of Westminster (where I live) and to the north by the London Borough of Camden (where I learn).

"Change The Politics, Save The Climate"

2009-10-14T20:14:00.001+01:00

I stumbled across a truly strange sight on Sunday afternoon. I was walking through Parliament Square when I saw a bustle of activity at the fences surrounding the Houses of Parliament. I made my way over to see what was happening and was shocked to see a group of 50-60 people had scaled the fencing and were now climbing up on the roof of Parliament. Once the group was settled on the roof, they donned Greenpeace UK t-shirts and settled in.

Perhaps most amazing of all is the British response to the action. I can't help but think that such an activity in the United States would have been met with round-the-clock coverage on all the various and sundry "news" channels and networks alike. There has hardly a mention in the news, either in the UK or, from what I read, abroad. The protesters were allowed to scale the building and about half of them were allowed to remain on the rooftop overnight, which was all they asked. Parliament reconvened in the morning following on its summer break and the members of Greenpeace UK wanted to be there when they arrived.

What follows are a series of pictures I took from my vantage point in Parliament Square...

Something You DO See Every Day

2009-10-11T22:49:00.000+01:00

For living in the wealthiest nation in the world, Americans sure don't drive like it. Sure, you see luxury cars - BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, etc... That's nothing. Hell, here even the police drive BMWs!

All joking aside, you certainly don't see cars like this back home. I saw these three cars parked within a few short blocks not from my flat.

First, we have a brand new Aston Martin Vantage

Next, an Aston Martin DB9

And, finally, a Ferrari I'm not adept enough to identify by model

A Piece of Home

2009-10-11T19:10:00.001+01:00

I spent a few hours on Saturday afternoon walking around the neighborhood of Mayfair, an upmarket area located just east of Hyde Park in Central London. It's a quiet area with few overly busy streets and a beautiful and predominantly brick architecture. In addition to being home to the likes of Madonna, Mayfair is also home to the Embassy of the United States of America to the Court of St. James's. The current embassy is located in a building of 1950s construction at the western end of Grosvenor Square. The installation boasts a staff of 750 and serves as the United States' primary presence in the United Kingdom. There are also American consulates located in Belfast and Edinburgh and additional offices in Glasgow and Cardiff.

The following picture was taken from the closest vantage point a camera-toting individual can obtain without drawing undue attention from armed local police or United States Marines.

And this next picture is one I took in wintertime a few years ago when all the leaves were down and you could get a good view from across the Square.

Since the 1960s, security has been a concern at the current location. The area is quite densely developed and there are roadways that pass within feet of the building. Security elements, provided by both the British and American governments, have stifled automobile and pedestrian traffic in the area. Nearly two years ago the United States made public its intention to relocate its embassy to a location that could be made more secure. The current location under consideration is in South London quite near where I live.

And, finally, here's an interesting fact... The embassy in London is not located on land owned by the United States, but, rather, on land leased from the Duke of Westminster. The United States did ask the Duke of Westminster to purchase the land and was refused unless land (primarily in Virginia) confiscated from his ancestors during the Revolutionary War was returned.

And here's another interesting fact (coupled with some pictures I lifted off the embassy's website)... The American ambassador lives in a place called Winfield House, which is centrally located on 12 acres in Regent's Park. Unlike the embassy, Winfield House is owned by the United States.

Up and Coming

2009-10-08T22:29:00.002+01:00

I'll be posting pictures of University College London and more information about my course of study soon (I promise!), but, in the meantime, I thought I'd share some news that was released today to much fanfare.

UCL is now rated the fourth best university in the world behind Harvard, Cambridge, and Yale according to the THE-QS World University Rankings. That's up from seventh place just one year ago. Those displaced since 2008 were Oxford, Cal Tech, and Imperial College London.

You can look at the complete rankings here.

A Universally Good Idea

2009-10-05T21:30:00.000+01:00

I'd like to take a brief detour for my typical pattern of posts to discuss something I experienced today, which dovetails quite nicely with the spirited debate in American politics this past summer.

As a bit of background, my health insurance through Cornell University lapsed on August 15th of this year and I went without coverage for five weeks while awaiting my departure for London. That situation continued until I squared away my coverage with a brief and painless errand after lecture this afternoon.

As a full-time student enrolled in a postgraduate course on a student visa, I am eligible for coverage by the National Health Service here in the United Kingdom. I popped in at the on-campus doctor's surgery today, filled out a single double-sided piece of paper that posed questions no more intrusive than "Where do you live?" (in order to assign a conveniently located doctor in my neighborhood) and "How much do you smoke/drink?" (presumably for statistical study), and I was registered. I spent a total of ten minutes in the office and left with a NHS number, which guarantees me medical care here in the United Kingdom. As an aside, the World Health Organization's oft-quoted rankings put the UK at 18th worldwide, well ahead of the United States at 37.

Shortly before I left the US, my sister and I were lucky enough to snag tickets to Barack Obama's town hall meeting on the topic of healthcare held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Throughout the summer, tremendous amounts of energy were expended on both sides of the political divide while arguing the merits and problems associated with making healthcare both widely-available and affordable. To be honest, I never understood the need for a debate. Every other member of the OECD (a group of 30 highly-developed countries that embrace democratic and free market ideals) offers better and more comprehensive healthcare coverage at a substantially lower cost than we do in the United States. In short, residents of countries like the United Kingdom pay less in healthcare expenses and are healthier for it.

My experience today reinforced everything I've heard and read to date: namely, that universal healthcare arrangements can be managed both competently and efficiently. It should be made clear that, as an economist, I am strongly in favor of free markets, except in cases where they do not work. A free market, where privately-held companies operate in the interest of maximizing the discounted stream of profits, will not arrive at the societal optimum in the case of healthcare.

The American system is broken and today I saw first hand the way to fix it.

Point A to Point B

2009-10-04T19:58:00.002+01:00

I alluded to bus travel in my most recent post and I'll now take the opportunity to expand on that aspect of my day-to-day existence. The bus system in London, with a fleet of approximately 8000, is quite extensive. London's various and sundry bus routes couple with the Underground subway system (colloquially referred to as the Tube owing to its circular tunnels) and my feet to serve, collectively, as my means of local transport.

As I've mentioned before, I am living in Pimlico, a neighborhood in Central London (postcode SW1) located just south of Westminster, which is home to a good many of the capital's tourist highlights. I'm exceedingly lucky in that my two local Tube stops, Pimlico and Victoria Stations, are both on the Victoria Line and so too is Warren Street Station, located near the UCL campus in Bloomsbury. That constitutes Option One when it comes to my daily commute. Option Two consists of the route 24 bus, the oldest continuously operated bus route in London. The trip by bus takes considerably longer than by Tube due largely to heavy traffic in London. What doesn't help is the fact that the route 24 could very well double as a tourist service as it passes a number of notable (and very busy) sights in the course of its journey. I sat in the front row of the upper-deck a few days ago and took a few pictures to illustrate my point. I provided a bit of commentary prior to each picture...

I pick up the route 24 bus just next to Victoria Station and it commences in a generally easterly direction along Victoria Street in the direction of Parliament Square. The first picture shows (from left to right) the London Eye, the Palace of Westminster (Parliament/Big Ben), and Westminster Abbey.

The bus then circles Parliament Square in a counterclockwise (or "anticlockwise" as would be said here...) direction. I took this next picture just as the bus prepared to make a lefthand turn onto Whitehall, the home to assorted Ministerial headquarters and of the prime minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer (just off Whitehall, on Downing Street).

The bus continues in a northerly direction along Whitehall until it enters Trafalgar Square, the historic center of the British Empire. The following picture provides a good view of the 170-foot tall Nelson's Column (the big pointy bit) and the National Gallery (the stone, columned structure in the background). The bus enters the visible roundabout at 6 o'clock, circles in a counterclockwise direction, and exits at 2 o'clock to continue north on Charing Cross Road.

Charing Cross Road passes through the hustle and bustle of the West End, home to the city's theaters along with many restaurants and pubs, and eventually turns into Tottenham Court Road once north of Oxford Street, that of high-end shopping fame. This specific picture was taken just as Charing Cross Road passes between Leicester Square and Covent Garden, two major centers of tourist activity.

My ride on the 24 ends just a short while north of that final picture when I alight at Warren Street Station (the same terminus as the Tube when it comes to my commute). Then it's just a one block walk to the east and I'm at UCL on Gower Street. I've intentionally left off here and I'll be back to show you my new academic home in the next installment.

Westminster Cathedral

2009-10-02T22:28:00.000+01:00

Westminster Cathedral, seat of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, is located just off Victoria Street - a ten minute walk from my flat. I pass by the cathedral with a view quite similar to that in the picture below when I occasion to take the bus (more to come on that later...) home. The church, completed in 1903, is young by any religious architectural standard, especially that relating to English cathedrals. It's worth noting, too, that this grand church should not be confused with its older and much more famous Anglican neighbor, Westminster Abbey, which is located another five minutes' walk down the road.

Westminster Cathedral, October 2009

I took this opportunity to look through some of my older pictures and found a few from Christmas Eve Mass back in 2004 when my family spent the holiday here in London. I remember that we ran from the Tube station to the service and, owing to our nominally late arrival, were relegated to a standing position in the back of the church. This all came on the heels of having arrived via an overnight glorified Air Canada cargo service from Montreal that same morning. Suffice it to say that we moved through that Mass thanks largely to muscle memory of a Catholic variety. I learned my lesson and have steered clear of Air Canada transatlantic flights since, instead choosing both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic on numerous occasions. Connecting in Montreal and Toronto might save you a few bucks, but the classic idiom rings true - you do get what you pay for.

Christmas Eve, 2004

The Cheap Seats, Christmas Eve Mass

London from Afar

2009-09-28T20:13:00.001+01:00

This afternoon I made my way up to Parliament Hill, which is situated at the southern end of Hampstead Heath. Itself a park in the north of London, Hampstead Heath is comparable in acreage to New York City's Central Park. Parliament Hill is renowned for its expansive views of the London skyline, particularly the view afforded of St. Paul's Cathedral. That specific view is so revered, in fact, that it is legally protected. That is, urban planning guidelines for Greater London are written so as to maintain the view of St. Paul's from Parliament Hill.

St. Paul's Cathedral, located some four miles to the south, is centered in this photo

Looking up at the top of Parliament Hill and some anonymous guy

Entrance to the Hill

Now is perhaps a good time to address something made quite clear by the first picture in this post - London is huge. London proper covers approximately 660 square miles, twice the land of New York City (not just Manhattan but all five boroughs), and is home to 7.6 million people. The greater metropolitan area, roughly defined as the area within the M25 circular road, boasts a population of 13 million - more than one-fifth the population of the entire United Kingdom.

One thing I've always liked about London is that it never feels quite as big as the numbers suggest. The city is organized into a seemingly limitless number of neighborhoods, each with its own architectural and cultural personality. Each neighborhood has its own local high street full of shops and pubs and restaurants frequented by local residents. I'll have more on my own neighbrhood, Pimlico, in the future.

Settling In

2009-09-24T23:39:00.001+01:00

Hello!

I'd trust I know all of you. In that case, you should all know that I've had a bit of a change of late. Specifically, I left my doctoral program at Cornell University and entered a master's program at University College London. It necessitated a move from Ithaca, New York to London by way of Kittery, Maine. Well, that's done now. I've started this blog to keep family and friends up-to-date through both picture and prose.

I arrived in London Tuesday morning on what was, without question, the smoothest transatlantic flight I've experienced to date. Following on a three-plus hour wait at passport control, made all the more intolerable by the two middle-aged American women behind me (repeat after me with your best Staten Island accent... "We nevah have to wait dis long when visiting da islands!"), I made my way into town via Heathrow Connect and a short cab ride. I'm living in the neighborhood of Pimlico, a short walk to the Victoria Line (the flat is equidistant from Victoria and Pimlico Stations, but I've found the walk to Victoria to be more entertaining) and a 25-minute commute to my new academic home, UCL. The flat itself is a two-bedroom at garden level on the right of the following picture.

The corner of Sussex and Alderney in Pimlico

The neighborhood is nestled along a leftward bend in the River Thames and is located due south of popular tourist attractions such as Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Westminster. With school not formally convening until next week, I've taken the opportunity to explore both my immediate surroundings and the city at large. While I've been to London on a number of occasions in the past, it's never been with a view towards living here. I'm settling in nicely and will be in touch again soon. For now, I'll leave you with a few pictures I've taken over the past few days.

Vauxhall Cross, home to the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) of Bond Fame... 10 minutes from my flat

Buckingham Palace, a 20 minute walk from my flat

The Palace of Westminster

The London Eye