Speaker’s Corner – London chat forum

I went to the State Opening of Parliament today. I had to get up well early (6:45 AM!) and I should have got a medal but it was worth it. I don't think it was as good as Trooping the Colour though, but more on that later.

The parade was due to go past at 11 AM so I thought I'd better be there by nine at least, but I ended up in McDonalds by half-8, just to pass the time. It was drizzling with rain all day and maybe that's what kept the crowds away, but the streets were still empty at 10. You could have arrived an hour before and still got yourself a good spot. I had plenty of time, so I walked the whole thing from the Palace down The Mall, through Horse Guards and Whitehall, and all the way up to Parliament. Unfortunately you needed a pass to get past the Abbey, and the coppers stopped me going any further, so I ended up under the shadow of Big Ben in Parliament Square, right on … read the rest of this post

So, The Cenotaph. What is it like? It's not a barrel of laughs, I can tell you that much. It's still got a load of poppies around it commemorating the dead. There's pictures of soldiers looking like kids and peering out from the center of a wreath, and kind words from the Salvation Army. There was also one from the Armenian Embassy, for some reason. But there was loads of them -- about fifty at least all placed around the base. That's a lot of dead soldiers to remember.

The Cenotaph has always seemed a little bland to me. It's just a concrete box standing on end. I know that's probably the point, to make it devoid of decoration. But why should that be so? What's wrong with a bit of celebration for these guys? Everyone wants to have the biggest gravestone in the churchyard... I know do, and I don't even deserve it. I want the plushest walnut coffin to lie in, and silk pillow too. … read the rest of this post

I didn't fancy going anywhere big today so I just took a few photographs of Admiralty Arch and the Cenotaph.

There's not a lot you can say about Admiralty Arch really. It's just a big arch. Well, that's not quite right -- it's three arches. Or three arches and two piddly little arches off to the side. So I suppose it's three arches plus two half arches which makes four arches if you add them up with maths, but only three (or five) if you look at it. I hope that makes sense.

Come to think of it, there are actually two interesting things that I can say about the arch. The first one is this: the middle arch is always closed. Have you ever noticed that? That is because the Queen is the only person who's allowed to go through it (a bit like Marble Arch). They open it up on State occasions so she can glide by in her golden coach. At all other times the traffic has to make do with the … read the rest of this post

It was just a little visit today -- the Albert Memorial. All you've got to do is visit the Royal Albert Hall and its directly across the road in Kensington Gardens. It's probably the best memorial in London, but funnily enough it's also the least well-known. Everyone has heard of Nelson's Column, Cleopatra's Needle and Marble Arch, but ask someone about Prince Albert's marker and the odds are they won't have a clue. But look at it! How can you forget something like that.

The whole thing is massive. It's 175 feet tall -- that's taller than Nelson's Column. (That fact is actually a little hard to believe when you're standing underneath the Albert Memorial, but it's definitely true -- Nelson's Column is six feet shorter.) Unfortunately they dont let you pass the golden gates but you can still get a decent view from twenty feet away. A massive marble mosiac runs around the bottom … read the rest of this post

I went to One New Change today to see the view. I've heard a few people mention it now so I thought I'd go and see what all the fuss was about. And it was... alright, I suppose. I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to see it, but it's worth a look if you're in the vicinity of St. Paul's and fancy a cup of tea.

All you've got to do is go round the back of St. Paul's and cross the road to the shopping centre. Then ride the lift to the roof terrace and take in the view. They've got a little cafe up there too, but you don't even have to go in it if you don't want. You can just walk over to the barrier and peer over the edge. You get a decent view of the back end of the cathedral and distant views of the London Eye and Big Ben (although you'll need super sharp eyesight to pick out Big Ben). And that's about it really. Not exactly mind-blowing.

I thought I'd venture a bit further afield today, so I ended up at Hampton Court Palace. It's not too far away from London, only about half-an-hour on the train. I used to go on cross-country runs down the river when I was at school so I've got unhappy memories of this place. I don't normally go there, for fear that the teachers are still watching for kids slacking off and walking. But I braved it.
I've actually done the tour a few times now so I skimmed a few bits quick today, but it still took me the best part of 3 hours. I don't think you can do it any quicker that that. That takes in every room and the gardens out the back, including the maze. But if actually take the time to you stop and listen to the audio guide for every room, and have a cup of tea too, then you'll be there for 4 or 5 hours at least. Lots of people ask if you can do Hampton Court and Windsor on the same … read the rest of this post