Posts Tagged ‘United Kingdom’
England is an incredibly beautiful|a most amazing country in which to take a vacation. England has an awesome selection of tourist attraction|places of interest well worth visiting perfect for all tastes. There is the ancient city of York which is known to have been inhabited since the days of the Romans, Liverpool (which won the title of European City of Culture in 2008), and Torquay (which is widely known as the English Riviera). One of the most famous, and interesting, places to visit is London the capital city of the United Kingdom of Britain
London is an astounding city to visit, possibly just for a weekend or, possibly for a full vacation. You may be surprised at how many people living in the United Kingdom who have not visited London, this is especially surprising when you bear in mind the fact it is most often top of the majority of visitors lists (of the most enjoyable places they went to).
There are a multitude of things to do and see in London that it is quite impossible to recall them all at once. Surprisingly one of the newest attractions in London also happens to be one of the most popular – The London Eye. Another popular attraction nearby to the London Eye is Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. However, one place which must not be missed is Buckingham Palace.
Buckingham Palace is England’s most famous Royal residence, possibly because it is home to the Queen. The Palace is is situated right at the heart of London which makes it the perfect focus for tourists. The daily pageant of ‘Changing of the Guard’ is very fascinating to watch and quintessentially English.
Buckingham Palace was originally known as Buckingham House. It was originally a large townhouse, built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. It is actually the town house that forms the main core of the palace as we are familiar with today.
Throughout the following 75 years Buckingham House was extended with the building of 3 wings around a central courtyard. The main architects responsible for these constructions were John Nash and Edward Blore. John Nash was also responsible for the interior design of the monumental staterooms.
The well known architect Aston Webb was responsible for the building of the principal facade of Buckingham Palace which, in 1912, he re-designed. Webb along with Sir Thomas Brock, the sculptor, were the winners of a competition to design a memorial to Queen Victoria. This memorial is still seen today.
The Queen has a number of royal residences besides Buckingham Palace. Each and every year the Queen stays, at Sandringham House in Norfolk, during the Christmas period. Sandringham House is one of the Queen’s private royal residences.
A further private residence is Balmoral Castle, found in Aberdeenshire in Scotland. Queen Elizabeth was staying in Balmoral Castle when she was informed about the heartbreaking death of Diana (the former wife of Prince Charles).
If you would like to take a break in the United Kingdom you may be pleased to hear that it is possible to find cheap hotels in London without any great difficulty, on the other hand you may want to reside in more luxurious surroundings and the small selection of boutique hotels in London should more than satisfy.
Aberdeen is the third largest city in Scotland, in relationship to populous size. Since the mid 18th century Aberdeen’s buildings have been built using local grey granite and the city has a sandy coastline. This has led to the city being nicknamed the Silver City with the Golden Sands and also the Granite City. However in recent years the city has also gained the nicknames of the Oil Capital of Europe or the Energy Capital of Europe due to the discovery of oil in the North Sea. The city of Aberdeen has benefitted greatly from the income generated by the oil industry and the support industries. Nowadays the city is thoroughly modern and immensely vibrant with a lively nighlife.
Aberdeen hotels are often booked by businessmen but also by many other types of tourists keen to enjoy the many tourist attractions Aberdeen has to offer. Below you will find details of three; Satrosphere Science Centre, Aberdeen Maritime Museum and Duthie Park Winter Gardens:
Aberdeen Maritime Museum
The Maritime Museum in Aberdeen is found near to the harbor, at the legendary Shiprow. There are astounding views of the harbour from the museum. The Maritime Museum resides in quite a few buildings, which include a former church and one of the oldest residences in Aberdeen. The museum has exhibits which include everything to do with the marine environment, from fishing boats to the oil industry. Basically, the museum tells the story of Aberdeen’s epic relationship with the sea. Some of the collections contain models, paintings, ship plans and photographs donated by the greatest of Aberdeen’s shipbuilders.
Duthie Park Winter Gardens
In 1881, Lady Elizabeth Duthie of Ruthrieston, gifted 44 acres of land, to the council. The land for the park was purchased, as a lasting memorial to her uncle and brother. In 1899, the gardens were ready, and were opened to the public. However, in 1969 misfortune occurred and the greenhouses had to be demolished and reconstructed. This was due to horrendous storm damgage. Today, the David Welch Winter Gardens at Duthie Park are one of Scotland’s favourite garden attractions, and also the largest indoor gardens in the whole of Europe. Each greenhouse has an important collection such as, the Temperate House, Japanese Garden, Fern House, Victorian House, Tropical House and Corridor of Perfumes.
Satrosphere Science Centre
One of the first science and discovery centers in Scotland was the, Satrosphere Science Center, in Aberdeen. This hands-on, interactive science center, has over fifty exhibits and live science demonstrations, and opened to the public in 1988. Even though the center is aimed at school age children, the attraction of the exhibits is universal. The center is situated in the old tram sheds, near to the sea front, on Constitution Street. The purpose is to inspire youngsters to become scientist’s, as interest in science courses in universities, is in decline. One of the best loved exhibits at the center is the famous giant soap bubble, where each child can be encompassed within a magic bubble.
There are many more visitor attractions in the Aberdeen area which are well worth a visit and those described above were chosen randomly. If you are planning to spend some time in Aberdeen, Scotland then you will discover numerous quality hotels in Aberdeen, or various other types of accommodation, available to book online.
Glasgow is the largest, and most lively, city in Scotland with exciting shopping opportunities plus an amazing night scene. For the more artistic tourist there are many places to go especially in the West End which features tea rooms, cafés, boutiques, bars, restaurants and clubs as well as some excellent Glasgow bed and breakfast. In the article below I will describe 3 Glasgow visitor attractions which should be of interest to those folk who have an interest in the artistic world; the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the House For An Art Lover and the Burrell Collection:
The Burrell Collection
Sir william Burrell and his wife gifted the Burrel Collection to the city of Glasgow in 1944 and the collection can be viewed at Pollok Country Park which is found in the south of the city of Glasgow This beautiful collection of art works consists of more than nine thousand pieces of art. The collection is incredibly cosmopolitan containing some modern sculptures as well as an Islamic art collection. Visitors are able to see paintings by a variety of artists including Cezanne and Degas. As well as paintings and sculptures one can enjoy the stunning collections of alabasters, tapestries, English furniture and stained glass. On top of all this, the Burrell Collection also contains a most important selection of medieval art and collections from ancient China and Egypt.
House For An Art Lover
House For An Art Lover is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Glasgow. The Art Nouveau House was designed, originally, by Glasgow’s most famous architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh plus input from his incredibly talented wife, Margaret Macdonald.
Actually the design was an entry for a competition of 1901 to create plans for a ‘House for an Art Lover’, however, the entry from Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife was disqualified because it was submitted after the closing date. Luckily, more than 100 years later the house is located in Bellahouston Park due to the hard work of the engineer Graham Roxburgh and architect Professor Andy Macmillan. Building started in the year nineteen eighty nine, halted for a short time but resumed in nineteen ninety four due to a collaboration between the Glasgow City Council and Glasgow School of Art.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
One of Glasgow and Scotland’s premier museums and art galleries, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery is home to one of Europe’s great civic art collections, but also it has been voted one of the most popular free to enter tourist attractions to be found in Scotland.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is located in the West End of Glasgow, on Argyle Street, on the banks of the River Kelvin. The gallery was constructed following the Glaswegian tradition of using red sandstone in a Spanish Baroque style. The building was designed by E.J. Milner Allen and Sir John W. Simpson and first opened its doors in the year nineteen hundred and one. The collections in the museum originally came from the old Kelvingrove House Museum and the McLellan Galleries.
If you are considering having a vacation in Glasgow, Scotland you will discover a large selection of online hotels and guest houses providing Glasgow bed and breakfast. You will discover a huge range of guest houses and hotels in Glasgow at http://www.glasgowhotelscotland.com/
The capital city of England is London, which is as famous for its shopping as it is for its history and culture. Tens of thousands travel from all around the globe to experience the incredible stores and markets.
Covent Garden has become known for its unusual and specialist shops, and has become a very hip place to be seen. There are a number of excellent restaurants in Covent Garden not just excellent shops. Until 1980 the Covent Garden market had many stalls selling flowers, vegetables and fruit its roots can be traced to the middle ages.
Camden Market is now one of the most popular places to visit in London. There has been a markets here in Camden for a long time, but in its present status only since 1974. The market is actually a group of adjoining markets selling wares of most things one can imagine.
The Kings Road is known as Chelsea’s high street, and one of the most chic and stylish streets to shop in London. Back in the 1970s the Kings Road was closely associated with ‘Punks’, who proved to be an attraction in London themselves. However, the Kings Road is more subdued these days and no longer just a haunt of the followers of the anti-fashion era.
Sloane Street is a street in London which runs north to south, and takes its name from Sir Hans Sloane, who purchased the surrounding area in 1712. Sloane Street has has, for a long time, been a fashionable shopping district, but is probably just as well known for lending it name to the ‘Sloane Rangers’ in the 1990s. The name Sloane Ranger was applied to the stereotypical young upper class English ladies seen in the area during this time. (One famous woman often referred to as a Sloane Ranger was Lady Diana Spencer)
Harrods department store in Knightsbridge is the worlds largest department store standing on 18,000 m2. ‘Omnia Omnibus Ubique’ is the Harrods motto and means all things for all people, everywhere. A very exclusive and luxurious department store, Harrods is famous the world over for its food hall and its toy department.
Another famous London department store is Selfridges in Oxford Street. In 1909 and american businessman called Gordon Selfridge opened the doors of his London shop to the public which is simply known as “Selfridges”. When it opened Selfridges set new standards for the retailing business. This was because all of the shop floors were designed so that goods on sale were more easily accessible to the customer.
The shops in London are as diverse as its culture and no matter how bizarre ones shopping requirements, it can be found in London. Whether you like to shop in department stores or prefer to rummage through the markets, London has it all.
If you are planning a shopping trip to London you will find plently of cheap London hotels listed at www.londonhotelhelper.com
Air travel is constantly on the increase and an astonishing number of us would like to fly with our animals. For years families have chosen to take their family pet on vacations while leaving them at home when traveling abroad or when taking a flight. As air travel becomes cheaper the thought of taking our pet with us seems a affordable option. The following discusses Air Travel, Pets, focusing on traveling in England, Scotland and Wales.
Pet Air Travel and the Airline Rules & Regulations
One of the most important points to keep in mind in relation to air travel and pets are the rules and regulations. In the United Kingdom there are a number of laws which are applicable, such as the “Safe Air Travel for Animals Act” (2000). Recently there has been an increase in security and where you once may have been allowed to carry small pets with you on a flight this may no longer be the case. It is, obviously, crucial that you check things with the airline before booking your flight. Virtually all airlines now stipulate clearly that all pets should be transported in suitable containers in the cargo hold. This is obviously much safer than taking the risk of a pet becoming distressed and causing a problem.
Even though all small animals or pets are now restricted to the cargo hold some caring airlines will permit you to witness the pet being transferred to and from the aeroplane. However it is incredibly important that, purchasing your tickets you seek further advice about it from the airline.
Other Important Factors
1. The Pet Container
It is also most incredibly important that you choose a pet carrier of the correct size, weight and type for the animal that will be living in it for the duration of the flight. There should always be sufficient excess space for the pet to be able to move about easilyat all times. The longer the duration of the flight the more increased the amount of surplus room required.
2. Security & Safety Measures And Traveling With Pets
At every moment your pet carrier should be clearly visible to the airline staff to avoid loss, which is always possible with any air travel. All pet containers should be marked clearly with both the destination and a home address and full contact details. Furthermore it is strongly advised that you include the details of another person in case of emergencies where you are unable be contacted. As well as fixing labels on the exterior also think about the addition some to the interior. Also take measure to make sure that your pet has a collar that is close fitting with an identification tag or similar. The risk of loss is least during continuous flights.
If it is affordable it also well worth considering having your creature fitted with an electronic tag which is injected beneath the skin by a vetinary surgeon. As soon as you know when and the destination you will be taking a flight to book an appointment with your vet (or at least call) as he will be able to give important advice on what the requirements are when traveling to another area or country. Your pet may require inoculations and there may be other precautions or restrictions to consider.
Prior planning is always the wisest idea and the very fact that you are reading this article is a clever decision. By making sure you consider the pet air travel tips & hints in this article and by searching for further information online and from your vet, you can make sure that you pet travels securely and safely while suffering the smallest amount of disturbance.
Blackpool is an incredibly popular seaside resort sited on the English North West coast, which remains amazingly popular with visitors arriving from the close by cities which include Liverpool, Manchester, Warrington and more. The resort is also deeply popular with Scottish folk who often turn up in large numbers in a similar way to the groups of factory workers of old on their works vacation. Occasionally it appears as though the seaside resort is awash with accommodation and entertainments and even though there is a great deal of Blackpool bed and breakfasts it is better to book early to avoid upset. Accommodation varies from the cheap and chearful to 5 star. Many are situated on the sea front but, if you would rather stay somewhere less rawcous you will find a few further away.
In the eighteenth century Blackpool began to see its first tourists who had traveled to enjoy the new practice of sea bathing. When the railway arrived, from 1846, the resort witnessed increasing numbers of tourists to “take the cure” as it was called. Nowadays visitors can get to Blackpool by air, rail or road arriving there much faster than the early Victorian visitors who would travel for up to 48 hrs from as close by as Manchester.
The Blackpool Pleasure Beach
The most popular attraction in Blackpool, in Lancashire in the north west of England, which gets approximately 7 million visitors a year, is Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Blackpool’s Pleasure Beach is a funfair of enormous proportions with mind blowing big rides, just a few are Grand National, Valhalla, the Pepsi Max Big One, Ice Blast, Zipper Dipper and Wild Mouse, as well as even more food booths, sideshows, thrill rides, entertainments, children’s rides, games and sidestalls. The latest addition is Infusion, the first ever to be a suspended looping type of coaster all of it over water.
Please note: If you are visiting Blackpool as a group of folk you can make savings by buying a wristband for unlimited rides especially if you will going on every ride because the individual cost of each ride soon amounts to serious cash.
Getting To Blackpool And Bed & Breakfast
As mentioned earlier in this article, Blackpool is very easy to get to these days as you can get to the town by air, train or car. If traveling by you are railway you will, most probably, be using the main railway station in Blackpool, which is called Blackpool North found on Talbot Road. Not too fat away, just a little further down the road is Blackpool National Express Coach Station, Blackpool’s main bus station. The other rail station, Blackpool South, is at Waterloo Road, South Promenade, which is better for those wanting the Pleasure Beach. Blackpool International Airport is found approximately 2 miles south of the centre of town and was called, Blackpool Squires Gate Airport, One of the oldest airports in Great Britain.
Blackpool bed and breakfast accommodation is generally priced fairly low. Rooms are much cheaper out of season but not very cheap at weekends. Hotels in Blackpool are most expensive while the Illuminations are on, which is really the seaside town’s peak season.
Please remember: Some guest houses can be very busy and rather noisy especially those between North and Central Pier. If you rather stay somewhere not so busy try booking accommodation past the North Pier.
The capital of England, London, is as famous for its unique opportunities for shopping as it is for its long history and interesting culture Travelers from all around the world visit London to take advantage of the mind boggling number of boutique stores, department stores and specialist markets. With the strong $ and weak £ those from the US will find goods are far cheaper as it once was, it is the same situation for those folk traveling from other countries in Europe because the English Pound is also struggling against the Euro.
Famous London Stores
Possibly the most famous of London’s department stores is Harrods of Knightsbridge the world’s largest having around 18,000 m2 of floor space. The motto of Harrods department store is “all things for all people, everywhere” or ‘Omnia Omnibus Ubique’. Harrods has maintained a reputation for being luxurious and exclusive and their toy department and food hall are world renowned
Selfridges is another department store worthy of a mention. Found on Oxford Street, Selfridges opened for the first time in 1909. Named after, and built by the American businessman Gordon Selfridge the store was cleverly designed in order that the goods on sale were easily accessible to the prospective customer which was a drastic departure from the common practices of the day.
London’s Best Places For Shopping
Covent Garden has become extremely well known for its unusual and specialist shops and is considered a trendy place to hang out. Besides the fantastic stores there are also a number of restaurants and eating places around Covent Garden.
Another popular London market place is Camden Market. Although there have been a variety of markets in Camden over a long period of time the present market began business in 1974. Camden Market is actually a number of adjoining markets selling a variety of goods together providing an immense selection of wares.
Well Known Shopping Streets In London
The main high street in Chelsea is the Kings Road which is one of London’s most chic and stylish streets on which to shop. The Kings Road has long been associated with fashion and the manager of the punk band the “Sex Pistols” once owned a clothes shop/boutique there making the road popular with punks as a place to hang out and be seen, in more recent times the Kings Road is much more subdued but still well worth a visit.
Sloane Street is another road in London associated with shopping which takes its name from Sir Hans Sloane who bought much of the surrounding area in the eighteenth century.
London Vacations
Getting to London is relatively easy, being England’s capital city transport links are fantastic and London’s underground rail network makes everywhere incredibly easy to get to.
London accommodation appears everywhere and is very easy to find although it can prove to be a little bit expensive. It is usually the wisest idea to book your London hotels online and you will find a fantastic choice of London hotels, guest houses and apartments at http://www.londonhotel4u.co.uk/.