First Time London - Mostly Free

There are so many "must-sees" in London that recommending sites to first-timers poses difficulty. However, there are some sights that we recommended to our son that he agreed were "unmissable", and he added Speakers' Corner and Soho to our list.

Greenwich is not only the site of the Observatory and Prime Meridian, but also the powerful eighteenth century British Navy's HQ, a lovely park, and a beautiful neo-classical architectural feast.

Celebrating its 250th birthday this year, the British Museum is a storehouse of civilization's treasures, recently renovated and even more welcoming than before.

Don't repeat our first-timers' mistake: the National Gallery and Trafalgar Square dramatically reveal preserved cultural wealth and contemporary liveliness.

For all believers in democracy and multi-cultural diversity, Speakers' Corner and Soho exert deservedly magnetic appeal.

Not all modern art is baffling. The Tate Modern Gallery is user-friendly and brilliantly located.

It's not free, but it is fun, educational without being boring,and simply the epitome of English history and traditions, ups and downs; of course, the Tower of London justifiably draws hordes of modern day visitors for accounts of horrors and glimpses of rare jewels.

Quick Tips:

For first-timers, The essential London Visitor Travelcard costs as follows : (3 days, approximately , 4 days for and 7 days for a bargain ). Check out www.visitlondon.com -- their free London Planner will give you information on current theatre, museum, and tourist site events. The British Tourist Authority will send you all you need to explore outside London-check out their website; get on their free e-mail monthly list. This site has links for day trips,for views of more typical,non-big city England. British Airways and Virgin are offering bargain summer fares to London. You can even tour Buckingham Palace! And now from July 26 to August 30 & Sept. 19 through Oct. 4, you can book a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament for 7 pounds adult and 5 pounds others at www.firstcalltickets.com

Best Way To Get Around:

Draw up your own "first time" list. Then locate the sights on a London map, preferably the A-Z that even Londoners use. Before our first London visit, I picked up an old one at a thrift shop. I often find travel information gems that way. Develop a guiding day-by-day plan that realistically allows for "quality time" to experience your "must-sees." You can’t see it ALL on a first trip, but you can enjoy what you personally feel you have to visit.

Allow for the fact that London is a heavily trafficked city; don’t rent a car for use in London. Petrol is expensive; streets congested. The Tube is cheap, speedy, and efficient. And, with a little study of the signs posted at bus stops, you can learn how to hop to nearby sites via "your" red double-decker. There is absolutely no substitute for walking a lot in this historic city.

Tantalize a visitor with tales of intrigue and torture, throw in a dash or two of grisly humor now and then, and later let the visitor be dazzled by a circuitous display of some of the largest, most splendid jeweled items in the world -- such is the "recipe" for entertaining history presented at the Tower of London. Our tall, violently red-haired Scotsman Beefeater guide was excellent; by the luck of timing, as we arrived just before the site opened, we drew a real ham, an actor with relish for his job, whose sense of dramatic emphasis was impeccable. What a weaver of tower tales he was!

Our son on his first visit to London followed most of our recommendations; his first stop was THE tower, which he could have walked to, across the Tower Bridge, from where we were staying in South Bank, in about an hour. But, he took the Tube to Tower station, of course. What fascinated him (ex-"Dungeons and Dragons" player) most about this storied landmark? The ancient weapons in the Armory, the walls, especially of the Norman White Tower, perforated at crucial points by slits, the immense expanse of this impressive fortress- sometimes it was even the home of monarchs who imprisoned rebellious subjects expeditiously within its confines, and, if needed, signed royal writs of execution that ended their subjects’sinister sojourns here.

Within its impressive precincts, the royal wives Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, out of favor with King Henry VIII, (at different times, of course), died on the block. The Tour includes Sir Walter Raleigh’s cell, and that of Sir Thomas More, the "Man for all Seasons", the Lord Chancellor who dared to question King Henry VIII’s divorce, and paid for his dissent with his life. The Beefeaters relay tales of the "nine-day queen" Lady Jane Grey and her husband, Dudley, who lost their young, ambitious lives, and of the young nephews of Richard III, rumored to have been dispatched as obstacles to Richard’s kingly ambitions, as well as those about the ill-fated Mary Queen of Scots, so reluctantly executed by Elizabeth I.

Today, the splendid Yeomans of the Guard, the "Beefeaters," conduct their daily tours of about an hour, from 9:30am to 3:30pm, with this plethora of historic horrors to relate. Afterwards, visitors can gape as they glimpse Victoria’s Imperial State Crown, worn by the current monarch when she opens Parliament, the 530 carat Star of Africa that embellishes the Royal Sceptre with Cross, and other dazzlers as they whiz by the gems on their (the visitors’, not the jewels’) moving walk. No lollygagging here!

No visit is complete without seeing the six ravens whose presence mythically "guarantees" the existence of the Tower. Indeed, the ravens are prisoners; their wings are clipped to prevent escape. Although pricey, the Tower is definitely worth the visit, our tightwad son felt. For families, it’s still only 34 pounds, cheaper than admissions to many American amusement parks.

Just simply one of the most magnificent museums in the world, containing more than 7 million artifacts, this showcase of the past is now FREE. Hail Britannia! London visitors can now schedule at least two visits to this treasure trove, instead of frustrating themselves attempting to see all its highlights in one. Since most school tours seem to occur mornings, you can visit two afternoons. For our son, the Elgin Marbles captured his attention first, as he had experienced with us the Acropolis on our first European trip. Pressure by the Greeks to have them returned to Athens will continue, especially for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, but, personally, I think the much-maligned Elgin did civilization a great favor in removing them when the Turks were so ignorant about the peerless Acropolis that they used it as a gunpowder site. He even lost money when he sold them to the Museum. The marbles gleam, their artistry strikes the viewer with awe at living representations so vivid as to seem ready to move before you.

When we visited this museum in 1996, I saw one schoolchild touch the Rosetta Stone, which I was astonished to see out in the open surrounded only by ropes that indicated limits kids often don’t see. I shall never forget the gentle tone of the museum guide who told her that she should not touch the stone because it was "very old," and "the only one we have." Now, the Rosetta, the all-important key that led to the understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphics, is appropriately encased.

Our son’s description of the now open area that used to be the Reading Room that was available only to scholars like Karl Marx made me long to dash off for a re-visit, but it was our last day in London. This two-acre area, known as The Great Court, now the continent’s largest covered public space, was an expensive (a million and a half pounds) conversion, but adds to the democratic ambiance that this museum exuded to me in 1996.

Since this renovation, the superb collection of manuscripts is now housed separately, in its own controversial building at 96 Euston Road, NW1 (British Library). Removal of their Magna Carta, Shakespeare’s first folio, and other treasures, allowed space for this museum to develop multimedia capabilities that have opened up to Internet users virtual displays of its precious possessions, so you can plan visits. Special exhibitions cost around $8 for adults and about $5.50 for seniors, students, and children under 16. Where else could you see the Portland Vase, the Sutton Hoo hoard, a multitude of mummies, and the Halicarnassus sculptures -- just a few unique artifacts that space limits only allow me to mention? As the Museum is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year, special events and exhibits highlight its calendar.

Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-6pm.
Tube : Holborn, Russell Square, Tottenham Court Road.
Visit their terrific website.

Our son really enjoyed his Sunday visit to Hyde Park and lingered for an hour or so at the Speaker’s Corner. Neither my husband nor I have been to Hyde Park, so we were eager to hear what he had to say about Speakers’ Corner in particular. He was amused no end by the religiously fanatic, stripe-suited guy he took several photos of while the fellow harangued the crowd of passers-by who were just enjoying the unseasonably warm Guy Fawkes November weekend in this extraordinarily large park (619 acres including Kensington Gardens). The guy was just doing the expected, exerting his freedom of speech -- in his case, to warn of impending doom to unbelievers. The photos don’t show it, but the speaker and his buddy, also cowboy-hatted, but in red, not beige, had the name "Jesus" running through the lined patterns of their outfits! Apparently they felt it takes showmanship to attract attention at the famed Corner. Our son never figured out what sect the fellow was touting, but no matter. Like others that day, he strolled around after he left the Corner, and marveled at the crowds around the beautiful Serpentine, a large, manmade lake.

This park’s acreage was once owned by monasteries, and was appropriated by Henry VIII who liked to hunt within it. Charles II decided to spiff it up and make it into a socially "in" spot for aristocrats to show off their "stuff," --apparel, horses, carriages. Thus, the King’s Road, "route du roi," evolved into "Rotten Row," in the marvelous way many British place names have of sounding extraordinarily common. Hyde’s neighborhood is certainly royal and rarefied, near THE Palace Buckingham, and Kensington Palace, and just west away from the likes of commercial Piccadilly and off beat Soho that our son later explored in a quest for Sunday sushi.

A lover of alternative byways, he liked Soho’s varied ethnic scene and found a reasonably priced sushi bar where he chatted with some locals. Yo! Sushi at 52 Poland Street is one of a chain with a techno twist: food comes to you on a conveyor belt on plates color-coded to indicate price, from 1.5 pounds to 3.5 pounds. When finished, the customer pushes a button for a "waiter" who tallies the bill. Our picky-about-sushi son liked the tech atmosphere and mingling with locals, but rated the food as nothing special. Soho has become associated for some time with alternative lifestyles and night life, just as Hyde Park’s Speakers’ Corner has become synonymous with individual freedom of speech; both areas offer visitors glimpses of the immense variety of peoples that are the Londoners of today.

Much of the varied ethnic scene in this great big city can be explored just by walking through this famed park, especially when the weather is fine. London’s Soho has special appeal for those who enjoy Asian cuisine. This cosmopolitan city treasures the old, venerating its powerful history, but moves forward to embrace global influences.

Where "Time" begins. We had loved our trip via Docklands Light Railway, newly opened in 1996, to Island Gardens, and our "adventurous" trudge under the Thames via the pedestrian tunnel, only to arrive at the southern bank and immediately see the Cutty Sark and Gypsy Moth IV on our right. Most visitors hike up to the hill to the Greenwich Meridian, and then snag a willing fellow tourist to snap a picture of them striding THE Meridian, and our son was no exception. But, he also posed first before the historic Cutty Sark, the sole survivor of the nineteenth century China tea trade. Both vessels invite visitor exploration. But, the exhilarating hike beckons, particularly to someone who admires neo-classical, eighteenth century architecture and landscaping. The enormous swards of aristocratic greenery you see are so beautiful thanks to Le Notre, the Versailles landscaping wizard. Not all parts of Greenwich are so green; the town center full of quaint pubs and stores, old and peeling paint, asserts the plebian side of this maritime town, the seat of the powerful British Navy during imperial times. The contrast is striking, and we found the town funkily pleasant.

That it was a maritime center explains the creation of the Observatory - the need to devise a way of marking global east-west locations (longitude) for that Navy. At first, most "experts" thought astronomical exploration would aid the cause. But, the extraordinary John Harrison, an ordinary clock maker, proved otherwise. John Harrison solved the problem of accurate, stable recording of global positions of His Majesty’s ships and subsequently fought the establishment for pay and recognition. After several marine disasters, an Act of Parliament established a hefty 20 thousand pound reward for a solution to what was dubbed "The Longitude Problem. "We recently viewed "Longitude," an excellent, though lengthy two-disc film dealing with his struggle to solve the problem and his struggle against the astronomical-solution establishment to obtain his reward, and that of a twentieth century genius who successfully sought to reconstruct Harrison’s four chronometers.

Or, you can check out the Greenwich Museum’s web site for a more accurate though less dramatic accounting of both Harrison’s and Rupert Gould’s frustrating, yet glorious struggles, at www.nmm.ac.uk. This web site’s account accurately deals with the stories of both men less dramatically, but will also help you grasp how the chronometers helped establish British Naval Power. Unfortunately, our penny-pinching son did not visit the museum inside the Old Royal Observatory for there was an admission charge when he visited. NOW admission to the Observatory is FREE. The museum’s collections of old astronomical objects and Harrison’s chronometers show and tell this fascinating history. He did appreciate the special ambiance of Greenwich as his photos show the lovely City vistas from it, and the splendor of the naval complex that was constructed here in serenely beautiful buildings like the now-free Queen’s Gallery. Greenwich warrants a full days’ exploration for those interested in England’s maritime history, neo-classical architecture, and/or picnicking.

Because we had accommodations in Kensington on our first London trip, we had bypassed visiting the West End, as we concentrated on the museums of Cromwell Road and then the sights of the City (St. Paul’s. and the Museum of London, Westminster Abbey, Cabinet War Rooms, and British Museum), all of which were "must-sees." On this second trip, we walked over Westminster Bridge twice to visit the National Gallery, one of the world’s finest museums, now with free admission. On both walks, we enjoyed exploring the streets in and around Trafalgar Square because to do so is to take in a feast of eighteenth century architecture. This is one of the busiest spots in all of London, full of monuments and statuary and a concentration of imperial memories. Recently, in February of this year, London’s "red" mayor levied a tax on traffic in this area in an attempt to relieve its intense congestion and encourage the public to use alternative means of travel to and fro this section of the city. Applause is due for this measure as we observed double-parked vehicles and some rather angry-looking drivers on both occasions that we were walking the area.

Overwhelming at times to the visitor the majestic buildings, theatres, and shops of the West End typify the "character" that IS London to me. When we were there, the impending world premiere of the first Harry Potter film was blazoned at the theatre where it was held during our stay and we avidly watched TV for clips of the attending celebrities on opening night. Here, we finally figured out the bus signage and took a ride in a red double-decker bus, and snapped photos of the scene from the moving bus.

Unfortunately, we took no photos of the National Gallery during either of our two visits. This museum is a "must-see." Even two visits don’t exhaust its splendors. For me, Hogarth’s Marriage A-la-Mode paintings, which were models for his engravings, were unforgettable. Satire in art has great appeal, and Hogarth was a master of this rare talent. The museum’s Turner collection also turns me on (horrid, though accurate, pun).

Even in two trips we saw only a fraction of this vast collection that includes Velasquez’s "Rokeby Venus," Holbein’s "The Ambassadors," Jan van Eyck’s "Arnolfini Portrait," and da Vinci’s "Virgin of the Rocks." Lover of museums as I am, I have learned that three hours is a visit limit because I simply get "maxxed" out. In great museums, after I reach saturation point, the experience becomes diluted as a result of sensory fatigue. Both times, we lunched in the cafeteria-like café for about $8 apiece for a hot entrée and drink, inexpensive by London standards, and highly recommended as the food is good, though not fancy, and the break allows the mind to refresh for further viewing.

Up front, I’ll admit to a degree of skepticism when I approach what is labeled as modern art. Yet, I did want to see the Tate Modern. I am interested in the architectural conversion of buildings, re-cycling. The more I travel, the more I get absorbed in learning about architecture. Architecture as renewal especially excites me. The Tate Modern is an excellent example of a successful conversion, from "practical" power plant to popular museum. It works! You feel a bit dwarfed by the entrance into Turbine Hall with its high and wide expanse. But, elsewhere, you find very "user-friendly" enclaves and super views of the Thames, the river that "made" London. Anyone who has read Rutherford’s splendid "London" will appreciate the impact of the Thames River on the development of this great city. The location of this gallery, directly facing the now-operative Millenium Bridge that conveys you so easily to Wren’s magnificent St. Paul’s Cathedral, strikes me as a masterful piece of planning. Within its walls, there’s a range of great to frivolous art in this gallery. A pile of "stuff" in a corner doesn’t do anything for me, and there are some such piles here, though mercifully few.

Some very moving art work here is enhanced I feel by the curatorial decision to present works by theme rather than by chronology. Most moving for me were some of the pre-World War I artists who depicted a growing gloom and threat in their works. Many were unknown to me until I saw their work here. The work of George Grosz, in particular, arrested my attention.

The Gallery seems to be particularly strong in its sculpture collections. There’s Giacometti, whom I personally don’t like, but also Sir Jacob Epstein, Naum Gabo, and the incomparable Henry Moore, all of whom I do like very much indeed. One of my favorites is Patrick Heron’s gentle painting, "Azalea Garden May, 1956,"that captures the British love of gardens. There’s the strident and bold Mark Rothko with his "Red on Maroon,’ and "Light Red Over Black," both explorations in color synthesis. And Picasso’s "Weeping Woman," strikes my eye as an abstraction made viable to ordinary eyes.

This is a user-friendly place with the inclusion of an art library area with comfortable seating and spectacular views of the river, as well as a spiffy, modern café just off Turbine Hall where you can catch a bite to eat, though it is more formal than the eateries of other museums where you self-serve. Here, eager young people wait upon you and orders come swiftly. The spaciousness of this gallery, its highlighting of the scenic assets of its location, and its fostering of thematic comparisons between artists usually separated by time, won me over. I’d visit again, as the gallery adds and subtracts often enough to provide a different scene for repeat visitors and London’s free policies encourage returns.