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LISTING 24 ENTRIES FROM THIS SPECIFIC LOCATION (chronologically ordered)

 
 

Friday July 15th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

(travel diary) Arrival: London

Category: London, 2005
Our plane reached Heathrow at 09.25 in the morning, about 25 minutes delayed due to waiting line in the air above Heathrow.

We started with buying two 7-days combined underground/bus travel cards. About 22 pounds each. Worth it, easily.

Then we took the underground into town. We got off at Embankment to try to find some fruit and candy to Salin and Raisa (children to Moinuls uncle, we will live in their house this week). It was very nice and cosy here at Embankment but not many supermarkets which was our goal. We continued to the Elephant & Castle underground station and right beside it was a pretty big supermarket (see picture).

After the candy-stop we took the bus to Sunray Avenue - our home for this week.

We relaxed for a couple hours, went to meet the children after school, and then ate a big, nice bengali dinner.

Later at the afternoon we took a walk around the river Themsen. Mostly in the area London Bridge / Tower Bridge.

At about 22:00 we returned to our apartment where we ate some tasty indin / bengali food. Then we walked to a nearby food supermarket (not the one close to the underground). It was a big shop like "Ica Maxi Haninge" in Sweden :). Contrary to swedish shops and supermarkets this was open 24h! (I suppose it's normal in London to buy food when the children are asleep).

On the way home a fox crossed the road, this was in the middle of the housing area. Many foxes around here. Last time I saw a fox in Sweden was at least 10 years ago!

Time to sleep. In the middle of the night I woke up because my alarm clock was ringing (why I don't know..). I found it after 10 minutes of intense searching in the dark. Then, when I tried to sleep again it wasn't that simple - the bengali people were snoring heavy! Luckily I brought my ear plugs! Sweden-Bangladesh : 1-0
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Friday July 15th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Moinul and his uncle

Category: London, 2005
Moinul and his uncle - We'are living on the top floor. The house is situated about 20 min[...]
We'are living on the top floor. The house is situated about 20 min by bus south of the Elephant & Castle underground.
Tags » accommodation, Moinul
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Friday July 15th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Elephant and Castle

Category: London, 2005
Elephant and Castle - This is how Elephant & Castle looks like. The underground station is situated[...]
This is how Elephant & Castle looks like.

The underground station is situated just to the left of the red shopping centre building.

The bus stop that we used everyday to travel from and to this station is behind the white van in the middle of the photo.
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Friday July 15th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Quite unusual library building

Category: London, 2005
Quite unusual library building -
Tags » library
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Saturday July 16th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

(travel diary) Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Trocadero etc.

Category: London, 2005
Woke up about nine. It started to get too warm and bright in the room to sleep. Ate some yoghurt, toast, egg and bengali shemai. Shemai is a bengali variant of porridge - it's good!.

Our goal today was to see some of the most typical tourist traps in London.
Changing of the guards at Buckinham Palace was starting at 11.30 so that was going to be our first stop today. Moinul's uncle and the two children joined us.
The changing of the guards (or "the guard mounting") was a bit long and not much happened. Some parading and some live music for about two hours. Really, really many tourists here! Even more than Abu Simbel in Egypt :)

Moinul's uncle + children went home while we continued our sightseeing.

We took walk along the river Thames and took some photos of Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye and then ate lunch at McDonalds.

After the food intake we visited Trocadero which is a 5-stores entertainment center in the middle of London. Lot's of different games, go-cart, dance dance revolution, etc...

Then we ate dinner at an italian restaurant in the Elephant & Castle area. This was not an ordinary restaurant. It looked pretty dark inside and the door was locked but a note on the door told us to knock. After a while a girl opened the door and "yes, we're open". She seemed to be the one and only personel at this whole restaurant. (Seemed like she also made the food). We ate some bad pasta carbonara and an ok pizza.

About bombings: t's hard to notice that there's been terror bombings here not so long ago. There are very few trash bins along the streets but I don't know if that is normal here. The Central underground line is also taken out of service along with some parts of the other lines in the central part of London.

Other observations: Very few smokers here. Clean, big city. More of everything in comparison with Stockholm. Good underground: It's very extensive but easy to understand.
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Saturday July 16th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace

Category: London, 2005
Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace - Here's a photo from the changing of the guards (also called "guard[...]
Here's a photo from the changing of the guards (also called "guard mounting"). LOTS of tourists (about as many as in Abu Simbel in Egypt)
Tags » guards
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Saturday July 16th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Buckingham Palace

Category: London, 2005
Buckingham Palace - Buckingham Palace and a lot of tourists.
Buckingham Palace and a lot of tourists.
Tags » castles and palaces
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Saturday July 16th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Moinul and me, Tower Bridge

Category: London, 2005
Moinul and me, Tower Bridge - Photo: Moinul's uncle
Photo: Moinul's uncle
Tags » bridges, Fredrik, Moinul
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Saturday July 16th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

London Trocader (video clip)

Category: London, 2005
London Trocader (video clip) - Some of the machines that can be found here at London Trocadero.
This entry has one or more files attached:
Watch the video online (streaming)
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Some of the machines that can be found here at London Trocadero.
Tags » arcade game, video
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Sunday July 17th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

(travel diary) British Museum, Hyde Park, Bengladesh etc.

Category: London, 2005
Woke up at about nine and felt that this was going to be a really warm day. The sky was clear blue and it was hot already.

We left the house at about 12:30 (pretty late..). We headed straight for British Museum. Our (or mine atleast) primary goal at the museum was the "Rosetta Stone" (a stone from ancient egypt which has been very helpful when translating hierglyphs). Besides all the egyptian history the museum also featured totems, greek torsos, a diamond exhibition, and much more. Free entry at this museum.

Then we bought a light lunch (yoghurt, baguette, soda). Together with a couple of bananas from the house this was a good meal.
We then took the underground to Green Park and then walked to Hyde Park which is the biggest park in London. The park was pretty crowded by people who was busy with various activities: resting in the shadow, kicking ball, inlines, etc... We ate our packed lunch here and slept a rested a little while in the shadow, real nice.

After this break we walked down to Harrod's - the shopping paradise for shopping maniacs. The place is full of rich oil sheik daughters and expensive decor :).
We skipped all the clothes, parfume, chocolat etc and went directly for the toys at floor five. Pretty good range but Hamley's was better! (Oh by the way, we walked by a beautiful Lamborghini on the way to Harrod's, see photo).

Then we took the underground to Brick Lane in the eastern part of London. Brick Lane is the bengali part of London. Moinul was in paradise. We found lots of shops with bengali movies, bengali restaurants, misti, bollywood music, clothes - lots of stuff! I bought a bengali flute here :)
To our surprise there was lots of bars here full of tourists. I took a couple of photos and recorded an environment sound which I uploaded to this homepage.
There was also some sort of Art Festival here where people (mostly asians) painted "live" accompanied by loud club music. Some where really good (see photo).
We decided to eat dinner here at one of the bengalian restaurants. I ordered Chicken Korai which is a middle hot dish with some sort of pea/bean-mixture with chicken pieces in it. Of course with rice. About 4,5 Pounds.

We're now sitting on an internet cafe, uploading pictures since the memory cards soon are full. Soon, we're heading out in the dark to take som nice night photos.
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Sunday July 17th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

the Rosetta Stone

Category: London, 2005
the Rosetta Stone - The Rosetta Stone was found 1799 by french soldiers in the city Rosette[...]
The Rosetta Stone was found 1799 by french soldiers in the city Rosette (Rashid) in Egypt.

The stone was of great importance to translate and understand the hierglyphs since it's written in three different scripts:
- hieroglyphs,
- egyptian demotic and
- greek.

The Rosetta Stone was carved in 196 B.C.
Tags » museum
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Sunday July 17th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Lamborghini Murcielago

Category: London, 2005
Lamborghini Murcielago - London is full of expensive cars! Limousines, Rolls Rolls, Bentleys, Porche[...]
London is full of expensive cars!

Limousines, Rolls Rolls, Bentleys, Porche and Lamborghinis.

We spotted this fine specimen parked at Regent Street.
Tags » cars
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Sunday July 17th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Brick Lane bar street (photo and sound clip)

Category: London, 2005
Brick Lane bar street (photo and sound clip) - We didn't expect to find a party alley like this when we walked along[...]
This entry has one or more files attached:
Listen to the sound online (streaming)
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We didn't expect to find a party alley like this when we walked along the bengali street Brick Lane in the evening! Obviously there are several popular pubs in the area.
Tags » bars
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Sunday July 17th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Art Festival at Brick Lane

Category: London, 2005
Art Festival at Brick Lane - One of the skilled artists painting here.
One of the skilled artists painting here.
Tags » art, festival
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Monday July 18th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

(travel diary) St. Pauls Cathedral, toys, etc

Category: London, 2005
Started the morning by heading for St Pauls Cathedral which features London's biggest dome. But, first we stumbled upon "the egg" which is a 180m high rounded skyscraper. It's official name is 30 St Mary Axe. We took a couple and photographs and continued for St. Paul's. We satisfied with a couple of photographs of it.

We then went to Hamley's the toy shop to find something for Moinul's uncles children Raisa and Salin. We bought a mini computer so they can practise mathematics and english.

Then we returned to our headquarters at Elephant & Castle where we ate a delicious bengali dinner.

After the food we took a walk in the area south of the Thames around City Hall. A nice evening to just walk around. And a nice city to walk in.
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Monday July 18th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Skyscraper 30 St Mary Axe

Category: London, 2005
Skyscraper 30 St Mary Axe - This 180 metre, elegant skyscraper is situated in the financial district[...]
This 180 metre, elegant skyscraper is situated in the financial district of London.

Constructed by Skanska in 2004.
Tags » skyscrapers
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Tuesday July 19th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

(travel diary) Bus far away, Madame Tussauds

Category: London, 2005
The day started with a hunt for an area in London namned Green State. We had heard that this place should feature a great number of bengalian shops and markets. "Bigger than Brick Lane" people told us.
We asked two bengals at a bus stop about how to go there:
-"Take the bus. It departs soon. It will take you to Green State. We are also going there."
Good, we thought.
We entered the bus.
"Hm, long time. No Green state. Moinul's uncle said max 5-10 minutes and now we've been riding the bus for at least 30 minutes. When do we get there?" we thought.
The bengali people told us to step off the bus. We saw a couple of bengali shops but that was nothing compared to Brick Lane. We asked a bengal working in a key shop and he had never heard of any "bengal ghetto" in this area.. Instead, he told us about another place in zone 3 far from here.
We weren't happy at this point. According to the map we had ended up far from central London.

Oh well, we took the tube back to White Chapel close to Brick Lane where we stumbled upon a big market with bengali stuff (clothes, food, things, etc). Also many shops with similar things nearby but we found nothing interesting to buy. Instead, we walked to Brick Lane where Moinul bought some shirts. We alse ate some nice chicken here.

Next on the day schedule was the wax puppets at Madame Tussauds (MT). MT has three price levels depending on the time you enter. Before 3 PM about 22 pounds, between 3 PM and 5 PM about 18 pounds and after that 14 pounds. We arrived at 3PM so we didn't pay the maximum fee, yet we had plenty of time to see the whole thing.
The wax puppets were a dissapointment, not as real looking as we had hoped (big hype about this place). The skin looked like plastic. The puppets had a shininess that wasn't realistic.
There was also a little cog wheel train inside Taussauds where you could sit and learn about the history of London. Animated puppets and movies displayed different historical events around the track.
Thereafter, it was time for Chamber Live (also this on Taussauds). Here, we walked around in a dark and narrow path where actors dressed like zombies scared tourists. Pretty fun. Moinul took the opportunity to frighten some of the zombies!
Lastly we visited the Auditorium, a spherical cinema (like the Cosmonova in Stockholm but much smaller). The shown flic was "Journey to infinity", a film about space and universe.

After the slightly disappointing Madame Tussauds (it wasn't worth 18 pounds, but now we've been there) we decided to once again go to Buckingham Palace and Big Ben. Moinul's camera had malfunctioned the first time we visit these places so he needed a reprise.

After this walk we ate some "2 pieces fried chicken with chips" and ended the day with a little visit at the entertainment palace of Trocadero.
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Tuesday July 19th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Madame Tussauds goes Bollywood

Category: London, 2005
Madame Tussauds goes Bollywood - Aishwarya Rai (indian actress, Miss World 1994), Amitabh Bacchan (legendary[...]
Aishwarya Rai (indian actress, Miss World 1994), Amitabh Bacchan (legendary Indian actor) and my friend Moinul (self-described as "every Sweden-bengal's big brother").
Tags » indian, Moinul
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Tuesday July 19th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Big Ben and London Eye

Category: London, 2005
Big Ben and London Eye - London Eye up close. Big Ben on the other side of the Thames river.
London Eye up close.
Big Ben on the other side of the Thames river.
Tags » Big Ben
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Wednesday July 20th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

(travel diary) Dali, Millenium Dome, Suspect, etc.

Category: London, 2005
At the morning we went to the local library together with Moinul's uncle. He wanted us to find a camera for him on the internet. The library was full of people so we skipped that for now.

Thereafter, we decided to split. I wanted to see a Salvador Dali exhibition, Moinul wanted to do some shopping.
The Dali exhibition contained of more than 500 of Dali's works. Among others his famous red lip-couch. There was good, informative text of each work's symbolic meaning.

After this, we met at the internetcafe "Mocha". Moinul now carried on several bags filled with different things. He went home with his bags while I continued surfing. I ate some "food" at McDonalds before I met up with Moinul again.

The weather was nice so we headed to the Millenium Dome (blue sky = good pictures since the dome is white). The Dome is located close to the North Greenwich station.
We didn't stay long and decided to continue to the King's Cross station where one of the first terrorist bombings detonated at 7th of July.
When I stood and photographed some trains inside the King's Cross station, a police man suddenly appeared and told me that photographing is forbidden here. I asked him if there was a sign or alike about this somewhere but no, there wasn't.You can't take a photograph here, it's implicit he said, because of the recent bombings here. By taking a photograph at this place at this time I automatically was under suspicion. I had to fill in a form and the police man phoned his colleagues to check me up in the databases. Everything was OK and he let me go. Thankfully with my passport and without any fine.

Thereafter we returned to the central parts of the city and shot some night photos.
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Wednesday July 20th, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

Kings Cross railway station

Category: London, 2005
Kings Cross railway station - Here's the photo that was taken ~5 seconds before a police man [link]..[...]
Here's the photo that was taken ~5 seconds before a police man suspected meNew window..
Tags » train stations
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Thursday July 21st, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

(travel diary) Museums and terror bombings

Category: London, 2005
Museums
Started the day with a visit to the Science MuseumNew window situated a short walk south of Hyde Park. It's free entry for everyone. The bottom floor featured interesting objects: the Space department with rockets and satellites and also the "Making the Modern World" department with the Cray-1 computer. The other floors mostly featured small educational interactive games, mainly targeted to younger learners.

Our next stop today was the Natural History MuseumNew window. It's just next to the Science Museum and also has free entry. We made some priorities on this museum, because too many museum objects in one day is not good. The exhibitions featured a 3 m tall mechanical dino, moving earthquake rooms and more.

Bombings
We then walked towards Oxford Street. We noticed that unusually many people was walking the streets. Moinul got a SMS from a friend in Sweden. This friend wondered if we were alive and OK. He had heard about new bombings in London! Closer to Oxford Street there was people everywhere. The underground stations were closed with iron gates guarded by police men. We asked a police and got the answer that "yes, there has been an incident", no more details. A little scary, we thought about what damage a bomb in this huge crowd of people would do...
We decided to move out of the area and headed to the south side of the Thames. On the way we noticed 14 ambulances outside a underground station. Four police motorcycles with lights and sirens headed where we came from.

The rest of the day was pretty soft. We ate some hallal kebab and then bought some crisps and candy for an evening in front of the TV.
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Thursday July 21st, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

London panorama.

Category: London, 2005
London panorama. - Tower Bridge to the left. The rounded building in the middle is the City[...]
Tower Bridge to the left.

The rounded building in the middle is the City Hall.
Tags » bridges, panorama
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Friday July 22nd, 2005

Europe > United Kingdom > London

(travel diary) Last day, going home

Category: London, 2005
Since our 7-day bus/train card ran out yesterday we needed to buy something for today. Due to the terror activities yesterday several stations still were closed and we were suggested to buy a day travel card instead of a single trip to Heathrow. The reason was that we maybe would need to take detours.

Our plane would depart at 8pm, and we did not want to miss it so we left home at about 2pm. The trip to the airport went smooth, no mayor detours. At arrival we had almost 4 hours before the plane would depart.

Then the usual routine followed: waited for check in, visited the airport shops (Harrod's among others) and spended the last money.

The plane departed in time.

See you on next trip :)
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