Spirit of London

The spirit of London.

1.“London goes beyond any boundary or convention. It contains every wish or word ever spoken, every action or gesture ever made, every harsh or noble statement ever expressed. It is illimitable. It is Infinite London.” – these are the words of Peter Ackroyd, the author of “London: the biography”. In his book Ackroyd portrays the history of London from ancient times to 21st century. Using lots of epithets, metaphors, comparisons and other stylistic devices the author gives its readers a clear picture of a city as a living creature. He let us see "remains of former eras" and to dive into the world of enigmatic secrets of the city, to wander along ancient paved small streets with illusive walls and buildings; He also let us observe how the city grew and developed after the fires, epidemics, mutinies and bombings; the story of the city sewerage told by the author gives the chance to look at this huge lush world from other, very unusual foreshortening. The city of dealers and thieves, the city of noise and deafening silence, the city full of dirt and greatness, the indestructible monster-city will not stand emotional neglect. It will either take out the traveler on the top of the world, or will drown in the depth of vaults.
The interlacing of the past and present is given in the book so skillfully that sometimes you can't notice how you were transferred to the next small knot of history which still should be untied and, perhaps, then it will be possible to see a new pattern in a lacy dress of beautiful and at the same time dark and terrible two-faced capital. In the biography of London by Ackroyd everything is painted in details, beginning from features of geographical placement, climate, geology, a biocenosis, history and culture of certain areas, up to destiny of the separate trade enterprises and people, who have become the visiting card of the changeable, like a coquette, city.

2. What do we know about London? A lot, I think. We know, that it is the capital of Great Britain, that the Queen lives there, we know about the Westminster Abbey and the Tower of London, and many other interesting places. We can read about history of London and its tradition in every guide book or touristic booklet, but is it enough to fall in love with the city? Of course not. If you want to feel the spirit of London, the best thing for you would be to buy a ticket to London, get into a train or a plane and after some time step on the ground of one of the most interesting place in the world.
I’ve been obsessed with London since I was a teenager. Back then London was a place of absolute wonder and excitement; a place where you could realise your dreams, no matter how crazy or ridiculous. When I first came to London in 2001 the first question that came to my mind was: “What shall I do now? There are so many places to go here, and I have only one week”.
Of course it is impossible to feel the spirit of London during a week, but I started with Greenwich which is situated in south-east London and has some wonderful buildings, our national maritime museum, the Greenwich Observatory with the meridian line, the Cutty Sark (an old sailing ship, now a museum) and a small permanent market tucked away in the town centre with a variety of stalls, including food and handicrafts.
I spent there the whole day, and I did lots of things, such as climbing over the roof of the most popular entertainment venue in the world, flying in a cable car across the Thames, landing an airliner in a fantastic flight simulator and standing at the start of time.I was so excited and joyful that day, that I promised to myself, that one day I will definitely come back to this wonderful place again.
3.St. Paul’s Cathedral is a place worth visiting for every person of any age. The opening day is considered to be 20 October 1708, but in fact it was the 5th cathedral built on this place. The previous three were burnt in fires, and the fourth one was destroyed by the Vikings during their invasion to London.
The design of a dome is very difficult, at it consists of non-standard combinations of construction materials and designs, that is why it remained unharmed even after bombings of London during the World War II. Today it is one of the most outstanding dome constructions in Europe.
Until recently Saint Paul was the highest architectural construction of London. Thanks to the sizes and ideally verified forms, the cathedral isn't lost even among modern skyscrapers, and in former times when the London houses didn't exceed four floors, the cathedral looked even more grandiose.
Traditionally Saint Paul is the place of burial for the most famous citizens of Great Britain among whom is the architect Wren, who has constructed this cathedral.
You can visit the Cathedral on the following address: EC4M 8AD, London, St Paul’s Churchyard. Working hours are: Monday-Saturday 8.30am-4.30pm.
4.London is full of surprises. For example, didn’t you know, that Noble titles can be bought at an auction? Three or four times a year the aristocratic titles belonging to the ruined noblemen or the died-away clans are sold in Stationers Hall (near St Paul's Cathedral). The lord's title, for example, costs about 2000 pounds. But titles with manors cost much more expensive, starting from 350 000 pounds. The most expensive transaction took place in 1988: the lord's title with real estate in Wimbledon has been sold for 1 million pounds. This
tradition goes back to William the Conqueror who sold baronial titles for debts. The catalog of aristocratic titles can be bought for 20 pounds in Manorial Society of Great Britain which carries out these auctions. If you are tired of standard London sightseeing and you don’t lnow how to spent money, visiting such an auction can be a good idea for you!
5.The buildings built in Gregorian style, small pubs, the Victorian design of facades – London consists of many attractive details. You spend all day, wondering around the city and see some things, and here you suddenly understand that this populous city has won the place in your heart. Is it the time to have a rest in London?
Parks in the capital of Great Britain occupy the territory not less than residential areas. Initially the majority of them were in property of the royal family, and now they are available to all residents and guests of London. In parks it is allowed to feed ducks and pigeons or to take breath after a sightseeing and to have a small picnic on the grass, and all these you can do without leaving the downtown! Hyde Park is one of the best place in London, where you can gave peaceful and relaxing time with your family.. If you are fond of active rest, here you can try skateboarding, as well as horse and bike riding. The Joy of Life fountain, next to Aldford Street North Gate, alongside Park Lane, is a popular spot for splashing around in when the weather heats up. It is a great pleasure to come into the green area of the Park, full of trees and emerald grass, after a working day. Hyde Park is undoubtedly one of the most relaxing place in the city.

References
Ackroyd, P. (2000). London: the biography. Anchor, 47(2), 102-103.
Boswell, J. (1791). The Life of Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Paperback,78(3), 89-90.