 A smiling hostess welcomes travellers to Eurostar, the high-speed train that links Paris to London's St Pancras train terminus. For 13 years (i.e. since it started on November 14, 1994) Waterloo station used to be Eurostar's London terminal but that's a thing of the past. |
 Piccadilly Circus, at the junction of five busy streets, is one of the important landmarks of London. These illuminated advertisement hoardings, as well as the famous statue of Eros, are what give Piccadilly Circus its magical air especially at night. |
 Galloping horses at a fountain in Piccadilly Circus (this photo was taken at night). A short walk from here to Leicester Square, another brightly-lit area of entertainment and food outlets and skirting London's Chinatown is a must in any "London by night" tour. |
 Nelson's column in Trafalgar Square (photo was taken at about 5.30 in the morning). It is at Trafalgar Square that revellers gather to usher in the New Year every 31st December. |
 Liverpool railway station. From here one can take a train to Colchester, Britain's oldest recorded town though today it has become a lively shopping centre. The train trip takes only an hour but from the railway station at Colchester you'll need to take a taxi to the town centre. It is one of those quaint little towns where you can easily pass an entire afternoon without ever worrying that you'll get lost or miss your train back to London. The University of Essex has its main campus on the edge of Colchester, close to the town of Wivenhoe. |
 Everything is clearly indicated at the huge signboard at Liverpool station. The popular Petticoat Lane Market is just a few minutes from here as is "The Gherkin" (picture below). |
 The English do have a mind of their own - there's no doubt about it. Just as they refused to join the rest of Europe in using the euro they also cling dearly to their "Keep left" tradition. |
 Unlike other countries such as France and Spain it is still possible to insert coins into public phone booths in London - a boon for people without a mobile phone. |
 The Gherkin has been described as "the most ingenious and elegant new skyscraper built anywhere in the world for at least 30 years". It is also known as the Swiss Re building. |
 No, London Bridge is NOT falling down. It is still standing as solid as ever since the days of Humpty Dumpty. |
 When London sleeps. This photo was taken from the Waterloo Bridge at 5 in the morning. |
 This photo of a splendid sunset was taken as the train from Colchester approaches Liverpool railway station in London. |
 London ranks with Tokyo as one of the most expensive cities in the world. A normal-sized banana costs 49p ($0.92) as can be seen from the "FRESH FRUIT 49p each" sign at a WH Smith store at King's Cross Station. |
 The St. Pancras youth hostel is a good place for travellers who need just a place to sleep. Furthermore it is close to the St. Pancras Eurostar terminal and the price of £24.60 per night includes a copious breakfast. |
 A typical English breakfast of bacon, eggs, sausages and succulent brown beans at the hostel. No wonder W. Somerset Maugham said: "The only way to eat well in England is to have breakfast three times a day"! |
 When you come out from the Camden Town underground station just ask where Camden Lock is. On the way you'll be passing a number of ear-piercing and tattooing shops. |
 If you've had enough of fish and chips you'll be able to find Mexican, Thai and other international food dishes near Camden Lock, which is a part of the huge Camden market. |
 Busy Oxford Street the main shopping thoroughfare of London. It is always crowded with shoppers and an unending stream of Red Rover buses. |
 Big Ben. This famous landmark is in the Houses of Parliament complex. The site of the Houses of Parliament is the Palace of Westminster. Click on the links to find out about the possibilities of visiting. |
 If you are in London for three days ask for a TravelCard for the period upon arrival. At £15.40 ($28.50) it's a bit expensive but at least with that one card all your travel expenses are taken care of while in London. |
 London is well-served by its fleet of Red Rover double-decker buses throughout the day and night and even in the early hours of the morning when the underground comes to a halt at midnight. |
 Side view of the British Library opened in 1998 and its main entrance (middle picture). Unlike the Beaubourg (Centre Pompidou) Library in Paris it is not open to random visitors. To get in you have to apply for a membership card which is issued immediately. I even had a sampling of the British sense of humour here. When my turn came to be interviewed and my number (007) was called the registration officer told me: |
 "Stirred but not shaken". "What? I beg your pardon" was all I could utter, taken unawares. "James Bond," he answered. I had my own back at him later when he told me that only pencils are allowed inside the library. "Are they supplied?" I asked. "No, you'll have to buy them from the bookshop here," he said. "Don't you worry," I told him. "Being James Bond I'd be able to get one without paying for it!" |
 A typical street scene in London. The bus transport system is so good that you can go almost anywhere by just hopping in and out of buses (which I did). In the background slightly to the right you can see one of the ubiquitous clock towers in London. With so many clock towers in public places is it any wonder that the English are never late for their appointments? |
 "Mind the gap between the platform and the train." You are reminded of this by an announcement in London's underground (call it tube, subway or metro if you like) each time the train comes to a halt at a station. |
 Queuing up for a trip in London Eye (photo below). If you are on a short visit to London you can still walk over to the London Eye (photo below) from the Waterloo Station. Take Exit No. 6 and just keep on walking from there. You will not be able to miss it. |
 Waterloo station, which has served as the Eurostar terminal for London since its inception in November 1994, gave way to the St. Pancras terminal from 14th November, 2007. This photo is just for the archives! |
 A shop that has been selling nothing but umbrellas since 1830. And it is still doing just that today! Amazing, no? |
 London Eye as seen from Westminster on the other side of the River Thames. It can carry over 15,000 visitors a day. |
 It was from Platform 9 3/4 at King's Cross Station that Harry Potter took the train for Hogwarts School. Believe it if you like! |