A city for those who love stories…

Valsala R takes you on an armchair trip across London, talking about its history and the present

Perhaps nowhere in the world will you find the total yet glorious mismatch of ancient and modern that you find in London. And in a few places in the world, you will find the vast variety of human beings that you find in London. Just as people live in Bengaluru for relatively short periods but soon identify themselves as ‘Bengalureans’ so too do people quickly identify as Londoners. As Paddington Bear famously said, “In London, everyone is different, and that means anyone can fit in.”

If you love history but can’t be enthused by dingy dungeons or dirty archaeological sites, then London is right up your alley. The city has preserved its ancient heritage so well that you can walk down Regent’s Street admiring the old buildings (preserved ‘just so’ for over four centuries) and then visit a home in one of them only to find yourself amid all the luxury and conveniences that the 21st century can offer!

London was founded by the Romans in the first century. They chose a spot on the banks of the River Thames where it would be convenient for them to build a harbour and bring goods and men inland. Besides being deep enough for a ship, the point also had to be narrow enough for a bridge to be built. They called this new settlement Londinium. The settlement covered just half a square mile — the area covered by Hyde Park today. It was the Vikings who turned London into a town when they captured the place in the 9th century. The first of London’s many landmarks — the Tower of London — was built by the Normans who seized the island nation in the 11th century. Increasingly, trade and the attention of various rulers transformed London and made it the heart of the nation. In the 17th century, first the Great Plague and then the Great Fire devastated the growing city. But it grew back — stronger and greater than ever —after a 10-year period of reconstruction. Landmarks that tourists flock to such as St Paul’s Cathedral and the British Museum appeared over 400 years ago and so too did the theatres where Shakespeare’s plays were performed.

A walk along the banks of the River Thames is a walk beside the ‘liquid history’ of the city. The river runs through all its history including royal processions and grim ones that carried glittering personalities to imprisonment at the Tower. By the banks is Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and if you fancy a ride on the London Eye, then that’s right there too. The houses of parliament (once a Royal Palace) look out over the river. Even the bridges over the Thames have stories worth telling.

Some of the 170 museums that London has are free and can take you an entire day to really see, so too with the many parks. But why ‘see’ a park? Just lie on the grass and listen to the hum of the great city beyond!

Of course, the easiest way to get around London is to use the ‘tube’. It’s the oldest in the world and has a tour all for itself for those who are interested. When this underground transport system was originally thought of, one idea was to fill the tunnels with water and have boats transport people — a veritable underground Venice! If you feel rich enough to take a cab to get around, then you’ll be glad to know that cab drivers take a rigorous test requiring them to know every corner of this great metropolis before they’re given a cab license.

Look for the Royal Standard flying over Buckingham palace — it means that the queen is in residence. And then hang around to watch the famous changing of the guard and the unflappable guards themselves. Museum guides will tell you amusing stories about fascinating monarchs of the past. (In case you don’t know the story of Henry VIII and his six wives.) A visit to Westminster Abbey and a climb to the top of St Paul’s Cathedral should all fit into your itinerary. Did you know that Big Ben is not the name of the tower, but the name of the grand old bell inside it? And the Tower of London cannot be missed. Tradition (and superstition) says the Tower will stand as long as the six ravens that make their home there, remain. There’s a Harry Potter tour to take or a modernistic play to be seen. Whatever you choose to do, you dare not be bored. As Samuel Johnson once said, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”

(Valsala is a writer and a soft-skills and communications trainer.)