Above the ever-noisy Piccadilly Circus, where several streets converge at once, a bronze Eros spreads its wings. The monument's steps are the most convenient place for dates. Londoners assure that standing on them for 37 minutes is enough, and you will definitely meet someone you know. Just two steps from Eros is the famous Ritz Hotel, where Oscar Wilde liked to drop in for a mug or two of beer. But today you cannot get into its restaurant even for five o’clock. Those who have doubts will be politely explained that this event should be reserved two weeks in advance. But you can always visit the fashionable Fortnum&Mason store with crazy prices and salespeople dressed in tailcoats.
From Piccadilly it is a stone's throw to Covent Garden, where on the square in front of the Royal Opera House the heroine of "Pygmalion" sold flowers. Even today there are plenty of lovely creatures with flower baskets in dresses of the century before last, ready to be photographed with anyone who donates one pound for this pleasure.
Any walk around London will inevitably lead you to the royal Buckingham Palace, whose mass influx of tourists is timed to the changing of the guard. The first to appear on the square in front of the palace is a military band: red tunics, blue trousers, bearskin hats pulled down to the very nose. A few melodies from James Bond films invariably lift the spirits.
No fewer spectators gather for the changing of the guard of the Royal Horse Guards, which takes place on Horse Guards Parade, the largest square in London. All its participants, including the orchestra, prance on horses.
The structure propping up the sky, whose lacy silhouette rises above the Horse Guards barracks, is none other than the London Eye, a huge Ferris wheel that appeared on the Thames embankment four years ago. As it rotates, it lifts three dozen transparent cabins to a height of 135 meters and allows you to look at London from somewhat above. Within a minute, the Palace of Westminster and Charing Cross station come into view, from which the well-known Harry Potter set off to study at the school of wizardry. Another minute or two later, Buckingham Palace, St Paul's Cathedral, and St James's Park begin to emerge from behind a palisade of rooftops. At the 10th minute of the ascent, the green expanses of Greenwich appear on the horizon. And from the very top, if the weather permits, one can clearly discern the outlines of royal Windsor Castle and Heathrow Airport.
Descending from the heavens to the sinful earth, pay attention to the skyscrapers of Docklands, the most high-tech district of London. Just 20-30 years ago, abandoned docks stood in its place and the district was considered the worst in London. But then they began building skyscrapers in Docklands, and many offices moved there. It was not without surprises. While tearing down an old warehouse, builders came across massive wooden beams from an 18th-century brewery. The framework of the building was moved to St Katharine Docks, repaired, and opened there as "Dickens Tavern", where excellent black porter is served. In fact, the London Docks are the birthplace of this strong beer, first brewed about 200 years ago.
Where to find Cheshire cheese
On the streets of London, history is not just imaginable, but palpable. Push open the heavy oak door at the very beginning of the Strand, and you will find yourself in the Twinings shop, which has been selling tea since 1706. It seems Captain Cook still drops into the Admiralty building. And in the "Old Cheshire Cheese" pub, Thackeray still sits over a mug of beer.
Pubs adorned with greenery and flowers are as much a London landmark as Buckingham Palace or Nelson's Column. Many of them even have family zones and children's play areas. Don't be surprised: for an Englishman, a pub is his second home, his carefree paradise and fortress where he can take refuge from all adversities in the company of reliable friends. Here they not only drink beer, but also cheer for their favorite teams together, read newspapers, and play darts.
Plunging into the centuries
The ancient Tower, a residence of kings, a fortress and a dungeon, still belongs to the British royal family. Its most colorful inhabitants are the Beefeater guards in black doublets with red trim and the emblem of Elizabeth II on their chests. They live on the territory of the fortress and, acting as guides, tickle the nerves of trusting listeners with bloody stories about the local prisoners. But still their main duty is to protect the peace of the large black ravens that have lived in the Tower since the time of William the Conqueror. It is believed that if the ravens fly away, the entire British monarchy will collapse. Therefore, just to be safe, their wings are clipped, and anyone who dares to disturb the birds will have to deal with the Raven Master - among the fortress guards there is also such an honorable position.
The Tower is also the main treasure house of the country, where the famous "Koh-i-Noor", "Star of Africa", and countless precious stones of smaller size are kept. The pride of the exhibition is the crowns of British monarchs, past whose display cases visitors literally glide while standing on a slowly moving walkway.
Another way to immerse yourself in the history of Great Britain is to pay a visit to Westminster Abbey, where the flower of the nation lies. You can wander through the huge cathedral for hours, reading on the tombstones familiar names: Mary Stuart, Rudyard Kipling, Laurence Olivier. Or, lifting your gaze from the stained glass windows, discover that you are treading on a grave slab with the inscription "Winston Churchill".
London for aesthetes
Do not dismiss London's museums, citing a lack of time. Sometimes you can find very amusing things in them as well. Therefore, having fed the pigeons in Trafalgar Square contrary to the prohibitory signs, drop into the National Gallery located there and among its many masterpieces find Jan van Eyck's painting "The Newlyweds". About four years ago, someone noticed that the man depicted in it in a bowler hat is the spitting image of Putin, and now crowds of onlookers always throng near it.
The London Dungeon horror museum in Southwark is a real balm for fans of Hitchcock and Stephen King. Everything here - from the twilight lighting to the attendants' uniforms - sets a nerve-racking tone. Its interiors are like the streets of old London, wandering through which you begin to lose your sense of reality. From time to time skeletons jump out of windows with a scream, hanged men tumble from the ceiling, and rats scurry underfoot with squeaks.
Those wishing to experience all the peculiarities of English humor are welcome to the museum housed in one of the towers of Tower Bridge, where in the midst of a tour shouts of 'Run for your lives!' suddenly ring out and the ceiling of the hall begins to descend on visitors' heads with a terrible grinding sound. Only by a few centimeters, but believe me, it's impressive.
And what about London theaters? Fans of Melpomene know that since Shakespeare's time the English capital has been a theatrical city, famous for classical productions and rousing musicals. But still, the most popular stage in the British capital is none other than the English Parliament. Anyone can go in - completely freely and free of charge. First, visitors enter the famous hall with frescoes that trace the entire history of England, then they ascend to the visitors' gallery of the House of Commons. From there, as from a theater balcony, one can see the elected representatives sitting opposite each other, dealing with the country's pressing affairs.
Life after Midnight
It would be naive to think that life in London dies down with the closing of museums, theaters, pubs, and Parliament. Those for whom midnight is an early hour head to Soho, the center of the city's bohemian life. Those who enjoy nightlife should check out Ministry of Sound, one of the most famous clubs, known for its uninhibited atmosphere. It is liveliest on Saturdays, when the crowd is pumped up by the best DJs and London's most beautiful girls gather. At the entrance, guests are thoroughly searched for drugs.
The School Disco chain of nightclubs is an unusual place for Russian tourists. A strict dress code prescribes short black skirts and white blouses with ties for women, and short shorts and light shirts for their escorts. In such school uniforms, to the hits of the 80s, you feel accordingly - as if at a fun teen party.
Hanover Grand is a cosmopolitan club with pretensions. You won't get in here wearing sneakers. Local celebrities have taken a liking to this nice establishment with soft sofas. On Wednesdays and Fridays, they serve not only the Green Eyes cocktail but also swing; on Thursdays, disco and Latin; and on Saturdays, everything at once.