Calling London

We take requests here at It's A Magical World and today's entry comes from a faithful reader about to embark on a business trip to London. He's written and asked for my thoughts on the former capital of the British Empire. As always, I'm far too happy to tell people what I think.

In general: I believe that London, not New York, is the crossroads of the world. Yes, it used to be the capital of the world's most powerful and geographically far-flung empire. You can still see London's colonial buildings and upper crust neighborhoods. London is home of the bluest bloods -- the most prim and proper of high society. Yet, at the same time, London is incredibly egalitarian. Just walk down pretty much any city street and you will see people of all ages, income levels, and nationalities. The ethnic diversity of London and the way in which people of all different creeds coexist is something we should strive for in this country.

What to see: London has a long list of can't-miss tourist attractions. If I had to narrow it down to five, I'd say Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the Tower of London, the National Gallery, and the British Museum. Westminster is the site of royal coronations, weddings, and funerals, as well as the resting place of many British monarchs and other famous Brits. The British crown jewels (and other exhibits about British royal history) are on display at the Tower of London. Buckingham Palace is only open to the public one month a year, but the rest of the year, it's the sight of the Changing of the Guard. The ceremony starts at 11:30 a.m. and takes place daily during the summer and every other day the rest of the year, weather-permitting. Get there by 10:30 or so. You might be tempted to stand just outside the gates to be close to the action, but the best views are from the center of the traffic circle facing the gates. The National Gallery is probably one of the world's best seven or eight art museums while the British Museum is the world's best pan-civilization archeological museum. Entry fees to Westminster and the Tower can get expensive but the museums are free.

Runners-up for sights to visit are St. Paul's Cathedral (a beautiful building with magnificent views of the city if you climb to the top) and the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, where you can take the obligatory picture straddling the prime meridian.

What to do: Ordinarily I wouldn't recommend such an activity, but the sightseeing tours on the open-air double-decker busses are actually a very good way to get oriented in the city and learn a little bit about its history. You should also take a stroll up and down the Thames River and across some of its bridges for a lovely perspective on the city. The London Eye ferris wheel is tempting, but if you're climbing up St. Paul's anyway, you aren't missing much.

By far, my favorite activity in London is attending the theater. I saw Titus Andronicus at the re-creation of Shakespeare's Globe and it was incredible. The West End also has a good collection of musicals. There is a half-price same-day ticket booth in Leicester Square, but they only sell the most expensive seats and tack on a service fee. Instead, you are best off going to the theater box office itself and asking what they have available. Rarely do shows sell out on weekdays, though you can probably find tickets for weekends as well. If you go to the Globe, you can stand literally right next to the stage for ten bucks.

What to eat: Yeah, British food is as bad as its reputation suggests. Aside from an obligatory order of fish and chips (which the Brits do really well), there really isn't much in the way of native cuisine that I can recommend (celebrity chefs are trying to change the British food scene, however). But what London does offer is the best ethnic food anywhere in the world. I tried Chinese and Indian food while I was there and both were better than anything I've ever had in the States.

Getting around: As long as it isn't on strike or shut down after some accident, the London Underground (a/k/a The Tube) is the best way to get around the city. If you'll be staying for a while, get your hands on a rechargable RFID declining balance card called the Oyster Card. With it, you'll get much cheaper fares than if you pay for tickets a la carte and the amount you pay each day will be capped at the cost of a daily travelcard. Speaking of which, if you don't get an Oyster Card, daily passes are available for the price of only two or three trips and are even cheaper if purchased after 9:30 a.m. Fares are zone based -- be sure to save your ticket, which you need to exit the system. Driving is not for the faint of heart (assuming you even get used to driving on the left) and taxi cabs are very expensive. Keep in mind that if you're driving in central London, you need to pay an eight pound daily congestion charge.

The airport: Heathrow is an overcrowded, poorly-managed zoo. Get there early, learn to love standing in line, pray that you're not claustrophic. Baggage handling at Heathrow is notably poor, but because of Britain's ill-advised single carry-on limit, it's hard to get around checking bags altogether. If you can get a flight to London City Airport, do so. It's much easier to deal with and the location is much more convenient, especially if you are heading to the business district.

A word of caution: Look both ways before crossing the street! British traffic drives on the left, which means that Americans and continental Europeans will get run over if they follow their instincts. But doing the opposite isn't the best plan either, seeing as how many streets in London are one-way. Writing on the pavement will tell you which direction to look, but you are probably best served either giving both directions a nice long stare or waiting until the light turns red and pedestrians get the signal to cross.