Interestingly, the city of London has been around since approximately 50 AD. It was founded by the Romans, simply because of how far inland the water came. It was deep enough to accept ships floating in yet far inland enough to prevent raids by the Germanic people the Romans had been fighting with.
If art could talk what would it say? Knowing that bit of history made it even more exciting as I entered the city.
What is fun to do in the city?
Since it was early afternoon and I had a lot to do so I decided to have Lobster & Burger, a London favorite of mine, as it would combine my need for salt with my love for most things from the sea. The portions were perfect for my needs and of course, the food was prepared to perfection. The lobster was not overcooked; the juicy and succulent flavors and subtle accents will immediately jump from the food onto anyone’s palate.
Having a full tummy and a bit of time left in the day, I decided to check out London’s park system and in particular Hyde Park. As with most other famous things in England, the Park was founded in the 1500s by a member of the Royal Household and is still being used today.
The most notable aspect of the park’s history is the current strong link with the Royal Houses. It merges seamlessly with the Kensington Gardens and ends at Kensington Place, which is still being used by the British Royal Family.
In a way, the stark contrast of the city with the sudden rolling green lake reminded me of Central Park in New York. For miles in any direction totally encasing both parks, were tons of bricks, blocks, steel, and activity. Then suddenly there is a green oasis in the middle of the chaos creating a duality of both the old and new world.
The Speakers Corner, for example, allows for concerns and views on the issues of the day to be aired publically and on Sundays, this is an area of great discussion. Also within the park, persons have the space to meet, mingle and interact via held events or if family time is needed, boats and horses can be rented for different periods of the day.
Even after a long day exploring a 350- acre park, I still felt so energized to explore more of London’s offerings. Since the yuletide taste was still distinct in the air, there were amazing sights still left to be seen so it was time to see London at night!
The trip was over before I knew it and I was back in Beirut, Lebanon. Until next time!
Author bio: Rana Tarakji is an entrepreneur and contributing writer at Styelrail, a lifestyle and career blog, as well as Sataco, a company that specializes in rewinding and balancing generators in Lebanon.