Classic London in One Picture

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of London? If you asked me that question, I would say Big Ben. Ever since I was a young child, I have wanted to see Big Ben in person. I had this video game that was set in London, and one of the levels involved a scavenger hunt around Big Ben. I always saw this magnificent structure through a video game, but never in person. Another structure that came to mind was the red telephone booths. In the U.S, we have public telephones, but they do not define what makes America unique. These red telephone booths are all around London. The first time I spotted one was in one of my favorite movies, The Parent Trap.  In a few scenes throughout the movie, viewers see a glimpse of what life is like in London.  The mother's house in London, walking through the outdoor mall, the weather changing from beautiful sunny to pouring rain, and having afternoon tea with the grandfather. Therefore, Big Ben and the red telephone booths were items that I believe are what make London unique.

When I decided to study abroad, I was ecstatic that I would be able to see these two structures in real form.  I began to research typical things to do as a foreigner in London, and somehow came upon this picture:

After seeing these two quintessential London structures in person, I believe that this picture sums up what a typical day in the city is. We see the red telephone booth with a beautiful view of Big Ben in the background. You can tell from the shiny ground and the overcast sky that it had just finished raining (which happens all the time in London). On the right is the entrance to the Westminister tube stop, which has access to the District and Circle lines that can take you to many locations throughout London.  I love how in this picture, London looks very gloomy and un-appealing to the naked eye, but the red telephone booth brings the city to life. It almost looks as if the telephone booth is the heartbeat to London and the telephone booth keeps the city alive. The neutral colors in the background makes the telephone booth a striking red color. With all the experiences that I have encountered in London, the telephone booth creates a channel of communication between two people from across the world. The fact that I can call anyone and tell them that as I speak with them I am looking at Westminster Abbey and Big Ben is wild and crazy to think about.  As I look and analyze this picture, I think about all the memories had at this location and wish I was back in this beautiful city. 

Transportation in London

Now that I have discussed all of my favorite places to go in London, you're going to need to know how to get there. The only way to go is The Tube. There are 5 main tube lines in London that you are going to need to know to travel around London in the most efficient and timely manner.

The Bakerloo Line is the line I used most throughout my time in London. This is where Warwick Avenue (my flat) and Little Italy is located. From this line, you can transfer at Paddington and take the District or Circle Lines to High Street Kensington (where my university was located), Baker Street (many different restaurants located here), Notting Hill, King's Cross St. Pancreas, and Sloane Square (where Harrods is located).  From these two lines, you can go to these famous locations:

Circle or District Line ~ get off at Monument = Tower Bridge, Tower of London

Circle or District Line ~ get off at Westminster = Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, London Eye

On both of these lines, you can get off at Victoria to see Buckingham Palace.

The Victoria Line stops at Green Park, which you can exit to also see Buckingham Palace. The Oxford Circus station is where all the shopping is in London. This line has the King's Cross St. Pancreas station, which is popular for those wanting to travel outside of London and for those wanting to take the train to Paris.

The last stop I want to discuss is the Jubilee Line. This line has many stops that are popular among tourists. For example, this line stops at Westminster, St. John's Wood (a 10 minute walk to my flat), Baker Street, Green Park, London Bridge, and Canary Wharf. KPMG, where I interned during my semester in London, is located in Canary Wharf. This location is similiar to the Wall Street of New York, and has a waterfront view. As you can see, from this line, you can get to many locations such as Buckingham Palace and the London Bridge.

I will show an example of how to get from my flat on Warwick Avenue to Canary Wharf, then from Canary Wharf to High Street Kensington.

Bakerloo Line to Baker Street Station

Jubilee Line to Canary Wharf Station 

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Jubilee Line to Westminster Station

Circle Line to High Street Kensington Station 

Once you spend a few weeks in London, transportation within the city is very simple to navigate. Each line has a certain color, so when you are in the Underground Stations, you will remember that brown is the Bakerloo Line or yellow is the Circle Line. Additionally, there is an app for the iPhone called CityMapper that is extremely useful for tourists. This app allows you to type in the Current Location and Destination and it will tell you which lines to take. Happy traveling!