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London is swinging again, and the world is taking notice of the capital of a newly “Cool Britannia.” No more the sole domain of bobbies and Beefeaters, princes and Parliament, a bedazzling London shines with a renewed art and food scene and some of the best shopping and club-hopping on the planet. Though its ever-present past is always popping up, London is a city as much concerned with the present and future. Poised to enter the next century with unparalleled vigor, the city is one with a constantly changing face, both literally and figuratively. The coming Millennium will see a new form of government for the capital with its new mayoral system. The skyline is changing as well; forward-looking projects like the glossy Millennium Dome and Skyscape, centerpiece of one of the world’s largest and most controversial developments, loom behind staid stalwarts like Tower Bridge. And with over a quarter of its residents belonging to ethnic minorities, London is a city struggling to come to terms with a population in continual flux. The Victorian doorway inscribed with an Anglican piety may belong to a Sikh or a Muslim, in a city internalizing its imperial past. Still it carries on, and does so admirably.
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LONDON FACTS & FIGURES
- London is the largest city in Europe, with a population of 7 million.
- The oldest financial center in the world, London has over 500 foreign banks and more headquarters of banks than any other city.
- Over 30% of the population is made up of first, second, or third generation immigrants.
GETTING DOWN & OUT
Those who journey to London in expectation of friendly, rosy-cheeked, frumpy, tea-drinking, Queen-loving gardeners may be astounded to find that London is equally the province of slinkily-dressed, buff young things who spend their nights lounging around murky Soho cafes. London is an irrepressibly international city, where the first rumblings of rave culture, the Britpop explosion, and countless other movements began, and which still move swingers the world over.
If visions of stiff guards, flashy heraldry, burnished armor, and the like make your engine race, see the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. But burnished breastplates aside, today’s Londoner is as likely to hail from North Africa as Notting Hill. Colorful textile shops line Brick Lane, heart of London’s Bangladeshi community, while you can peruse an Arabic language newspaper in one of the Lebanese cafes of Edgware Road or shop for exotic vegetables in the markets of Chinatown. No visit to London would be complete without time spent luxuriating in London’s glorious parks and gardens. Spend a leisurely day strolling through Hyde Park or Hampstead Heath. Literature fans are spoilt for choice — visit Greenwich Observatory, inspiration for Joseph Conrad’s Secret Agent, or trek to the Senate House at the University of London, which served as the base of the Ministry of Truth in George Orwell’s classic "1984". While London is full of ancient traditions and historic sites, the city is not neglecting the future — London's caught a dose of Millennium frenzy. Head to the Greenwich's Millennium Dome, or take a spin on the world's largest Ferris wheel - the top of the Millennium Wheel is higher than the tip of the Eiffel tower. |
