London: Want to Get Away?

LONDON - Samuel Johnson was right.

“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”

And he was just talking about the 1700s.

I’ve lived here for a few months of my life now, and I am never at a loss for something to do. In fact, there’s almost too much to do – when I end up leaving in a few weeks, I feel there will be a million things left on my list. This past weekend I did finally make it to my number 1-must see-can’t go home without visiting London site – St. Paul’s Cathedral. Definitely worth it, and I’m kicking myself for never having gone before.

But even with the literally endless options of tourist attractions, bars, clubs, restaurants, plays, musicals, etc. (you get the picture), sometimes it’s time for a break from city life.

Cambridge

Cambridge is I.V. in England. Well, maybe not exactly, but there are a couple similarities: worldclass university, incredibly fun college town, beautiful setting by a body of water… Sure, if you actually study here you may have a fireplace in your room and the buildings and grounds are likely to be Gothic or Victorian in style rather than inspired by 1970s Lego building blocks, but the parallels are there. And they’re definitely the two best places in the world to go to university.

If you have to choose between visiting or studying at Oxford or Cambridge, choose Cambridge. Trust me. (Well, I’ve never been to Oxford, but I bet it’s horrible… Ok, so I went to Cambridge for a program and they ingrain in you the Oxford-Cambridge rivalry. But, seriously, I’m not biased. Cambridge is amazing.)

After just an hour train ride from London (Hop on at King’s Cross St. Pancras or Liverpool Street), you’ll be in one of England’s most beautiful – and decidedly English – settings. The architecture is stunning, with King’s College Chapel dominating the scene and each college making a distinctive impression. It’s truly a picture perfect kind of town and the type of place where you can’t walk on the grass inside the college grounds – only fellows (faculty) get the pleasure. And you know what? People for the most part adhere to the rule. Bet it wouldn’t fly in I.V.

Of course, a must for any visitor is punting on the River Cam. Either hire a punter – a good option if you want to hear about the various sites – or try punting yourself. A tip: Don’t attempt punting while drunk. I can’t even count the number of people I’ve seen go for an unintended swim in the river. Hilarious.

Oh yeah, and did I mention it’s a college town? You’ll find tons of pubs, restaurants, bookstores and nightlife options to fill your time. There’s also plenty of park spaces where you are allowed to sit on the grass. In the summer, nothing’s better than an ice cream and 99 flake overlooking the river.

Lots of people go for just a day – I went for a month and it wasn’t enough.

Be sure to visit: King’s College Chapel, the Fitzwilliam Museum, the Bridge of Sighs, any pub.

Greenwich

I just visited Greenwich over the weekend and it made quite the impact. First of all, if you are a history nut or obsessed with the British Navy (there have to be tons of us, right?), start planning your vacation right now.

Try to make sure it’s a beautiful (i.e. not raining) day and take a trip down the river. You can pick up a boat at Westminster Pier and if you’ve got a travelcard Oyster (NOT a pay as you go), you can get 1/3 off the trip’s cost. It’s a great opportunity for some prime sightseeing and it’s much more fun than being stuck in the tube, which I like to avoid whenever possible.

Greenwich is, as they like to remind you on all the tourist materials, a WORLD HERITAGE SITE. Damn right – it’s absolutely gorgeous. The buildings are well maintained and everything is fantastically preserved. This is a great way to step outside the cosmopolitan world of London and go back in time for a day.

Definitely make a point to visit the Painted Hall. Designed by the dream team of architect Christopher Wren and artist James Thornhill, this is the most baroque site in England. It would be unmissable simply for its place in history – Admiral Lord Nelson was brought here to lie in state after his death at the Battle of Trafalgar – but it’s also the most epic baroque setting this side of Vienna. If you skip this, you really will have missed something extraordinary.

Also stop by the National Maritime Museum and have a history geek moment while examining the coat Nelson wore at Trafalgar. What a man. But, as I learned, a short one.

There’s also a ton of interactive aspects to the museum, as well as a great display of ship models. Other places to check out are the Queen’s House (where the NMM houses its fantastic maritime art collection) and the Royal Observatory and Meridian Line. The walk may be an uphill battle, but the view is worth it. I didn’t care about standing over the Meridian Line, but some people may get a kick out of it. You get to wait in a line to stand over a line. It sounded silly.

(Then again, I’m the type of person who tracks down tourist sites because of their connection to Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin/Master & Commander series. Essential reading for anyone wanting a great book to accompany their vacation. Really, it’s essential reading for life.)

And you know what’s great about these Greenwich sites? They’re all free!

Hampton Court Palace

Hands down the most underrated tourist site in London. I had never even heard about it prior to this trip, but thanks to my parents and some extra press for Henry VIII’s 500th anniversary, this palace came to my attention. I visited over the weekend with my family and it instantly became my favorite London site.

Located on a gorgeous plot of land just 35 minutes from London by train  (Waterloo Station to Hampton Court Palace), there couldn’t be a more accessible jaunt out of the city. The palace is just a two minute walk from the train station and you cross over a lovely part of the river – not bad for a royal entrance. As for the building itself, the palace is beyond stunning with its unique mix of Tudor, Baroque and Georgian architectural styles.

I love history, and if you check out this page you’ll see just how much history is in this place, which could explain my obsession with the palace. Hampton Court also does its fair share of historical reenactments/living history - they actually run the Tudor Kitchens, have falconry demonstrations, get people to play Real Tennis and even have musical parades through the halls in which moms may possibly get trampled. Good times.

One of the highlights is Mantegna’s The Triumphs of Caesar , a masterpiece of Renaissance painting. I literally could not believe my eyes – such a vivid rendering of Roman history plus a visit to a Tudor palace? As a history nerd, this place is insane.

And on top of all the sites within the house, be sure to check out the ‘backyard’. Gorgeous gardens? Check. World famous Maze that children seem to have no problem navigating but that you can’t figure out? Check. Oldest tennis court in the world? Check.

I’m moving in.

One Response to “ London: Want to Get Away? ”

1. Carolyn says:

   August 3, 2009 at 9:07 am

   To read your words
   is the next best thing to actually being there !