Tom
Donald Olson, «Frommer's London from $90 a Day», 9th Edition Wiley Publishing | ISBN 0764541072 | 2004 Year | PDF | 8,02 Mb | 321 Pages We’re saying all this because American tourists have been staying away from London, and for all the wrong reasons. First it was the foot-andmouth scare. Then, after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, nobody wanted to fly anywhere. Just when tourism was picking up, America and Britain went to war with Iraq. Europeans kept coming to London during that period, but the city was devoid of American accents. So why should you break the stayat-home spell and visit London now? Because on a purely practical level, there’s more breathing room, more space, less hassle. London will always be a crowded city, but with fewer tourists you can now walk into any museum and get into even the most popular attractions without standing in long lines. Restaurants that once required reservations weeks in advance now require only 1 or 2 days. Getting a ticket for your favorite West End show is almost guaranteed. And hotels are practically begging for business: many have lowered their rates and offer amazingly cheap (for London) promotions. Airline fares are supercheap, too, if you know how to shop around (see “Getting There” in chapter 2 for more details). So go go go, because we’re here to tell you that London has never been better. It’s in the midst of an urban renaissance that has made it more livable and visitor-friendly than ever. Londoners are as proud of their city as ever. And they have reason to be. Ever since 1997, when Tony Blair’s New Labour party put an end to the Tories’ Thatcherite policies, people everywhere have been hailing Britain’s capital as the happening place. Call it a multi-ethnic semi-European cultural epicenter. It’s got the hottest fashion designers; the most mouthwateringly inventive dining scene; the most exciting theater, music, and dance; the greatest museums; an increasingly visible art world; fabulous shopping; and since it’s a Royal and celebrity hangout, it’s a hotbed of gossip and scandal, all of which you can read about every day in one of London’s many newspapers and sleazy tabloids (for a lowdown on some of the more recent Royal scandals, see the appendix). Below we’ve summarized some of the newer events and experiences that await you in London.