# What should I see in London? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 16, 2008, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857 "2008-09-16T16:51:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@put\_down\_the\_sabre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/put_down_the_sabre)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2008, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/61 "2008-09-18T23:29:53Z")
> [@Chez\_Guevara](#): > > If you do, book a seat at £15 upwards rather than take a £5 standing position at ground level. Paying the extra means you will not require medical treatment for a crick in the neck from looking up all the time. > > Bear in mind also that the Globe season finishes the first week in October. Couldn’t disagree more - if you’re in relatively good shape (ie, able to stand for a few hours) and the weather is not against you, standing at the globe rocks. I have seen a couple of performances that way (the tempest, twelfth night), and I remember them all distinctly as wonderful. The thing with the yard is that you can get ridiculously close to the actors, to distances that only the most expensive seats will get in a conventional theatre. Also, I guess the vast majority of American tourists will sit down, by standing up you will get huge bragging points. One suggestion for visiting London - walk! Within central London (zone 1 or so), everything is very close together and it can take longer to walk to the tube station, get on the train, and come out than it would take just to walk somewhere. The tube map is very schematic, so don’t rely on it to judge distances. Walking or cycling in a city is a great way to get a feel for the place, and compose a mental map in your head. Walking London is very rewarding. If you are in good shape, rent a bike, take the Oxford Tube bus up to Oxford, see the sights, and bike the (50miles or so) back the next day. After a long day’s biking, realising that you are in the centre of town as you pass into Hyde Park… unforgettable. pdts ---
**Author:** ![SomeBodyUK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@SomeBodyUK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SomeBodyUK)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/62 "2008-09-19T01:36:14Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > The food IS fine but the touristy stuff does tend to close earlier than one would like. Just make sure to check the hours before you go somewhere. Speaking of food, get yourself over to **Brick Lane** if you want Indian. I wish I’d eaten there more than once! If you want to find restaurants which are offering special deals on meals try this website" [http://www.toptable.co.uk/](http://www.toptable.co.uk/) Brick Lane is shite - British Indian guy here. The restaurants are not run by Indians, they’re run by Bangladeshis. The food isn’t good. If you want to go to place where food is of sufficient quality that Indian people are willing to pay for it try Southall. It’s very close to Heathrow Airport. [Try this place, I doubt many Americans have heard of it](http://www.mandir.org) ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/63 "2008-09-19T01:38:48Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > No - but it’s not nitpicking to point out that Stonehenge, Avebury and Portsmouth are nowhere near London. Ok, ok. I don’t consider Portsmouth to be all that far from London. UK is incredibly small by American standards. I have driven farther for dinner than London proper to Portsmouth or Avebury or even Stonehenge. YMMV. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/64 "2008-09-19T01:45:43Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Ok, ok. I don’t consider Portsmouth to be all that far from London. UK is incredibly small by American standards. I have driven farther for dinner than London proper to Portsmouth or Avebury or even Stonehenge. YMMV. > 🙂 Sure, but how often do you take public transportation? **put down the sabre** … welcome back! ---
**Author:** ![Tracy\_Lord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@Tracy\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracy_Lord)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/65 "2008-09-19T10:09:34Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > The Chandos, off Trafalgar Square > Doggetts, on Southbank > Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese (yes, really!) in Fleet Street > Waxy O’Connor’s, Rupert Street, off Leicester Square Waxy’s is a brilliant pub! And if you go on a Sunday night you can catch a really cracking Irish music session in the Cottage bar. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/66 "2008-09-19T13:24:30Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Sure, but how often do you take public transportation? Here? Often, but not frequently. In UK–always. It’s not that far to Portsmouth. It’s not the far to Dover for that matter (although I wouldn’t go to Dover for dinner and then back to London). Unless you’re going to Scotland–nothing in UK is all that far. I’m sorry, but it’s not. Most of it is lovely and I love it and it’s wonderful and y’all are real nice people, but it’s not. that. far. (it could be complicated with public transport, that’s another matter) When I say I have driven as far as London to Portsmouth for dinner–I meant the equivalent distance here, not that I have driven it in UK. I hope that’s clear and we can stop talking about this minor point. :smack: Enjoy your trip, OP! IMS, you leave today. \ ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/67 "2008-09-19T16:02:57Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Unless you’re going to Scotland–nothing in UK is all that far. Unless, of course, you’re trying to get out to the islands. We ended up not being able to visit the Isle of Man this summer just because it would have required so long to get there and back by ferry. We did do some of the Outer Hebrides, though. The Isle of Lewis is amazing. A loooooong way from London, though 😉 Otherwise, I have to agree with you. Living in Montana, a hundred miles or so is nothing. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/68 "2008-09-19T17:40:59Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > \ Yeah, seriously. I loved London. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/69 "2008-09-20T02:34:27Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > Unless, of course, you’re trying to get out to the islands. We ended up not being able to visit the Isle of Man this summer just because it would have required so long to get there and back by ferry. We did do some of the Outer Hebrides, though. The Isle of Lewis is amazing. A loooooong way from London, though 😉 > > Otherwise, I have to agree with you. Living in Montana, a hundred miles or so is nothing. Depends on the island. 😛 The Isle of White is not that far… I’ll shut up now. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/70 "2008-09-20T19:21:31Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Depends on the island. 😛 The Isle of White is not that far… …if it’s not too dear (we shall scrimp and save!) ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/71 "2008-09-20T19:31:25Z")
It’s actually the Isle of Wight. Not because it is inhabited by frightening undead creatures. That’s just a coincidence. Nearer still for London tourists are the Isle of Sheppey, and Canvey Island. Strangely, neither of them seem to attract many foreign visitors. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/72 "2008-09-20T19:37:06Z")
> [@Usram](#): > > It’s actually the Isle of Wight. Not because it is inhabited by frightening undead creatures. That’s just a coincidence. Why do you hate red squirrels? > [@](#): > > Nearer still for London tourists are the Isle of Sheppey, and Canvey Island. Strangely, neither of them seem to attract many foreign visitors. Yes, very perplexing. Don’t forget the delightfully-named [Eel Pie Island](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:EelPieIsland01.JPG), too. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/73 "2008-09-21T00:32:55Z")
> [@Usram](#): > > It’s actually the Isle of Wight. Not because it is inhabited by frightening undead creatures. That’s just a coincidence. > > Nearer still for London tourists are the Isle of Sheppey, and Canvey Island. Strangely, neither of them seem to attract many foreign visitors. AUGH! I can’t believe I made that typo! I am ashamed and will go hang my head in misery. My family name is Shanklin for fuck’s sake. I KNOW the Isle of Wight! \ ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/74 "2008-09-21T08:33:53Z")
Canvey Island, full of oil refineries and dodgy characters originally from the East-End of London. It also has a holiday caravan park right next to the sewerage works. Surely this must be high-up on anyone’s “to see” list? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/75 "2008-09-21T16:58:10Z")
> [@SomeBodyUK](#): > > Brick Lane is shite - British Indian guy here. The restaurants are not run by Indians, they’re run by Bangladeshis. The food isn’t good. > > [Try this place, I doubt many Americans have heard of it](http://www.mandir.org) The place I ate was great. Where you’re from or what you are doesn’t change how much I enjoyed it. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/76 "2008-09-21T17:24:22Z")
Plus, if you ruled out “Indian” restaurants run by people of Bangledeshi extranction, that would probably be more than half of the curry houses in Britain… ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857/77 "2008-09-21T18:10:25Z")
> [@Rayne\_Man](#): > > Canvey Island, full of oil refineries and dodgy characters originally from the East-End of London. It also has a holiday caravan park right next to the sewerage works. > > Surely this must be high-up on anyone’s “to see” list? 😉 \ 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-see-in-london/463857.md?page=3)