Story and images by Ed Salvato; above state of Queen Victoria at the Kensington Palace; below the Albert Memorial, also in Hyde Park; and at the bottom, the Natural History Museum
Financial crisis, financial schmisis! London remains a
vibrant world capital rivaled only by New York in the Western world for sheer
fabulousness. Sure, the United Kingdom's new coalition government is braying
about belt-tightening fiscal austerity measures, but you'd never know it in the
hustle-bustle of Europe's still-reigning financial capital. For anyone who
visited during the grim Thatcher years, the transformation of this gritty,
nearly collapsed city to the pulsating capital it is today is nothing short of
miraculous.
London's an exciting city that just gets better with each
passing year, and it's a great time for Americans to visit. While it is still
one of the most expensive cities on the planet, the exchange rate has not been
this favorable for some time, recently hitting a low of about $1.44 -- still
pricey but 20% less than the summer of 2009.
There are many ways to experience London. On a recent trip,
I was inspired by "The Young Victoria,"
a charming movie depicting the early years of young Queen Victoria's rise to
the throne as well as her courtship with and marriage to her cousin Prince
Albert from Germany. A modern-seeming marriage -- she had to propose to him due to protocol -- Victoria took care of state
affairs, and he was head of the family, a role he truly owned and excelled at.
He also headed up numerous commissions, including organizing the very important
Great Exhibition of 1851.They had a great love affair and, though Albert died
of typhoid at 42, they managed to produce nine children -- all of whom were married off to the most important royal families of the era. Victoria lived in a state of mourning
till she died nearly 40 years later at the age of 81.
Your first stop is the Victoria and Albert Museum. The museum, whose
dedication was Victoria's final official act, does not contain many
artifacts from their life, but it is well worth a visit. The museum also hosts
the marvelous Grace Kelly exhibit through September 26, 2010. Get tickets in
advance.
To understand their life together, check out the Queen's
Gallery,
a small museum next to Buckingham Palace. You can see "Victoria
and Albert: Art & Love" through
October 31, 2010. It shows how important art was to the young couple. The
pieces were either commissioned by Victoria or Albert; gifts to each other; or
objects gifted to them, including a fabulous pre-fabricated (for easy shipping)
carved-ivory throne from India, like a very early Ikea chair.
Be sure to check out the Albert Memorial,
a gorgeous monument in Hyde Park across from The Royal Albert Hall. This lovingly
designed monument (overseen by the grieving Victoria) celebrates Albert's support of and passion for the arts,
sciences, and learning.
The final stop of the Victoria tour is the Kensington
Palace, home to seven princesses including
Victoria, as well as Princess Diana, and other important, often tragic royal
British women. The current exhibit, "Enchanted Palace," is
an out-of-the-ordinary interactive experience, part poetic fairy tale, part
whodunit where visitors at each of the allegory-laden displays must interpret
hints, fragments of poetry, and other visual and audio cues to suss out the princesses
who resided here over the past 300 years.
The fantastic (and free) Natural History Musuem, which is located next door to
the Victoria and
Albert Museum is well worth a visit. Come for the dinosaurs
and vast number of curiosities but marvel at the splendid Victorian museum
building itself and the creative, scientific, we-can-do-anything spirit of the
age Victoria helped create.
More info
- VisitLondon offers gay
trip-planning information.
- Take the Heathrow Express, the quickest and most efficient public
transportation option for getting from the airport to downtown London, with
trains every 15 minutes arriving into Paddington Station. Buy online in
advance, print out the ticket, and simply show it to the ticket-taker on the
train.
- If you take public transportation in London, which is cheap
and incredibly efficient, it's best to get an Oyster card -- an all-access card good on the Tube and in buses. Click here for more information.
- In London visit the LGBT Tourist Office at 30 Lisle Street, Leicester Square. Gay
Pride London starts
June 19 and culminates in a fabulous, crowded, cacophonous, and very political
parade on July 3, 2010.
Story and images by Ed Salvato; above state of Queen Victoria at the Kensington Palace; below the Albert Memorial, also in Hyde Park; and at the bottom, the Natural History Museum
Financial crisis, financial schmisis! London remains a
vibrant world capital rivaled only by New York in the Western world for sheer
fabulousness. Sure, the United Kingdom's new coalition government is braying
about belt-tightening fiscal austerity measures, but you'd never know it in the
hustle-bustle of Europe's still-reigning financial capital. For anyone who
visited during the grim Thatcher years, the transformation of this gritty,
nearly collapsed city to the pulsating capital it is today is nothing short of
miraculous.
London's an exciting city that just gets better with each
passing year, and it's a great time for Americans to visit. While it is still
one of the most expensive cities on the planet, the exchange rate has not been
this favorable for some time, recently hitting a low of about $1.44 -- still
pricey but 20% less than the summer of 2009.
There are many ways to experience London. On a recent trip,
I was inspired by "The Young Victoria,"
a charming movie depicting the early years of young Queen Victoria's rise to
the throne as well as her courtship with and marriage to her cousin Prince
Albert from Germany. A modern-seeming marriage -- she had to propose to him due to protocol -- Victoria took care of state
affairs, and he was head of the family, a role he truly owned and excelled at.
He also headed up numerous commissions, including organizing the very important
Great Exhibition of 1851.They had a great love affair and, though Albert died
of typhoid at 42, they managed to produce nine children -- all of whom were married off to the most important royal families of the era. Victoria lived in a state of mourning
till she died nearly 40 years later at the age of 81.
Your first stop is the Victoria and Albert Museum. The museum, whose
dedication was Victoria's final official act, does not contain many
artifacts from their life, but it is well worth a visit. The museum also hosts
the marvelous Grace Kelly exhibit through September 26, 2010. Get tickets in
advance.
To understand their life together, check out the Queen's
Gallery,
a small museum next to Buckingham Palace. You can see "Victoria
and Albert: Art & Love" through
October 31, 2010. It shows how important art was to the young couple. The
pieces were either commissioned by Victoria or Albert; gifts to each other; or
objects gifted to them, including a fabulous pre-fabricated (for easy shipping)
carved-ivory throne from India, like a very early Ikea chair.
Be sure to check out the Albert Memorial,
a gorgeous monument in Hyde Park across from The Royal Albert Hall. This lovingly
designed monument (overseen by the grieving Victoria) celebrates Albert's support of and passion for the arts,
sciences, and learning.
The final stop of the Victoria tour is the Kensington
Palace, home to seven princesses including
Victoria, as well as Princess Diana, and other important, often tragic royal
British women. The current exhibit, "Enchanted Palace," is
an out-of-the-ordinary interactive experience, part poetic fairy tale, part
whodunit where visitors at each of the allegory-laden displays must interpret
hints, fragments of poetry, and other visual and audio cues to suss out the princesses
who resided here over the past 300 years.
The fantastic (and free) Natural History Musuem, which is located next door to
the Victoria and
Albert Museum is well worth a visit. Come for the dinosaurs
and vast number of curiosities but marvel at the splendid Victorian museum
building itself and the creative, scientific, we-can-do-anything spirit of the
age Victoria helped create.
More info
- VisitLondon offers gay
trip-planning information.
- Take the Heathrow Express, the quickest and most efficient public
transportation option for getting from the airport to downtown London, with
trains every 15 minutes arriving into Paddington Station. Buy online in
advance, print out the ticket, and simply show it to the ticket-taker on the
train.
- If you take public transportation in London, which is cheap
and incredibly efficient, it's best to get an Oyster card -- an all-access card good on the Tube and in buses. Click here for more information.
- In London visit the LGBT Tourist Office at 30 Lisle Street, Leicester Square. Gay
Pride London starts
June 19 and culminates in a fabulous, crowded, cacophonous, and very political
parade on July 3, 2010.
