Echoes of the Multiverse

I'm planning on a vacation for some time in April-May for London, and I figured I'd make a list of what I wanted to do. I'm thinking of checking out museums and such- my old ass just LOVES museums and galleries and junk these days.

The Natural History Museum seems like a good bet- my friend says it's a two-day thing.

What are the best galleries & historical things? They've got castles and old stuff friggin' EVERYWHERE, but I obviously don't have time for it all.

What are the best zoos in England? My friend spoke wonders of the Chester Zoo, which is a ways away from London I'm pretty sure. Is the London Zoo any good?

I'll also probably take a week or so in Paris afterwards. Gotta check out their Disneyla-- I mean, their history and culture. Like, paintings and stuff. That's what I mean.

The London Zoo was nice 27 years ago. I'd assume it still is. It's on the north end of Regent's Park. On the south eastern corner of Regent's Park you can see a building where half a dozen or games from my RCU were run, once upon a time: the dormatory of Regent's College.

Tate Modern (modern art)
British Museum
London Dungeon (museum of tuture devices)
The National Gallery
Westminster Abbey
Saint Paul's Catherdral

You might want to check to see what's playing in the theatres. It used to be live theatre was priced more for the masses in London than it is in the States. I don't know how it is in Canada. But I saw the London production of Les Miserables back in '89 for 5 pounds (or $8 American), only a fraction of what it would have been for tickets in New York, or even the touring company. Things may have changed, but I suspect the theatre is still more affordable in London.

It's a little cheaper still. Wicked looks to be about $125 for good seats- about half of what Broadway charges. Comparable to the touring companies.

PS totally seeing Wicked.

I've really been wanting to see the Crystal Palace Dinosaurs since I've heard of it. Hopefully, it's as cool of a historical curiosity as it sounds.

As someone who lived and worked in London for 30 years. I can perhaps give you a few tips.

Definitely The Natural History Museum. It looks good on the outside and has all sorts of goodies on the inside. Shame we have lost the Diplodocus skeleton but there you have it.
The Science Museum is right next door to it so you can see perhaps both.
Across from the Natural History Museum is The Victoria and Albert Museum which is mostly clothes.
Up the road from both museums is Harrods which is a big department store. This has a great food section on the Ground floor (what the British call the 1st floor). I warn you now the place is expensive. Even by London standards.

Definitely again the British Museum. Gaze upon the loot from around the world and despair ! It is off Tottenham Court Road and the road does not look like much.

Shaftesbury Avenue is where a lot of the theatres are for plays and musicals. But Wicked is close to Victoria Station and easy to get into and out of. I have seen the show and liked it.

Whipsnade Zoo is north of London and that has a lot more animals.

You might want to go on a Bus tour so you can various of the sites.

There is also the possibility of a tour of the Houses of Parliament. Has to be pre booked. But I know a guy who works as an Information Officer there and he might be able to get you on the queue if you are interested.

The Tower Of London might be worth a look but this is expensive. Tower Bridge is nearby and HMS Belfast is near as well.
Travelling on the river could be something to do. Or the London Eye which is like a large Ferris Wheel.

There is an Air Force Museum but that is a bit of a trek.

I can give you a couple of things to look up regarding Paris if you want.

Death Tribble wrote:As someone who lived and worked in London for 30 years. I can perhaps give you a few tips.

Definitely The Natural History Museum. It looks good on the outside and has all sorts of goodies on the inside. Shame we have lost the Diplodocus skeleton but there you have it.
The Science Museum is right next door to it so you can see perhaps both.
Across from the Natural History Museum is The Victoria and Albert Museum which is mostly clothes.
Up the road from both museums is Harrods which is a big department store. This has a great food section on the Ground floor (what the British call the 1st floor). I warn you now the place is expensive. Even by London standards.

Definitely again the British Museum. Gaze upon the loot from around the world and despair ! It is off Tottenham Court Road and the road does not look like much.

Shaftesbury Avenue is where a lot of the theatres are for plays and musicals. But Wicked is close to Victoria Station and easy to get into and out of. I have seen the show and liked it.

Whipsnade Zoo is north of London and that has a lot more animals.

You might want to go on a Bus tour so you can various of the sites.

There is also the possibility of a tour of the Houses of Parliament. Has to be pre booked. But I know a guy who works as an Information Officer there and he might be able to get you on the queue if you are interested.

The Tower Of London might be worth a look but this is expensive. Tower Bridge is nearby and HMS Belfast is near as well.
Travelling on the river could be something to do. Or the London Eye which is like a large Ferris Wheel.

There is an Air Force Museum but that is a bit of a trek.

I can give you a couple of things to look up regarding Paris if you want.

Sure, that'd be great, thanks!

I'll have to look up a bit more stuff.

Should you happen to find yourself in Trafalgar Square, give Nelson's Column a salute for me.

Batgirl III wrote:Should you happen to find yourself in Trafalgar Square, give Nelson's Column a salute for me.

And...what about the rest of Nelson?

Goldar wrote:

Batgirl III wrote:Should you happen to find yourself in Trafalgar Square, give Nelson's Column a salute for me.

And...what about the rest of Nelson?

The statue of Nelson has four lions at its base. Don't make me set them on you.

Goldar wrote:

Batgirl III wrote:Should you happen to find yourself in Trafalgar Square, give Nelson's Column a salute for me.

And...what about the rest of Nelson?

Most of the rest of Nelson got shot off by the damn Frenchies.

I'm sorry you can't say that. The English and the French have each other as Favoured Enemies. We both called dibs.

Other things in London

Imperial War Museum. This has got all sorts of war related material from the most belligerent nation on Earth. You ain't nobody until you have fought Great Britain. This is situated on the old mental hospital called Bedlam and is indeed where you get the phrase about things being in a state of bedlam.

Madame Tussauds. This is a wax museum. This is expensive.

St Paul's Cathedral. Built after the great fire of London, it is magnificent.

The Monument. This is the location where the Great Fire of London started.

Regent's Park. The Zoo is only in part of it.

The London parks which are Hyde Park, St James Park and Green Park. The latter two are close to Buckingham Palace. There are tours of the latter but only in late August into September. Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace takes place at 11:00

The other major shops in London are Selfridges which is nice and I am a fan of their drink section, Liberty which was built out of two ship hulls to get around planning restrictions at the time. Foyles is a major book shop and I have shopped there. Hamleys is a toy shop frequently visited by adults.

I cannot tell you about the Shrek or Harry Potter experiences as I never partook of them.

The Museum of London is worth a look at online to see if you want to go there.

Greenwich has the Naval Museum.

I will leave the attractions outside the capital unless you have a yen for them. These include the London Barrier, Windsor Castle, Whipsnade Zoo and Hampton Court Palace.

Things to consider in Paris.

If you are only going to be there once go see The Louvre. Yes it has the Mona Lisa but there are other works of art there that are staggering. It is at the end of the Champs Elysses which is dead straight and goes upto the Arc De Triomphe. This is worth seeing Marble Arch in London pales in comparison.

The Eiffel Tower. The views from here are great. Planning restrictions mean that there are little or any skyscrapers in Paris and only one on the left bank of the Seine.

Notre Dame Cathedral. You can get onto the outside as well between the two towers as well as inside.

Musee d'Orsay. this has the largest collection of Impressionist and Post Impressionist work in the world. The building is an old railway station. It looks great.

Napoleon's Tomb is worth a look.

Les Invalides if you are into militeria particularly.

The shows centre on The Lido de Paris and The Moulin Rouge although there are other clubs in Paris in the same area. The former two are the most famous where the Bluebell girls and the Can Can are found respectively. There is also The Crazy Horse and the Folies Bergere. I have seen the dancers from The Crazy Horse in London and the Folies is where Josephine Baker danced.

Outside Paris you have the Palace of Versailles, Disneyland Paris, Parc Asterix and Chartres Cathedral. This is just a sample I can elaborate where necessary.

Cool, thanks- I'll check some of that out. Anyone who knows me knows I won't miss Disneyland Paris- despite being a huge joke in the '90s, it's apparently the prettiest "Magic Kingdom"-style park, with a few unique things between that and their Studios counterpart.

I'm big on the Louvre, St. Paul's, the British Museum (apparently worth 2 days), Natural History Museum, and more like that. An Englishman I know says that "The Dungeon" is fantastic- basically a Dark Ride combined with Live Actors' renditions of old English historical stories.

Death Tribble wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2017 1:51 pm I'm sorry you can't say that. The English and the French have each other as Favoured Enemies. We both called dibs.

Hating the French is a universal right, denied to no one.