A typical guide book on London might start like this: "Few other cities in the world have perhaps been written about - or as well known as - London. For literally centuries, London has been the economic and political center of the western world, and today while cities like New York and Washington might be the seats of the new power, London continues to attract ... "

The truth is that no guide book or documentary can capture the essence of London. Or, to some extent, even a week-long vacation. Like New York and San Francisco, London is a city that you have to spend an extended time in - and perhaps even work in. You have to ride the public transport with the masses, go out for dinner one evening, drink at the local pub, and yes - even visit tourist-heavy Piccadilly Circus to realize that there's a little bit of London to suit everyone.

This is not intended to be a guide to London's attractions or pubs (for those who're interested, Time Out has some excellent books on London). These are musings after my third and longest trip to this fascinating city, during which I had to work in London for four weeks.

Central London may have a sprawling appearance - perhaps because of its majestic, huge buildings (surely such buildings can't all be cramped into a small space can they?) - but is surprisingly walkable. Thanks to a tube strike (Londoner's nickname for their subway system), I ended up walking from stately Westminster - the seat of the government - to the congested and commercial City of London area. And along the way you pass various flavours of London: the postcard stuff - Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, etc. to the City' legendary West End theatre district, to street names that emanate history, such as Fleet Street - the erstwhile center of journalism. There's something fascinating about just happening upon famous places and names than making a trip to exclusively see them. I remember walking along one day, looking up and noticing Big Ben - and saying to myself: "hey that looks like Big Ben - wait a minute, it is the Big Ben!" And even sighted the new London attraction - the London Eye - a giant ferris wheel of sorts on the banks of the Thames that provide unparalleled views of the city.

On Oxford Street, you can shop yourself broke, from the grand Selfridges to the tacky souvenir shops. Restaurant owners know that people get hungry after hunting all those bargains down, so restaurants abound as well. Most are crowded - so you might be wise to duck into a side alley to find a less crowded one. To experience Oxford Street the fullest - and be dazed by the sea of people around you - take the tube to Oxford Circus. Then elbow other fellow tourists and shoppers out of the way and make your way toward Marble Arch. By this time you should be starving, and that's a good thing unless you are already broke: there is a fascinating Indian restaurant behind the the Marble Arch tube station, called La Porte des Indies. This distinguishes itself from London's innumerable "curry houses" by creatively blending some French and Portugese influence into traditional Indian cooking, and by being housed in a stately former Edwardian ballroom.

Piccadilly Circus is where you can watch the tourists and the enterprising industry that lives off them. Camera-toting Japanese visitors, busloads of preteen schoolchildren, urban hipsters, chain restaurants and pubs, tacky souvenir shops, and of course all that neon makes this the busiest and brightest area in Central London. (Those who've been to Midtown Manhattan will find this a familiar sight.) Neighboring Leicester Square offers restaurants, theaters, and clubs as well. Watch for pickpockets - as well as overpriced souvenirs and pubs. And yet the cheeriness of this place is sometimes a welcome respite from the drab London weather.

Soho is London's progressive, somewhat sleazy, but always hip center of nightlife. The city's twenty-somethings flock here to try the eat at the latest chic restaurant, where food and people-watching often are given equal footing. There are parts of Soho that are considered somewhat unsafe and sleazy - but for most part, it's fun to walk its colorful streets. Or you might want to ride a rickshaw - a human-powered tricycle taxi!

There are a lot of other neighborhoods of London - each with its own distinct personality - but describing them would make this review go on and on. So I will let you explore London on your own - and wander across neighborhoods and marvel as you walk along how many different aspects of this city you will find. Its always more fun to read a guidebook after you've seen the city and agree with its author. I know it sounds strange, but try it - its interesting - and there's no other city better than London than to try it out.






Recommended: Yes

Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May