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Piccadilly Circus - London - Piccadilly Circus is a famous road junction and public space of London's West End in the City of Westminster, built in 1819 to connect Regent Street with the major shopping street of Piccadilly. In this context a circus, from the Latin word meaning a circle, is a circular open space at a street junction. [1] It now links directly to the theatres on Shaftesbury Avenue as well as the Haymarket, Coventry Street (onwards to Leicester Square) and Glasshouse Street. The Circus is close to major shopping and entertainment areas in a central location at the heart of the West End. Its status as a major traffic intersection has made Piccadilly Circus a busy meeting point and a tourist attraction in its own right. The Circus is particularly known for its video display and neon signs mounted on the corner building on the northern side, as well as the Shaftesbury memorial fountain and statue of an archer popularly known as Eros (sometimes called The Angel of Christian Charity, but intended to be Anteros). It is surrounded by several noted buildings, including the London Pavilion and Criterion Theatre. Directly underneath the plaza is Piccadilly Circus London Underground station. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piccadilly_Circus)Black Cab in front of St Martin's Lane Hotel - London - From its dazzling location at the hub of Covent Garden, West End theatres and Trafalgar Square, St Martins Lane is a dramatic and daring reinvention of the urban resort. Smart, witty and sophisticated, Philippe Starck’s design is a brilliant collision of influences - from the modern to the baroque - that suffuses the hotel with energy, vitality and magic. Unique features include the acclaimed Asia de Cuba restaurant, wildly popular Light Bar, and interactive light displays in every Guest Room that encourage guests to personalize their own individual space, and help to turn this London hotel into a beautiful and ever changing mosaic of color. (Source: http://www.stmartinslane.com)London - Merry-go-round in Coven Garden - The history of carousels dates back to the 12th century. In order to test a rider's skill, scented clay balls were thrown from one Arabian horseman to another. If there were riders that were untouched by the scent of the clay, they were considered to be superior riders. The French in the 17th century were able to change the ancient clay. A wheel which had wooden arms and suspended horses was used in place of the ancient clay. A pole was placed in the center of a circle, along with a wooden horse, which rotated around the pole. The object of the game was for the rider to attempt to spear a small brass ring on the outside section of the machine. In a tournament-type game during the late 1700's or early 1800's, this machine was given the name of "carousel". With the reign of Henry IV, the carousel was used as the entertainment. The entertainment consisted of pageants, drills, and contests with participating troops of costumed horsemen. Located between the Tuileries Garden and the Louvre in Paris, is The Place du Carrousel. This was named after a carousel given by Louis XIV in 1662. A make believe carousel was created with hobbyhorses by an inventive Parisian toy maker. He wanted to give everyone an opportunity to enjoy these spectacular carousels because normally only those of nobility could enjoy. Yes, you guessed it! The platform did turn very slowly so that everyone, children and adults, could enjoy this event. The Parisian children were in awe! Soon the ride was spreading to America. (Source: http://jandingo.com/index78/index78.html)Carrousel à Coven Garden - Londres - Apparemment déjà utilisé dans l'Antiquité, le manège (ou carrousel) était à l'origine un lieu circulaire où l'on pouvait pratiquer l'équitation, faire travailler un cheval à la longe ou exécuter une démonstration de dressage avec des chevaux (cirque). Mais c'est en Italie que le manège réapparut au XVIe siècle. Le mot manège viendrait de l'italien maneggio. En France, le manège du roi fut institué sous Henri III. (Source: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man%C3%A8ge_(%C3%A9quitation)) England - London - Red Phone Box & Big Ben - Although arguably an endangered species these days, the red telephone box created by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott has long been considered a design icon: one of those items that instantly marked the nation’s identity to overseas visitors. Nothing that has been designed since to fulfil the same purpose has been anywhere near so fondly regarded. And since so many of us have mobile phones now anyway, we could be forgiven for hardly noticing. Public telephony did not always take place in an illuminated, sheltered kiosk on the street. In the late 19th century, public phones were situated in hotel foyers and shops, very often with an attendant on hand in the posher establishments to contact the telephone exchange on your behalf and collect the fee. The provision of street kiosks began in the early 1900s, with each municipal authority producing its own design. (Source: http://www.icons.org.uk/theicons/collection/the-phone-box/biography/the-red-phone-box-biography-finished)Fountain in Trafalgar Square - London - The fountains in Trafalgar Square, London, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and added in 1939.Limo, Sculpture & Big Ben in London - With something as stylish and opulent as a limousine, it is no surprise that limos originated in France. Many hundreds of years ago, shepherds in Limousin, France, developed a hooded over garment to protect themselves from the rain and cold which they called a 'limousine'. In the 1900s when carriages were first emerging, a similar motivation lead to a cover being developed to create covered travelling compartments. There was also a Parisian coach builder from Limousin who may have been responsible for the word limousine applying to covered coaches, which were of course always chauffeur driven. James P Carey was one of the first to take advantage of the demand for chauffeur driven luxury cars. In New York in 1921, Carey realised that visitors to this ever bustling city wanted to travel in more style than a taxi cab offered and so used the early Packards and Cadillacs to launch his multi-million dollar limousine empire still in operation today. Another New Yorker, David Klein, was determined to make stretch limousines available and operating in every city. After a taxi strike in 1970 where he 'chauffeured' stranded commuters across the city, Klein also seized the opportunity to offer an alternative to cabs. Moving up from selling Volkswagen's and running a valet parking concession, Klein used this experience to form a partnership with a high school friend and launched his business. (Source: http://www.limobroker.co.uk/articles/limousine-information/limo-history/limo-history-423.htm) Painting of the Royal Family at National Portrait Gallery - St Martin's Place - London - The gallery opened to the public in 1856. It houses portraits of historically important and famous British people, selected on the basis of the significance of the sitter. The collection includes photographs and caricatures as well as paintings, drawings and sculpture. The National Portrait Gallery also houses the Chandos portrait, arguably the most famous portrait of William Shakespeare. Not all of the portraits are exceptional artistically, although there are self-portraits by William Hogarth, Sir Joshua Reynolds and other British artists of note. Some, such as the group portrait of the participants in the Somerset House Conference of 1604, are important historical documents in their own right. Often the curiosity value is greater than the artistic worth of a work, as in the case of the anamorphic portrait of Edward VI by William Scrots, Patrick Branwell Brontë's painting of his sisters Charlotte, Emily and Anne, or a sculpture of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in medieval costume. Portraits of living figures were allowed from 1969. The Gallery moved to its present building north of and adjacent to the National Gallery in 1896. It was designed by Ewan Christian in a Neo-Renaissance style, built by Shillitoe & Son and has been expanded twice. The first extension was funded by Lord Duveen in 1933, whose wing runs along Orange Street, and the second by Dr. Christopher Ondaatje in 2000. The Ondaatje Wing occupies a slither of land between the two 19th-century buildings of the National Gallery and the NPG and is notable for its immense, two-storey escalator that takes visitors to the earliest part of the collection, the Tudor portraits. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Portrait_Gallery_(London))Hampshire Hotel - Leicester Square - London - Leicester Square is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. The Square lies within an area bound by Lisle Street, to the north; Charing Cross Road, to the east; Orange Street, to the south; and Whitcomb Street, to the west. The park at the centre of the Square is bound by Cranbourn Street, to the north; Leicester Street, to the east; Irving Street, to the south; and a section of road designated simply as Leicester Square, to the west. It is within the City of Westminster, and about equal distances (about 400 yards or 300 metres) north of Trafalgar Square, east of Piccadilly Circus, west of Covent Garden, and south of Cambridge Circus. The Square is named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester, who purchased four acres (1.6 hectares) in St. Martin's Field in 1630; by 1635, he had built himself a large house, Leicester House, at the northern end. The area in front of the house was then enclosed, depriving inhabitants of St. Martin's Parish of their right to use the previously common land. The parishioners appealed to King Charles I, and he appointed three members of the Privy Council to arbitrate. Lord Leicester was ordered to keep part of his land (thereafter known as Leicester Field and later as Leicester Square) open for the parishioners. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leicester_Square) There's no Darkness but Ignorance. - William Shakespeare - Twelfth Night, Act 4, Scene 2, Olivia's house. Leicester Square - London - William Shakespeare (baptised 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" (or simply "The Bard"). His surviving works consist of 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language, and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shakespeare)Charlie Chaplin Statue - Leicester Square - London - Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin, Jr., KBE (16 April 1889 – 25 December 1977), better known as Charlie Chaplin, was an Academy Award-winning English comedy actor. Chaplin became one of the most famous actors as well as a notable director, composer and musician in the early to mid Hollywood cinema era. He is considered to have been one of the finest mimes and clowns ever caught on film and has greatly influenced performers in this field. He acted in, directed, scripted, produced, and eventually scored his own films. Chaplin was also one of the most creative and influential personalities in the silent-film era. His working life in entertainment spanned over 65 years, from the Victorian stage and music hall in the United Kingdom as a child performer, almost until his death at the age of eighty-eight. Chaplin's high-profile public and private life encompassed highs and lows with both adulation and controversy. His principal character was "The Tramp" (known as "Charlot" in France and the French-speaking world, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Romania, and Turkey, and as "Carlitos" in Brazil). "The Tramp" is a vagrant with the refined manners and dignity of a gentleman. The character wears a tight coat, oversized trousers and shoes, and a derby; carries a bamboo cane; and has a signature toothbrush moustache. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Chaplin)'Guys & Dolls' Musical at Piccadilly Theater - London - Guys and Dolls is a musical, with the music and lyrics written by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, based on The Idyll Of Miss Sarah Brown, a short story by Damon Runyon. It also borrows characters and plot elements from other Runyon stories, most notably "Pick the Winner." The musical was first produced on Broadway at the 46th Street Theatre, opening on November 24, 1950 and directed by George S. Kaufman. It starred Robert Alda, Sam Levene, Isabel Bigley, and Vivian Blaine. The play enjoyed an initial run of 1,201 performances, winning five 1951 Tony Awards, including the award for Best Musical. Decca Records issued an original cast recording on LP; it was later reissued on CD by MCA. The original London production opened at the London Coliseum on May 28, 1953 and ran for 555 performances. The show enjoyed numerous award-winning revivals and tours and has become a popular choice for school and community theatre productions. On November 3, 1955 the film version was released, starring Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, and Jean Simmons, with Vivian Blaine reprising her role. It was directed by Joseph Mankiewicz. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guys_and_Dolls)'Whistle Down The Wind' Musical at Palace Theater - Shaftesbury Avenue - London - Whistle Down the Wind is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the 1961 film Whistle Down the Wind. The lyrics are by Jim Steinman, known for his work with Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler and others. It premiered at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. on 12 December 1996, starring Davis Gaines as The Man and Irene Molloy as Swallow, to negative reviews, and the Broadway opening that had been scheduled for April 17, 1997, was subsequently cancelled. It was felt that, among other things, it was Harold Prince's direction that had let the American version of the show down. However, it got a huge amount of advance publicity, due to Steinman's status as a popular American songwriter and how strange the combination of Steinman and Lloyd Webber seemed based on Steinman's prior work. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistle_Down_the_Wind_(musical))'Chicago' Musical at Cambridge Theatre - Earlham Street - London - Chicago is a Kander and Ebb musical set in prohibition era Chicago. The book is by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice, and the concept of the "celebrity criminal." The musical is based on a 1926 play of the same name by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins about actual criminals and crimes she had reported on. The original 1975 Broadway production ran for a total of 936 performances. Bob Fosse choreographed the original production, and his style is strongly identified with the show. Chicago's 1996 Broadway revival holds the record for the longest-running musical revival on Broadway (not counting the revue Oh! Calcutta!) and, as of March 2, 2008, it has played for more than 4,684 performances. The revival was followed by a production on London's West End and several tours and international productions. An Academy Award-winning film version of the musical was released in 2002. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_(musical)) Cafe Rimini - Leicester Square - London - Cafe Rimini serve a variety of sandwiches, snacks and meals for you to enjoy.Black Cab in London - The Black Cabs' history goes back to the time of horse-drawn cabs which were called Hackney Cabs. The term comes from the French word haquenee referring to the ambling horses used to pull the original Hackney Carriages2. The Hackney Carriage originated in London, England in 1625. The cabs still come under some of the old rules from the horse-drawn days. The Black Cabs are the only taxis that are allowed to pick people up from the street. There are also mini cabs in London, however they can only collect someone if they have made a prior arrangement by phone. Before a taxi driver gets his Hackney Cab Licence he or she must pass a test called 'The Knowledge'. This is a difficult test and requires the cabbie to know the streets of central London like the palm of their hand. Mini cab drivers do not need to pass this test. (Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A630)Newly Wed Red Bus in London - London's public transport was brought together in 1933 by the London Passenger Transport Board (LPTB), which served Greater London, Central London as well as the areas of many of the adjacent counties. In Greater London ‘the bus network was complemented by tram and trolleybus systems’. The year when the trams were abandoned was1952 and the trolleybuses a decade later, in 1962, as they were replaced by the bus service. From 1970 to 1984, London Transport (LT) was under the control of the Greater London Council and the area for which LT was responsible, was reduced to 1,580 sq km which is equal to 610 sq miles. (Source: http://redlondonbus.blogspot.com/2007/03/brief-history-of-red-london-buses.html)Quote in Hyde Park Corner - London - Hyde Park is one of London's finest historic landscapes covering 142 hectares (350 acres). There is something for everyone in Hyde Park. With over 4,000 trees, a lake, a meadow, horse rides and more it is easy to forget you're in the middle of London. (Source: http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde_park) Prêt à Manger London - After 15 years of selling rather tasty ready-made sandwiches, drinks and general lunchtime goodies, Prêt-à-manger has become one of the city's most ubiquitous shops. The emphasis is on providing fresh ingredients and preparing everything by hand, so the prices are a step up from Boots' similar range. (Source: After 15 years of selling rather tasty ready-made sandwiches, drinks and general lunchtime goodies, Pret-a-manger has become one of the city's most ubiquitous shops. The emphasis is on providing fresh ingredients and preparing everything by hand, so the prices are a step up from Boots' similar range. (Source: http://www.eng.cityvox.co.uk/Adresses_london/pret-a-manger_6057/Profil-Place)Scary Native American in Coven Garden - London - For much of its existence Covent Garden served as a fruit and vegetable market, the largest in England. The market used to cover the whole of the square and occupied many of the buildings, but has since been transformed beyond all recognition. The modern story of Covent Garden began in the 1630s when land formerly belonging to Westminster Abbey, 'the Convent Garden' was redeveloped by the 4th Earl of Bedford. (Source: http://www.coventgardenlife.com/info/history.htm)'Guys & Dolls' - Piccadilly Theater - London - At its grand opening in April 1928, the Piccadilly Theatre was one of the largest theatres to be built in London, as its souvenir brochure claimed, 'If all the bricks used in the building were laid in a straight line, they would stretch from London to Paris'. The opening production starred one of the most acclaimed actresses of the period, Miss Evelyn Laye. In its early days, the Piccadilly operated as a cinema and made entertainment history when it premiered the very first talking picture to be shown in Britain, The Singing Fool with Al Jolson. He also opened the Jazz Singer in 1928 and appeared afterwards on-stage to sing Mammie. The Piccadilly has presented most forms of stage entertainment from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (with its original Broadway cast) to A Night with Dame Edna. There have been a variety of Royal Shakespeare Company productions including Edward II starring Ian McKellen, and Henry Fonda also made his West End debut in the solo play, Clarence Darrow and Y. The 1990s witnessed an expansion in musicals, ballet and dance, notably the most successful commercial ballet season ever to play in the West End, with Adventures in Motion Pictures' Swan Lake. The Piccadilly has been home to a season of plays directed by Sir Peter Hall, starring famous names such as Judi Dench, Michael Pennington, Julia MacKenzie and Eric Sykes. It has also hosted the smash-hit musical Spend Spend Spend starring the Olivier award-winning actress, Barbara Dickson, the sell-out run of Shockheaded Peter, Noises Off starring Lynn Redgrave, Ragtime,the transfer of the National Theatre's acclaimed production of Jumpers,Jailhouse Rock and most recently Guys and Dolls. (Source: http://www.theambassadors.com/piccadilly/info/index.html)Patrick Swayze - Stage Door (1) Piccadilly Theater - London - His mother is choreographer Patsy Swayze. His education included the Harkness Ballet School, the Joffrey Ballet School, and San Jacinto College. He first performed as a dancer in Disney on Parade. After playing in the Broadway production of "Grease", he made his film debut as Ace in Skatetown, U.S.A. (1979). Eight years later, after considerable movie and television work, including choreography for Grandview, U.S.A. (1984), he received a Golden Globe nomination for his role as the dance instructor Johnny Castle in the steamy musical-drama Dirty Dancing (1987). He received a second nomination for his portrayal of the ghost Sam Wheat in the boxoffice/video success Ghost (1990). He has been a solidly established box office star throughout the nineties. (Source: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000664/bio) - Patrick Wayne Swayze (né le 18 août 1952) est un danseur, acteur, chanteur et compositeur, producteur américain, connu pour ses rôles dans les films Dirty Dancing (pour lequel il écrit et interprète la chanson She's Like the Wind) (1987) et Ghost (1990). Il est un des sexe-symboles du cinéma international des années 1980. (Source: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Swayze)Patrick Swayze - Stage Door (2) Piccadilly Theater - London - Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in late January 2008 and has been undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments at the Stanford University Medical Center. A March 5, 2008 Reuters article reports that Swayze "has a very limited amount of disease, and he appears to be responding well to treatment thus far." Swayze's doctor has confirmed the actor has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but insists he's not as close to death as reports suggest. Swayze has admitted to have smoked up to three packs of cigarettes per day, which can be a leading cause of pancreatic cancer. Swayze was reported to still be smoking, even after receiving chemotherapy. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Swayze) - "Patrick (Swayze) souffre d'une maladie à l'étendue très limitée et il semble qu'il réponde bien au traitement jusqu'ici", a annoncé son médecin. ... Le cancer du pancréas est l'un des cancers les plus meurtriers avec seulement un malade sur dix survivant cinq ans après le diagnostic. Ce cancer se répand rapidement aux autres organes, ce qui dans de nombreux cas le rend inopérable. (Source: http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/actualites/people/20080306.OBS3727/patrick_swayze_atteint_dun_cancer_du_pancreas.html?idfx=RSS_people)Patrick Swayze - Stage Door (3) Piccadilly Theater - London - Patrick Wayne Swayze (born August 18, 1952) is an American dancer, actor, singer and songwriter. His breakthrough role was as the dance instructor in the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, and he also had a hit with the 1990 film Ghost. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Swayze) - Patrick Swayze stays optimistic in spite of pancreatic cancer diagnosis. (Source: http://english.pravda.ru/society/showbiz/06-03-2008/104391-Patrick_Swayze-0) - 7/03/08 - L’acteur américain Patrick Swayze, célèbre pour ses rôles dans «Dirty Dancing», «Point Break» et «Ghost», est atteint d’un cancer du pancréas, a annoncé mercredi son médecin, cité par l’hebdomadaire «People». (Source: http://www.newstin.fr/sim/fr/45764870/fr-010-000250444)Nelson's Column (1) - Trafalgar Square - London - Trafalgar Square is a square in London, England that commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), a British naval victory of the Napoleonic Wars.(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trafalgar_Square) Statue (1) - Royal Academy of Arts - Burlington House - Piccadilly - London - Royal Academy of Arts London, the national academy of art of England, founded in 1768 by George III at the instigation of Sir William Chambers and Benjamin West. (Source: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-RoyalAca.html)Statue (2) - Royal Academy of Arts - Burlington House - Piccadilly - London - The Royal Academy was formed to rival the Society of Artists after an unseemly leadership dispute between two leading architects, Sir Joseph Palmer and James Paine. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Academy)Nelson's Column (2) - Trafalgar Square - London - Nelson's Column was built to commemorate the dead British naval hero, Horatio Nelson, who was killed in the Battle of Trafalgar which the square it is hosted in is named after. (Source: http://sketchup.google.fr/3dwarehouse/details?mid=4ab2766bc3183a836b2ba76eab0d2b1c)Lion Statue - Trafalgar Square - London - The sculptor of the four lions on Trafalgar Square had never even seen a lion when he cast the statues. He used his dog and a cat as the models for the statues. That is why the lion has his tongue out, much like a dog! (Source: http://cruises.about.com/od/europeancruises/ig/London--England/london004-jpg.htm)England - London - Trafalgar Square, Strand - Nelson’s Column represents the geographical centre of London and is one of the most famous monuments in the city. It is situated in the centre of Trafalgar Square and was erected after the Battle of Trafalgar as a tribute to Lord Nelson, one of Britain’s best-loved heroes. Built in the 1840s and towering some 165 feet tall, the column took three years to erect and is guarded by four large bronze lions at its base. (Source: http://www.ukattraction.com/london/nelsons-column.htm)Alison Lapper Pregnant - By Artist Marc Quinn - Trafalgar Square - Sculpture of a disabled artist eight months pregnant.Queen Victoria Memorial - Queen's Gardens - London - It was built by the sculptor Sir Thomas Brock, in 1911. The surround was constructed by the architect Sir Aston Webb, from 2,300 tons of white marble. It is a Grade I listed building. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Memorial_(London))Wellington Arch - Hyde Park Corner - London - Designed by the architect Decimus Burton in 1825, Wellington Arch was originally commissioned by George IV as an imposing entrance to Buckingham Palace, although this did not last long before it was moved to its present site at Hyde Park Corner in 1882. The Arch commemorates the first Duke of Wellngton's defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo. The sculpture on the top of Wellington Arch is by Adrian Jones and depicts the angel of peace descending on the chariot of war and is noteworthy for being the biggest bronze sculpture in Britain. It was installed in 1912 as a replacement to the original statue of the Duke of Wellington on horseback which was considered to be to large for the Arch. (Source: http://www.londonbreaks.com/sightseeing/wellingtonarch.html)Big Ben - The Clock Tower is the world's largest four-faced, chiming clock. The structure is situated at the north-eastern end of the Houses of Parliament building in Westminster... The Clock Tower has also been referred to as The Tower of Big Ben and, incorrectly, St Stephen's Tower, which is actually the spired tower towards the middle of the Palace and is also the main point of entry for attendees of debates and committees. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ben) - Big Ben est le surnom de la grande cloche située dans la Tour de l'Horloge (Clock Tower) du Palais de Westminster, le siège du parlement britannique (House of Parliament)... Le bâtiment fait face à la Tamise, entre le Pont de Westminster (Westminster Bridge) et l'Abbaye de Westminster (Westminster Abbey). (Source: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ben)Millennium Wheel (London Eye) - London - The London Eye, also known as the Millennium Wheel, is the tallest (135 metres (443 ft)) Ferris wheel in Europe, and has become the most popular paid tourist attraction in the UK, visited by over 3 million people a year. At the time it was erected it was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world, until surpassed by the The Star of Nanchang (160m) in May 2006, and then the Singapore Flyer (165m) which opened on February 11, 2008. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Eye) - La Millennium Wheel (ou grande roue du millénaire), également appelée « The London Eye » (« L'œil de Londres », nom donné par son principal commanditaire, British Airways), est une grande roue qui a été mise en place à Londres pour les festivités de l'an 2000, au même moment que le Millennium Dome, situé à Greenwich (Est de Londres). (Source: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Wheel)The House Guards - London - Built in 1745 to house the guards of the old royal palace at Whitehall, the Horse Guards building is today used as a base from where the Queen's Foot Guards and Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (a union of the Army's two oldest regiments The Life Guards and the Blues and Royals) perform ceremonial duties. (Source: http://www.talkingcities.co.uk/london_pages/sights_alpha6.htm)Harrods - 87-135 Brompton Road - London - Quite possibly the most famous shop in the world, Harrods lives up to its reputation as a plush and often "somewhat" expensive department store. Owned by controversial Mohammed El Fayed, the stunning Knightsbridge building lures the rich, the famous, and those who can only afford to window-shop. The myths are true - they stock cuckoo clocks priced at six figures, the doormen will turn away anyone wearing tatty jeans, and it really does cost £1 to use the toilets -but a trip to the sumptuous food hall or the lavish Egyptian hall is likely to be memorable.Harrods Corner - Brompton Road, Knightsbridge - London - Quite possibly the most famous shop in the world, Harrods lives up to its reputation as a plush and often "somewhat" expensive department store. Owned by controversial Mohammed El Fayed, the stunning Knightsbridge building lures the rich, the famous, and those who can only afford to window-shop. The myths are true - they stock cuckoo clocks priced at six figures, the doormen will turn away anyone wearing tatty jeans, and it really does cost £1 to use the toilets -but a trip to the sumptuous food hall or the lavish Egyptian hall is likely to be memorable.