A New Light On Buckingham PalaceEdited by Madelyn Miller, the Travellady The world is seeing a new side of Buckingham Palace. Floodlights have just been switched on to allow visitors to enjoy the full spectacle of the monarch's London home throughout the long winter nights.
A total of 59 LED, connected to no less than 1,300 metres of cable, now highlight the main architectural highlights of the building, with six of the lights being fixed into the ground to spotlight the three portico columns. Not all sections of the Palace are lit, but the most famous aspect of the Palace is there for all to see: the balcony which has played host to generations of royalty and been the centrepiece of some of the nation's most memorable occasions, from Royal weddings to birthdays to victory celebrations marking the end of World War II.
What's more, it's been officially announced that the lights are to remain in place during the winter months for the rest of the Queen's reign. Predictably not everyone is happy - green campaigners have already condemned the move as irresponsible!
Want to be one of the first London visitors to see the new spectacle? Coach House London Rentals, the leading specialist in short term central London rentals still have a few properties available over the Christmas and New Year Period, including some larger properties sleeping 6-10. Full details plus availability check at www.rentals.chslondon.com. CULTURAL BACKGROUND BRIT-THINK, AMERI-THINK A transatlantic survival guide By Jane Walmsley A Penguim book www.penguinputnam.com Great Guidebooks THE HEART OF ENGLAND Nearly 200 Medieval and Tudor sites Two hours or less from London By Sarah Valente Kettler and Carole Trimble Capital Books, Inc www.capital-books.com LONDON FODOR’S LONDON Where to stay and eat for all budgets and local secrets www.fodors.com Diffordsguide to City Drinking #0.1 from the Publishers of the Magazine for Discerning Drinkers It tells the Best Hotels, Restaurants and Bars in top cities www.diffordsguide.com ROYAL LONDON IN CONTEXT The independent Traveler’s Guide to Royal London By Robert Wayne It comes with 2 CDs www.europeincontext.com HOW TO STAY IN LONDON FOR LESS BY Diana and Ronald Jensen Capital Books, Inc. www.capital-books.com The Amateur Historian’s Guide to Medieval & Tudor England: Day Trips South of London By Sarah Valente Kettler & Carole Trimble Capital Books, Inc www.capital-books.com The Amateur Historian’s Guide to Medieval & Tudor London By Sarah Valente Kettler & Carole Trimble Capital Books, Inc www.capital-books.com ACCESS LONDON By Richard Saul Wurman Harper Resource www.Harpercollins.com THE ULTIMATE ENGLISH CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCE "The Chocolate Society café and shop at 36 Elizabeth Street, SW1, is a mecca for the chocoholic. Celebrating chocolate as a gourmet delicacy, there are handmade truffles, biscuits and all sorts of other chocolate-based goodies. The shop is open from Monday to Saturday for more information call 020 7259 9222." Wear your favorite city on a scarf! Tasaram's 100% silk Map Scarves feature detailed street plans of London, Paris, Rome, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. with more cities coming soon. www.mapscarves.com Courtesy of VisitBritain |