Location, location, location

Well, after spending one week searching for a flat to rent in London town, I thought it'd be very convinient to explain what I've been through so you can avoid this situation if you ever think about comming to London as I did.
First thing you must know is what you probably already know, and that is LONDON IS VERY EXPENSIVE. The first time I came here in 2007 I stayed in fancy hotel room in Barbican, within an area called "The City", that's where the famouse Tomer of London is and of course the bank area and the Tower Bridge. Very central, very nice. But expensive. The second time, I stayed in a hostel room in Bloomsbury, Russel Square north part of central London near the British Museum, an even more expensive area but we could avoid paying a lot sharing the room with other 17 travelers. Wow, isn't it? Anyway, it was fun! we spent a great time there although I couldn't get into the beds, they were too small.
This time I decided to stay with a local family, which turned out to be the best option I could imagine. Why? Because you have the experience of living the English life, you can know the local experience, local food, etc. Besides, if you ever have a problem like I had, they'll tell all you need to know. For example, where's the nearest hospital and how to get there, which supermarkets are cheaper, how to buy a mobile phone, which neighbourhoods are better to avoid, etc. They're always a good sourse of local and practical information when you have been in London but not really lived in there.
On the other hand, staying with a family, although is cheaper than a hotel, it can't be teh definite option when you want to live in a city. So I went searching for a flat. Oh gosh!
Ok it's simple: if you want to live in Central London (zone 1), you must share, unless you are willing to pay at least £400pw (per week) a small one bedroom flat with kitchen and private bathroom in a decent location. Of course you have multiple options, you can always pay more! But if you share, you can find a comfortable bedroom in a decent flat for just £100pw, £170 if you go to Kensington, Nottin Hill, Hyde Park, etc. Bills included (very important).
If you don't wish to share and you want your own spot, you'll have to go far away from the city, to the London boroughs, (zones 2, 3, 4, 5, etc) where rent is cheaper, but you're far away from downtown. There you can expect to pay £170, £200 or £300 pw for a one-bedroom flat or even a studio (sigle room sometimes with a kitchennet built in and a toilet, shared or private depending on the price). But if you do move to one of these areas, is always good to visit them first and find out with local people if they're safe or not. For example, I've told East London is not so pretty as the West. Some areas of the North are more dangerous than others in the South, etc.
My personal experience tells me that is always good to be near a tube station, so keep that in mind.
When I look for a flat, I always make sure I'd be near a tube station, then I look in the map that station and that's how you can see how well conected that place is. The postcode is useful too, but you have to know it well. The first letters in the postcode indicate the area you are in, S (south), NW (north-west), etc. and a number that basically tells you how far you're from downtown. For example my postcode now is NW2.
The rest of the postcode are another number and two more letters, which I haven't deduced yet.

His place there

In a city I say there's a place for anyone, where am I? During my first weeks in London, I'm staying with a nice warm family. He's from Irland and his wife from Paraguay. They are very kind, the house is comfortable, my room is great, and the price of the room includes breakfast, which is quite complete I daresay.

Ahora en castellano para mis amigos de Bs As: Aca estoy preparandome mis tostaditas y mi tecito con leche. Son las 7am porque aca la gente se levanta muy temprano y se acuesta temprano, tipo 7 ya pueden estar cenando tranquilamente y a las 10 estar acostados.

(Notese la barba de dos dias y la cara de dormido...oh my God!)

En fin, les paso a contar que es de mi vida durantes esa semana en la ciudad de la que les estuve hablando hace dos posts. Muy temprano en la manana empieza la actividad, buen desayuno, el tipico "breakfast" ingles tiene porotos en salsa, champignones, salchichas, huevos y algo de pan. Te con leche por supuesto o cafe (notese que en esta pc no tengo enie y aun no descubri los acentos).

Transporte por London: La mayoria usa el subterraneo o como le dicen aca "the tube", que es economico, rapido y muy puntual. En las estaciones se puede ver el trayecto de la linea y cuanto demora de estacion a  estacion de manera que puedas calcular cuanto tardas de tu casa al trabajo y no llegues tarde. Los trenes son limpios y comodos, todos "hablan" diciendo sin falla: 1. la linea en la que estas 2. el destino de ese tren 3. cuidado que se cierran las puertas 4. cual es la proxima estacion y que combinaciones tiene la misma 5. al acercarse a la estacion repite el punto 4 6. al llegar a la estacion, menciona cual es y que combinaciones tiene 7. la famosa frase "Mind the gap between the train and the platform" o sea, cuidado no seas boludo no metas la pata entre el tren y el anden. Luego el circulo se repite. 

Si les encanta esta prolijidad y estructura cronometrica, este es su medio de transporte. Solo necesitan conseguir una "Oyster Card", como una "Sube" de Bs As, ponerle pounds y listo! A tener en cuenta: La tarjeta se pasa al entrar a la etsacion Y al salir de ella, porque Londres esta dividida en circulos concentricos, cada uno es una zona, y moverse por diferentes zonas tiene diferentes precios. Tambien es importante la hora a la que viajes: Entre las 6:30 y las 9:30, y entre las 16 y las 19 es hora pico, asi que moverse por zonas 1 y 2 por ejemplo costaria £2.50, mientras que el mismo trayecto fuera de hora pico costaria £1.90.

Tambien a saber que la Oyster sirve tambien para el bus, si, esos famosos de dos pisos!

Adelante del famoso bus, hay un taxi, que aca son facilmente identificables, la mayoria son completamente negros, pero tambien algunos rojos y otros gris plata.

Londres tambien cuenta con una buena red de trenes para entrar y salir de la ciudad. Son muy comodos y en extremo puntuales, asi que si necesitan viajar fuera, digamos por ejemplo Salisbury y ver Stonehenge, tomense un tren y llegan bien y facil. Lo que si hay que fijarse ocn anterioridad por Internet porque hay muchas etsaciones en la ciudad que tienen diferentes destinos: London Bridge Station, Cannon Street Station, Blackfriars Station, Waterloo Station, Victoria Station, Euston Station, Charing Cross Station, Liverpool Street Station, King's Cross Station, St Pancreas International Station, Paddington Station, Myrelbone Station, Fenchurch St Station. Por ejemplo, si arrivan a Londres en Heathrow Airport, seguramente les convenga tomar el tren express a Paddington Station. Cuesta £18 pero en 15 m

in estan en el centro de Londres. Sino tambien pueden tomar el Tube, pero hay que combinar y se tarda mas.

Si piensan en alquilar un auto, deben recordar que aca se conduce por la izquierda, por ende, el volante esta del otro lado. Si nunca hicieron esto, la experiencia tal vez les resulte aterradora...o no! Lo que si a tener en cuenta es que aca hay camaras por todos lados, y la gente esta feliz con eso por lo que me dijeron, asi que a ceder el paso, parar donde se deba y nada de correr.

Para mi la mejor forma de conocer una ciudad es sin dudas a pie, es barato, no es rapido, pero si estan de visita, quien los apura?? Si viven aca, no esta de mas el ejercicio, para que pagar un gym cuando se puede tener ejercicio facil y con mejor vista que en la cinta con el culo de una gorda en calzas ajustadas delante.

Otra excelente opcion es la bici. El gobierno de la ciudad ha puesto en funcionamiento hace tiempo un sistema excelente de alquiler de bicicletas. Hay puestos por toda la ciudad dodne uno debe incertar la tarjeta de credito, le dana  uno un codigo, con ese codigo saca la bici de su traba y se pone en marcha. 30 minutos de alquiler es gratis, luego por un alquiler de todo un dia (24 hs exactas) se cobra £1. Asi que no os preocupeis por la tarjeta de credito, uno puede tomar una bici, pasear y antes de los 30 min llegar perfectamente a otro "Hire point", dejar su bici, esperar 5 min, y sacar otra bici gratis, asi sucesivamente recorriendo toda la ciudad en lo que se conoce como la "London Network", a travez de la cual, segun este sistema, se puede llegar de London Bridge a Hyde Park en 27 minutos...cool!

Infaltable en toda gran ciudad! Una mini muestra de las culturas en LDN Town. Centro mismo de la ciudad a pasos del famoso Soho.

About LonDoN Town (II)

So! What's the conclusion? Well: This city survived wars, plagues, fires and even floads. His population nowadays is a mixture of people from all over the world. I say: "El mundo esta en Londres" ("The world is in London"), cause I feel this is some kind of embassy of the world's nations! Why? Well, let me tell you about London from my point of view:
I haven't spent one here yet and I've already met or heard talking people from: Argentina, Brasil, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Irlanda, Escocia, Paraguay, Noruega, Finlandia, Chile, Polonia, Sudafrica, Libano, Israel, Turquia, Grecia, China, Pakistan, India, Japon, Australia, Rusia, Espania, Malasia, Italia, Francia, Estados Unidos, Suiza, Alemania, Iran, Portugal, Chipre, y la lista sigue y sigue, y sigue, y sigue....
And of course all of them put restaurants, shops, supermarkets, they teach their language, they study here, they work for some firm or they're just visiting. The point is they all leave their print. And that's what makes London a rich salad of flavours and spices, cause they all bring with them their ingridients (now it's my chef speaking...), their personal histories, their families, their ambitions, etc. And that's just GREAT!
In case you're not of the social type, this is not all London has to offer concerning culture: British Museum
(on of the greatest collection of arquelogical pieces from all over the world is there, all together in one building for you to go and look at them for a reasonable price of course: nothing at all. This fantastic museum containing human history is completely free.
Do feel you'd like to see paintings and so? Well, the National Gallery has one of the greatest collection of pictures in the world. Small pocket? Don't worry, this is also free. Don't like classical art? At the Tate Gallery you'll find all the modern art you may need, from Monet to Picasso, from Dali to Miro...and guess what! yes, free again. They just ask you to pay a volunteer donation of £3, isn't that cute?
Dont forget the Royal Albert Hall in order to listen to some nice music, the Natural History Museum or the Victoria and Albert Museum.
You're not feeling hungry and you find history and art a bit boring? Go to the theatre then!
London is the capital of the stage bussiness (no matter what they say in NY! : P). Here you'll find live performances everyday at all sort of prices, from £5 to £50. Musicals, drama, comedies, classical, innovation, Shakespeare, Williams, Chekhov, Pinter, etc. There are more than 50 official plays on stage right now! there must be something for you.
Not interested at culture at all? Go shopping! You can walk along the main shopping streets in London such as Oxford Street or go direcly to shopping centres such as Selfriedges or Harrods in Brompton Road. Small budget? Go on weekends to Portobello Market in Nottin Hill and you'll find interesting things at lower prices and take somthing more "authentical" with you: Again food from all over the world (paella, churros, falafels, french pastry, bruschettas), flowers, antiqueties, flee market, fresh fruits and vegs, etc.
No budget at all?! No problem! Just take the tube (underground) and go from one point to another and visit all the turistic places such as Bukingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament with it's famouse Big Ben, Covent Garden, the Tower of London where the jewels of crown are guarded, St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Soho, etc.
Or just avoid the tube and go walking around the city, London is a constant contrast of the old buildings from the middle ages to the new buildings made of glass. Cause that's the face of London babe! A face of contrasts! You'll see this clearly if you stand up at Millennium Bridge from St Paul's to The Globe and take a look at your left and see the Tower Bridge. Or standing at the Tower Briedge, take a look at the Tower of London and the building behind the tower, the so locally called "el pepino" in Spanish.
Do feel like this is too much for a day? Relax with a nice walk around one of the many huge parks London has such as Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regents Park, Green Park, St James' Park, Archbishop's Park, Victoria Tower Gardens, etc. Or take a little boat along the Thames River, till Greenwich perhaps in case London's parks are not enough. Because yes! in the middle of this little world, nature has its space of course!
If you don't believe me, just go on the London Eye and take a picture from the highs of one the most exciting cities I've ever seen. Cause London rocks babe!

About LonDoN Town (I)

Have you ever felt a deep hapyness? Deep sense of peace at the bottom of your heart?
A friend of mine told me that's called "realizacion", and she might be right. The thing is I've been feeling that sensation during last week. That sensation you get when you've finally achieved what you'd been looking for. Here I am in London finally!! So what's in this place that makes me happy?
Well, let me tell you about London:

The Romans founded London about 50 AD. Its name is derived from the Celtic word Londinios, which means the place of the bold one. After they invaded Britain in 43 AD the Romans built a bridge across the Thames. They later decided it was an excellent place to build a port. The water was deep enough for ocean going ships but it was far enough inland to be safe from Germanic raiders. Around 50 AD Roman merchants built a town by the bridge. So London was born.

Then in 61 AD Queen Boudicca led a rebellion against the Romans. Her army marched on London. No attempt was made to defend London. Boudicca burned London but after her rebellion was crushed it was rebuilt.

The population of Roman London rose to perhaps 45,000, which seems small to us but it was the largest town in Britain.

The last Roman soldier left Britain in 407 AD. London was probably abandoned. There may have been a few people living inside the walls by fishing or farming but London ceased to be a town. But soon it rose again. A new town appeared outside the walls on the site of Covent Garden. It was much smaller than Roman London with perhaps 10,000 inhabitants.

In 597 monks from Rome began the task of converting the Saxons to Christianity. In 604 a bishop was appointed for London.

By the 640's there was a mint in London making silver coins. In the 670's a Royal document called London 'the place where the ships land'.

Disaster struck London in 842 when the Danes looted London.

King Alfred the Great totally defeated the Danes in 878 and they split the country between them. The Danes took eastern England including London while Alfred took the South and West. Despite the peace treaty Alfred's men took London in 886.

The Danes returned in 994 but this time the Londoners fought them off. A writer said ' they proceeded to attack the city stoutly and wished to set it on fire but here they suffered more harm and injury than they ever thought any citizen could do them'.

Edward the Confessor (1042-1066) built a wooden palace at Westminster. Later Parliament met here. Because of this Westminster became the seat of government not the city of London itself. Edward also built Westminster Abbey, which was consecrated a few weeks before his death.

William the Conqueror occupied the royal palace at Westminster and the won over the Londoners by making various promises. William was crowned king of England at Westminster on 25 December 1066. William gave London a charter, a document confirming certain rights. Nevertheless he built a wooden tower to stand guard over London. It was replaced by a stone tower in 1078-1100. That was the beginning of the Tower of London

London was a lively place in the Middle Ages.

The population of London may have reached 50,000 by the middle of the 14th century. At least a third of the population died when the Black Death struck in 1348-49 but London soon recovered. Its population may have reached 70,000 by the end of the Middle Ages.

The population of London may have reached 120,000 by the middle of the 16th century and about 250,000 by 1600. In the Middle Ages the church owned about 1/4 of the land in London. When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries it released a great deal of land for new buildings.

Nevertheless the suburbs outside London continued to grow. In the late 16th century rich men began to build houses along the Strand and by 1600 London was linked to Westminster by a strip of houses.

All this happened despite outbreaks of bubonic plague. It broke out in 1603, 1633 and 1665 but each time the population of London quickly recovered.

The last outbreak of plague in London was in 1665. But this was the last outbreak. In 1666 came the great fire of London. It began on 2 September in a baker's house in Pudding Lane.

About 13,200 houses had been destroyed and 70-80,000 people had been made homeless. The king ordered the navy to make tents and canvas available from their stores to help the homeless who camped on open spaces around the city. Temporary markets were set up so the homeless could buy food.

To prevent such a disaster happening again the king commanded that all new houses in London should be of stone and brick not wood. Citizens were responsible for rebuilding their own houses but a tax was charged on coal brought by ship into London to finance the rebuilding of churches and other public buildings. Work began on rebuilding St Pauls in 1675 but it was not finished till 1711.

The population of London rose from about 600,000 in 1700 to 950,000 in 1800.

Many new buildings were erected in London in the 18th century. Buckingham Palace was built in 1703 for the Duke of Buckingham. It was altered in the 19th century by John Nash (1752-1835) and the first monarch to live there was Queen Victoria in 1837.

London grew from 950,000 in 1800 to 6 million in 1900.

After 1850 Chinese immigrants started settling in Limehouse. There were also many Irish immigrants in the Docklands. By 1850 London had 20,000 Jews. Their numbers doubled in the 1880's when many refugees arrived from Russia and Eastern Europe.

Part of the reason for the growth of London was the railway, which made it possible for people to live away from the city centre and travel to work each day.

There were outbreaks of cholera in London in 1831, 1848-49 and finally in 1866. In 1859 work began on building a system of sewers for the whole city but it was not complete till 1875. After that deaths from disease fell drastically. The first underground railway opened in 1863. At first carriages were pulled by steam trains. The system was electrified in 1890-1905.

In 1834 Parliament was destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt to a design by Charles Barry. The new parliament included a great clock, which is now known as Big Ben. Originally only the bell which struck the hour was called Big Ben (It was probably named after Sir Benjamin Hall, the Commissioner of Works) but in time people began to call the whole clock tower Big Ben.

London continued to be a great port but also a huge manufacturing centre.

Meanwhile in 1888 Jack the Ripper stalked the streets of the East End of London.

In the early 20th century London continued to grow rapidly.

The population of London rose from 6 million in 1900 to 8.7 million in 1939.

When the blitz began in September 1940 Londoners started sleeping in the underground stations and soon 150,000 people were sleeping there overnight. In the blitz about 20,000 people were killed and 25,000 were injured. The first blitz ended in May 1941 but in 1944 Germany began firing missiles at London and killed about 3,000 people.

In 1944 a plan for post war London was published.

In the 1950's London boomed. Car factories were very busy. So were the aircraft factories in north London. The docks were also very busy, employing 30,000 men. But in the 1960's the docks began to suffer from the break up of the British Empire.

In the 1950's West Indian immigrants started to arrive in London and by 1955 20,000 were arriving each year.

At the beginning of the 21st Century London continued to grow rapidly. The Greater London Authority was created in 2000. The same year the Tate Modern opened in a former power station. Furthermore the London Eye opened to the public in 2000. The 2012 Olympics will be held in London, confirming its status as one of the world's greatest cities.

Today the population of London is 7.2 million.