On foot in .NET

Generation Quick Response Code in .NET On foot

If you really want to get acquainted with the charming hodgepodge and monumental grandeur of London, bring along a good pair of walking shoes and explore on foot Everywhere you turn, you see enticing side streets, countrylike lanes, mews (former stables converted into homes), and picturesque garden squares London s great parks are as safe to walk in as its streets (In fact, crime is less prevalent in London than in many other major cities, and all the neighborhoods included in this book are safe) If you want to follow a detailed stroll or two around the city, perhaps of Dickens s London or of Westminster and Whitehall, check out the 11 tours in Frommer s Memorable Walks in London, by Richard Jones (Wiley Publishing, Inc) The Diana Memorial Walk, an 11km (7-mile) walk commemorating the life of Princess Diana, passes through four of London s royal parks: St James s Park, Green Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens Along the way, 90 plaques point out sites associated with Diana, including Kensington Palace (her home for 15 years), Buckingham Palace, St James s Palace (where she shared an office with Prince Charles), and Spencer House (her family s mansion, now a museum) When you walk in London (or anywhere in England), remember the following: Traffic moves on the opposite side of the street from what you re accustomed to if you re from the US or Canada This tip sounds simple enough on paper, but in practice, you need to keep reminding yourself to look in the wrong direction when crossing a street Throughout London, you see LOOK RIGHT or LOOK LEFT painted on street crossings Striped lines (called zebra crossings) on the road mark pedestrian crossings Flashing lights near the curb indicate that drivers must stop and yield the right of way when a pedestrian steps out into the zebra to cross the street

As you might expect, London s hotels are the most expensive in England Accommodations come in all shapes, sizes, and prices (see 8 for more information on booking your accommodations) Good budget hotels and B&Bs do exist, and won t cost you an arm and a leg Sliding up the scale, you come to unique boutique hotels, older traditional hotels, large chain hotels, and several ultraluxurious places known the world over You really don t want to arrive in London without a hotel reservation, especially if you visit from mid-April to early October (high season) If you do arrive without a reservation, you can book rooms through the agencies listed in 8 If you stay in London over a weekend, ask if your hotel has a special weekend rate Larger hotels that cater to business travelers often drastically reduce their rates and throw in a few extra perks for Friday-to-Sundaynight stays Special weekend rates generally aren t available at smaller, less expensive hotels or B&Bs For a key to the dollar-sign ratings that I use in the hotel listings, see 8 For general information on UK accommodations and for definitions of such terms as value-added tax (VAT), self-catering rooms, and English breakfast, check out 8 For the locations of the hotels that I discuss in this chapter, see the London s Top Hotels map on p 136

London has an enormous range of hotels in all price categories and in all parts of town I list a fair range of accommodations; if you want more options or have particular needs that my picks don t meet, the Britain & London Visitor Centre, 1 Regent St (walk-in or online service only; www visitlondoncom), can help you find what you need Note: Remember that this book lists the rack rates, the highest published rates for a room with no discounts You can often find a lower rate by checking the hotel s Web site for special promotional and weekend rates