Hi, in this programme we're going to take a look at London.
London is the capital of
Britain. It's a fascinating and exciting city with a very long history.
Let's find out more. London is on the River Thames. In about 43 AD, the Romans
built the first bridge over the river, and that was the beginning of the city of London.
Until 1747, there was only one bridge over the Thames. Now there are 29 — some for
cars, some for trains, and some for pedestrians.
Some are very famous, like this one: Tower Bridge. London has a population of nearly
7 million. It's a big city, but travelling around it is easy.
You can take a water bus on the river. You can go in one of London's famous red
buses or black taxis. Or you can go on the Underground.
Londoners call this the Tube. It started in 1863, and it was the world's first
underground railway. Over 20 million tourists come here every year — 11 million
from abroad and the rest are tourists from other parts of Britain.
There is so much for people to see in London: palaces, churches, cathedrals, the
Tower, Trafalgar Square, and lots of museums and art galleries. And, of course,
Madame Tussauds.
Madame Tussauds brought her exhibition of wax models to London in 1802, and now
over 2.5 million people visit it every year. But London is also a great place for
shopping.
This is Harrods, probably the most famous store in Britain. In 1834, Charles Henry
Harrod started a small business as a grocer in the East End of London. Today, the
Harrods store has 300 departments on seven floors and over 3,000 staff.
About 35,000 people shop here every day.
Another popular place for shopping is Covent Garden. It's also a centre of London's
street life.
You can find street musicians or buskers here, and street entertainers. You can also
find some good street fashion.
There are always interesting fashions in London. In the 1960s, there was the miniskirt.
Later, there were punks and Mohicans. And today in London, there is this, and this,
and even this.
So what do people like about London? I'm going to ask a few people.
— Could you tell me what you like most about London?
— The shops. I love shopping.
— I like the variety of London.
— I like when they sell shoes and food.
— The clubs and the buskers.
— Well, London's got a lot of really nice buildings.
— The museums, especially the British Museum.
— I like the culture and I like watching the people.
— I like all of London.
What can you do when the shops and museums are closed?
Well, there are restaurants, discos, pubs, and clubs. London has over 130 cinemas and
more than 60 theatres.
The first performance of this play — *The Mousetrap* by Agatha Christie — was in
1952. And yes, at this London theatre, they are still performing the same play. It's a
world record.
But London isn't all rush, rush, rush. There are some wonderful parks, like Hyde Park,
Regent's Park, and St James' Park. Or you can walk, jog, have a picnic, or just relax
and get away from the noise.
So you see, there's lots to do in London. You can always have a good time. Dr
Johnson, a famous English writer, once said:
"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life."
Well, I'm not tired of London.
I'm not tired of London.