Eyeflare - Travel Articles and Tips

Posted: 12 Sep 2011 02:00 AM PDT

The Queen Victoria Memorial, Kensington Gardens, London

London has a wide range of parks and gardens to enjoy during a London visit. One of the most popular gardens is Kensington Gardens. At one time it was private and used only by Royalty, then it was just for the "properly dress" but now anyone can stroll through the park and enjoy it.

So put on your walking shoes and go exploring the 275-acre Kensington Garden. It is located next to Hyde Park and is said to be "the smarter-looking sibling" to Hyde Park. The City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea share the park.

Located in Kensington Gardens are several historic and interesting sites. It is a very relaxing park and a favorite park of joggers. The most popular site in the park is Kensington Palace, the home of Princess Diana before her death. You can take a walking tour of the State Apartments at the Palace for a fee.

Another popular site is the statue of Peter Pan. You can stand there and let you mind travel to "Never Never Land" with Peter and Wendy, just as you did as a child. Another feature is the 180 foot high Albert Memorial, which honors Prince Albert I, the husband of Queen Victoria. Visit the Serpentine Gallery, a gallery of modern art, which at one time was the home of a tea pavilion.

Another popular site in the Garden is the Sunken Garden. This is a great place to just sit and relax by the water. It consists of the "Long Water”, a large lake, and the “Round Pond” and was created in 1909. The Round Pond is popular with the remote controlled boaters. Buy or rent a boat and try your hand at sailing!

Don't miss a statue called "Physical Energy" by Fredrick Watts; "Arch" by Henry Moore and finally "Rima" by Jacob Epstein.

Kensington Garden is a wonderful place to spend the day and it is free of charge. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy!

Kensington Gardens location and hours

Kensington Gardens
Exhibition Road
W2 2UH

Open year round from sunrise to sunset.

Photo by wallyg on flickr

This is originally posted at http://www.eyeflare.com/article/kensington-gardens-london/

3 free experiences in London
Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, St Ives, England
The Wellington Arch, London
Buckingham Palace Gardens, London

Gastown, Vancouver, a piece of Canadian history

Posted: 11 Sep 2011 02:00 AM PDT

A tour of Vancouver, Canada will not be complete without visiting Gastown. Because it is here the history of Vancouver began. Named after the gold prospector 'Gassy' Jack Deighton in 1867, this city, which has gone through its ups and downs, is today a charming mix of the old and the new. The old buildings which were on the verge of deterioration were restored in the 1960s realizing its historical importance.

One of the major attractions in Gastown is its steam powered clock which whistles every 15 minutes to signal the time. Other attractions in Gastown are the Alexander Building, Byrnes block on the site of Jack Deighton's house which housed the Alhambra Hotel and the Europe Hotel which was the finest hotel of Vancouver at that time. It was the first fire proof hotel in Western Canada. Another attraction is the Lamplighter pub in Dominion Hotel which was the first in Vancouver to serve alchahol to women.

You may take a walking tour of Gastown to explore it. The tour starts near the statue of Gassy Jack at Maple Tree Square. This will take about two hours. Do take some time to read the plaques placed everywhere in Gastown which tells us about the 19th century buildings. Many businesses here are open on Sundays also so that the visitors can see the renovated interiors. Nightlife in Gastown is also very vibrant with many pubs and discotheques. Major annual events held here include the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and Tour de Gastown international bicycle race. Gastown was declared the national historic site of Canada in 2009.