Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf is the place where we are going to work. It’s London’s new financial center, rivalling with the City. There are located the three tallest buildings in the UK : the Canary Wharf Tower, the HSBC Tower and the Citigroup tower. The name “Canary Wharf” comes from the sea trade with the Canary Islands in the Atlantic ocean. From 15 000 in 1999, its working population has quadrupled to 63 000 in 2004. Now, a lot of famous banks have their European headquarters in Canary Wharf : Credit Suisse, HSBC, Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers, Citigroup, Bank of America, Barclays Capital, …

As a consequence of its increasing professional activity, it became very expensive to have an apartment in the area, even if it’s a bit far away from London’s center where the rents are astronomic.

It’s possible to go to Canary Wharf through the DLR (Docklands light railway) or by tube (Jubilee Line). The first time we went there, it seemed very similar to “La Defense”, which is the Parisian financial center.

Guide to travelling around London

In this article we would like to put emphasis on some of the most important monument of the city. If you had one day for visiting London, we recommend you the 6 following places.

Big Ben is one of the most famous places of London. It is very spectacular as you can see in this picture. Big Ben is a clock tower in the house of parliaments. The name Big Ben is said to be due to a heavyweight boxer Benjamin Caunt who was very popular at the time of it’s construction in the mid 19^th century. The clock is also known for its reliability.
Big Ben has become a symbol for the London in the media. Actually you easily locate that a film is taking place in London just by an image of Big Ben or an imperial bus or a red phone booth.

Hyde park is one of the largest parks in the center of London. This park is known thanks to princess Diana’s memorial, the upside-down tree and the speakers’ corner. In this area public speaking is allowed. Speakers can speak as long as the police consider that their speeches are ok with the law. Contrary to belief that there is an immunity and that there are no subjects proscribed the police can intervene either when they receive a complaint or when they hear bad language.

As far as museums are concerned, we believe that you should go to the Tate Modern. This museum is UK’s museum of modern art and is housed in a former power station which closed in 1981. Since the museum's opening in 2000, it has become a very popular destination. Be aware… the entry to collection displays and some temporary exhibitions is free.

Madame Tussaud’s is also an important museum in London. This wax museum is a very good attraction if you want to lie to your friend after coming back from London. If you want to meet ant get up close to your favourite celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Wayne Rooney, Robbie Williams, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue or the Beatles and many more just come to Madame Tussaud’s.

London eye which is also known as the millennium wheel was opened on the 31^st of December 1999 to celebrate the new millennium. At that time, it was the tallest observation wheel in the world with 135m high. The revolution of the wheel takes 30min. When the capsule is at the top of the loop, you can enjoy a wonderful view on the Thames river and London’s attractions.

Harrods is the institution in London you should not miss. It’s a department store founded in 1834 and located in Knightsbridge. It has been bought recently by Mohamed El Fayed father of Dodi El Fayed who died with Diana, Princess of Wales in the Paris Alma Tunnel. Harrods is known because it was the holder of royal warrants from Queen Elizabeth II for Provisions and Household Goods. The main store is open, Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 8pm, and, on Sunday, from 12 noon to 6pm.

How to find a property in London ?

Our mathematics teacher in the master of science was for a great help in our research for an accommodation in London. Actually he sent us a link : www.findaproperty.com where you can find a wide range of properties of various rents. Besides, he also sent us more specifically to see one of his friends in London who is leading a real estate agency. This guy, Mr Ian Thomas gave us some advices about the rents near Canary Wharf which is the area we were looking in. He also organised a visit to 3 apartments and actually the one we have taken is one of them.

So for someone who doesn’t know our professor neither Mr Thomas, just be patient… you’ll find one soon.

London is very expensive

London is, with Tokyo and Moscow, one of the most expensive cities in the world. As a consequence, a lot of Londoners moved out to the suburbs, and travel by train everyday to go to work. Spending one or two hours travelling to work is not an exception.

Here is a basket of priced items:

Public Transport

Single bus journey - £1.20
Bus day pass - £3.00

Underground journeys
Within centre - £2.00
centre to Heathrow - £3.80

Day Travelcard - Central Zones - £5.10
(bus, train and underground)

Snack Food Bought in Supermarket

330ml orange juice - 0.38p
500ml milk - £0.32
bottle of house wine £4.00-£6.00
sandwiches - £1.65-£2.45
20 cigarettes - £5.00

Fast Food

Big Mac - McDonalds - 1.99p
Medium Coke- McDonalds - £0.99
Coffee - coffee shop £2.00
Pizza (Marguerita) - Independent £6.00

London Accommodation

Dormitory bed - £12.00-£20,00
Bed & Breakfast double room - £45.00-£70.00
4 star double room - £90.00-£150.00
Studio Apartment - £85.00-£130.00

It is easier to find an accommodation in London than in Paris. Actually, since we are moving there, we had to find a two bedroom apartment quickly (because of the exams) and as near as possible of Canary Wharf where the rents are cheaper than the center of London. We went there for a couple of days, and we visited 9 properties. In France, you need to have as many “garants” as possible, that’s the word in French for the people who guarantee your capacity to pay the rent, otherwise it’s impossible to get the flat that you want. On the opposite, in London you only have to earn 3 times the rent.

However, in London, it is very expensive to rent an apartment. Actually the apartment we have costs 2000€ and you can have the same on in Paris for 1200€. Therefore one is almost obliged to have one or many roommates.

London's Bridges

River Thames is the central attraction of London. There are four main London bridges worth visiting: Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Westminster Bridge and the Millennium Bridge.

Tower Bridge is the London Bridge you tend to see in movies and on advertising literature for London. By the 1870's a new bridge was needed because of the increase of the population, but it also had to be able to allow ships to pass underneath it so that they could reach the quays further upstream. As a result of a competition, the design we know today was chosen. It consists of a mock medieval granite cladding over a steel frame. So although it looks very old, the bridge was actually opened in only 1894. The centre part of the bridge raises in order to allow ships to pass through. The walkway across the top of the bridge will give you a large view of the river.

London Bridge is a modern structure built on the site of many bridges. At one time London Bridge was the only bridge in London crossing the River Thames.
The first London Bridge is thought to have been built by the Romans sometime in the first century, with several rebuilds over the centuries. Eventually wooden bridges were replaced with a stone bridge, the first one being started in 1176.

The first stone of the first Westminster Bridge was laid in 1739. The bridge was finally opened for use in 1750. Sinking foundations meant that the bridge had to be rebuilt and the second one was built in 1862.
If you stand on Westminster Bridge and look north you will see one of the most famous sights in London - St Stephen's Tower (Big Ben) and The Houses of Parliament.

The fourth London bridge is the Millennium Bridge. This footpath was erected to connect the Tate Modern Art Gallery to the City and St Paul's Cathedral. It has been nicknamed the Blade of Light due to its futuristic design and lighting. The bridge is about 320 metres, costs 16 million pounds to build and only takes pedestrians.
This London bridge was officially opened by The Queen in May 2000. The Queen dedicated the bridge "as a symbol of the new millennium to the people of Southwark and of the City of London and to all who shall pass over it from all over the world".

Mes amis Mes amours

Yesterday, I read a book written by Marc Levy called Mes amis Mes amours. This French writer who is living in London tells us the story of two thirty-year old fathers who settle down under the same roof in the heart of the French village in London. In This fiction, places remain real. I mean that reading this book could be a very good beginning to locate some of London’s most interesting places.

Transportation in London

After the bomb attacks that happened in London last year, black cabs were preferred to public transportation because they offer a secure and convenient door to door service. But, be aware; one should always pay attention and ensure that he is using a licensed taxi or private hire vehicle booked through a licensed operator. Unlicensed cabs are numerous and illegal but also and above all, uninsured and often dangerous.

You can also choose one of these two other ways for visiting London during the summer, I mean cycling and walking. If you can avoid the rain, you can practice with your bike in more than 500km of London Cycle Network and explore countless cycle paths through London’s green spaces. Enjoy yourself… London is the fastest growing cycling city in Europe.
Walking is a great way to make short journeys around the capital in a sunny afternoon. Actually most of the historical monuments are located in the center an walking from to the other is very easy thanks to the help of friendly Londoners… ? Just to add an other piece of advice: be aware; “LOOK RIGHT” any time you want to cross a street!

Nowadays, security has been enhanced across the transport network in London. In fact, the easiest way to get around London is, for sure, by public transport. Tubes, trams DLR and buses can be found in nearly each street corner. The only handicap being the price, the cheapest way to pay for single journeys is the Oyster card. In it, you can store cash to pay as you go. The system will then always charge you each day less than the price of a day-travel-card but it will always stay more expensive than in Paris.

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