|
The half-day tour (4 hours) embraces London's East End, the districts of Bow and Stratford (site of the new Olympic Park) and the Royal Docks, which were the largest enclosed docks in the world.
On this fascinating tour we'll see the work in progress at many of the Olympic venues and realise whythe 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in London can be viewed as a sporting overlay for the biggest regeneration project in Europe. The event organisers are confident that London 2012 will be the greatest sporting event in the world, but London 2012 may also be remembered as the 'Regeneration Games' by contributing to the economic and social renaissance of parts of London's Lower Lea Valley that has suffered from urban decay. The key themes for our tour will be regeneration, transformation and cultural diversity.
We will start with a drive through the East End of London. No other area of Britain has experienced the same degree of changing population as the East End of London, as successive waves of immigrants and refugees sought shelter and safety: French Huguenots, Germans, Irish, Jews, Chinese, West Indians, Indians and Bangladeshis. As each community moved into the area and subsequently moved on to more desirable suburbs, they left behind them an enduring legacy in the form of buildings with their own distinctive architectural styles. We'll travel down a street that epitomizes this pattern of change and renewal: Brick Lane. The neighbourhood - complete with its own annual festival is now most famous for its curry restaurants, markets, speciality shops and vibrant nightlife.
I'll tell you a little about the dark side with stories of 'Jack the Ripper' and street gangs as we travel down the very roads that featured in these crimes.
We'll pass the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. It has a long and illustrious history, being the oldest manufacturing company in the country (established 1570) and being the makers of Big Ben and another very significant bell, the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.
The Blitz of the Second World War caused a tremendous amount of damage to the East End and many fine landmarks were destroyed, along with thousands of homes. Despite the destruction, there are places and tales you will hear along our route to the site of the new Olympic Park that will amaze and delight you.
Most events for the London 2012 games will be concentrated in the 500-acre Olympic Park, being built next to London's new International Railway Station (Stratford International), on the site of the old Railway Lands. The tour will show you how the Lower Lea Valley – the site for the Olympic Park, which has suffered from physical decay and economic and social decline, scarred by derelict and polluted land will be transformed into a green corridor with 3 miles of parkland, connecting the beautiful Thames Barrier Park to another large area of sport, leisure and nature - the Lee Valley.
We'll see that work is well advanced on the Aquatics Centre. The facility will include two 50 m swimming pools and a 25m diving pool. During the Games the Aquatics Centre will host Swimming, Synchronised Swimming, Diving and elements of the Modern Pentathlon. There will be a capacity of 20,000 seats. We'll observe the location of the 80,000-seat Main Stadium, the Multi-Sports Arena, Velodrome, Olympic Village and Broadcasting & Media Centre.
One of the legacies of the Games will be a city within a city. I'll show you where this new town, Stratford City is being built. After the Games, the area will enjoy the largest new urban park in Europe for 150 years with an enhanced network of restored waterways and new wildlife habitat.
We'll have a short coffee break at the Miller's House Café located next to a mill, which was built in 1776 for grinding grain for gin distilling. After our comfort stop, I'll relate the history of London's Royal Docks, as we travel to the Boxing, Judo, Weightlifting, Wrestling, Table Tennis and Taekwondo venue – ExCel Centre, the international and exhibition centre of London. We'll view the O2 Dome, the largest single-roofed structure in the world. The O2 Dome, which cost £350 million to convert into an entertainment complex, regularly hosts acts like the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Prince and Barbara Streisand. For the Games, the O2 Dome will be transformed into a 20,000 seat venue that will host Gymnastics and the finals of the Basketball competition. The World Gymnastics Championships will take place at the O2 Dome in 2009.
Like the Lower Lea Valley, the Royal Docks are also going through a major transformation which will turn them into a new commercial, residential and leisure district for London. I'll point out these developments, especially at Silvertown Quays, a massive (£1.5 bn) mixed development with the new National Aquarium at its core.
We return to your hotel passing Billingsgate Fish Market, the Tower of London and London's only lighthouse.
Please be advised that due to on-going construction work, some of the roads in the tour itinerary could be closed at short notice.
This tour can be extended to a full day (8 hours) by including a visit across the River Thames to see the Badminton, Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon locations.
Afterwards we could visit historic Greenwich, home to the Royal Observatory, the Queen's House and the National Maritime Museum. These are all world-class attractions. The Observatory is the home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Meridian - straddle the line dividing the world into East and West. Enjoy the panorama from the Old Royal Observatory above the Royal Park; fantastic views of London. The National Maritime Museum's galleries give an insight into the history of seafaring. In the early 17th century stunning Queen's House, you can see an impressive display of fine art.
Greenwich has streets full of specialist shops, selling everything from second-hand books to antiques, music, vintage fashion and homeware. It's the ideal place to visit if you are looking for something unique.
|
