London is most definitely one of the most visited and popular places in the world to holiday and indeed live. The top tourist spots in London ranging from the London Eye to the Tower of London, to Big Ben are well known worldwide. Every city in the world however has their own weird and wonderful attractions that are definitely worth visiting, but where are those spots in London?
The Admiralty Arch that links the Mall with Trafalgar Square is a landmark in its own right, however there is another hidden gem within it. Rick Buckley, an artist placed stone carving of a human nose in 1997 on the inner-wall of the northernmost arch. He did this as part of a protest piece against what he perceived as an excessive use of CCTV within London, the nose signifying the ‘nosey’ government. There are several of these noses to be found within the city, but this is the one that stands out the most.
By now the majority of people have now forgotten that the US State of Texas was actually previously an independent republic. When this was the case, Texas Legation which is a smaller version of an Embassy, was present in Paris, Washington DC and in fact London. It was located in Westminster, at 4 St James Street, next to the wine merchants Barry Bros and Rudd. When Texas become a state of the USA in 1845 they had to vacate the premises, however there is still a plaque from the Texas-Anglo society marking the spot where it once existed in the English capital.
Cross Bones Garden, or Cross Bones Graveyard as it is more commonly referenced is a disused burial site located within Southwark. It was once known as an unconsecrated graveyard for prostitutes who were not allowed to have a traditional Christian burial. As well as prostitutes it also served as a graveyard for paupers and other ‘undesirable’ citizens. No bodies were buried here after 1853; but it has been transformed into a quite attract memorial garden and John Constable even based his Southwark Mysteries in this location. Suffice to say it has become quite a pleasant and quaint spot, which thankfully has no ghosts resident; unlike haunted train stations that can be a bit scary.
If you fancy a journey under the streets of London, then take a ride on the Mail Rail. It is the 100-year-old Post Office railway and you can board a miniature train and journey through the original tunnels. This quirky attraction lets you see the original and pretty much unchanged platforms, located deep below the Royal Mail Mount Pleasant sorting office and takes you on somewhat of a theatrical trip back in time to the 1930s. You also get to see and here from the people who worked there and gain an insight into their lives.
Go to God’s Own Junkyard if you like bright lights and flashing things and experience the neon wonderland that Walthamstow has to offer. If you love neon this is not to be missed, with wall to wall neon signs. Within the Junkyard there is also a fantastic Rolling Stones café, offering a fantastic selection of freshly baked cakes and even a range of alcoholic beverages.