In and around London - Videos

Hampton Court Palace

After a 5-minute walk from the station, over a bridge with a spectacular view of the Thames, this  magnificent royal palace and its gardens host a large number of works of art from the Royal Collection, including Henry VIII's crown and the wonderful Mantegna's frescos "Triumphs of Caesar". It takes a whole day to visit its many rooms, highly equipped kitchens, the huge banqueting hall, along with the maze, the historic tennis court and the large grape vine. On the day of my visit, I had the chance to see an impressive live historical re-enactment  of the events taking place at Henry VIII's court, due to the king's long-awaited male heir and many wives. As visitors, we were all sitting at the long tables lining the large banqueting hall, while the performers vigorously re-enacted the bloody facts that marked the Tudor dynasty.  

                                    

Getting around London:  
buses, trains and the underground, along with a video clip showing  The Collective* Old Oak, Nash House, Old Oak Lane, a modern residence in a Zone 2 location in North West London. 

  

*The Collective is a co-living space provided with accomodation of studio and shared kitchenette, fully furnished with private bathroom, small double beds, TV screen, wardrobe with extra storage space and a desk with chair, unlimited free wifi access, beddings, linen, bike storage, laundry facility service, kitchen pack and a cleaning service once a month.  The residence also offers a range of stunning communal areas such as: Sauna & Spa room, Games room, Screening room, Library, Secret garden, Rooftop terrace, Reception with Lobby, Study area & Events space,  8 communal kitchens fully equipped / furnished with dinning areas. On site bar / restaurant, grocery shop and gym centre, different on-going social events on a daily basis.

York, North Yorkshire, England
It is a historic walled city at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England.  Built by the Romans in 71 AD, it was captured by the Vikings in 866 AD, and it's a lovely town rich in sites of historic interest such as the famous York Minster, one of the world's most magnificent cathedrals, or the Clifford's Tower, which stands as a proud symbol of the power of England's medieval kings. And still the Jorvik Viking Centre, the house where Guy Fawkes was born at Stonegate, the Shambles, the timber-framed houses and inns. 

Dover, Kent

Dover is a lovely seaside town  in Kent, South East England.

It is situated on the English Channel, at the mouth of a valley in the chalk uplands that form its famous white cliffs. Albion, the ancient name of Great Britain, is a word of Celtic origins, but it is said to have been inspired by the White Cliffs of Dover and may also be derived from the Latin "albus", which means white. 

 London, UK

Hastings, East Sussex, South England, UK
In the early morning of 14 October 1066, on a hilltop around Hastings, two opposing armies were ready to fight for the throne of England: the forces of King Harold and the troops of William Duke of Normandy. 
The decisive moment in the Battle of Hastings occurred when King Harold was killed by an arrow which struck him in the right eye, as it is apparently depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry. 
After the victory, William marched on London and was crowned as William I, the new King of England, on Christmas day,  1066. 
The Benedictine Abbey of Battle was then founded by William as a memorial to the dead of the battle and as atonement for the bloodshed of his conquest, and its high altar was  carefully positioned to mark the exact place where Harold had been killed.