The Website for People Who Love Britain - Anglophiles
Windsor Castle is The Queen's favourite weekend retreat and a perfect day trip from London as it's under an hour away by train. Highlights of a visit include The State Apartments, Changing of the Guard, Queen Mary's Dolls House – which even has miniature crown jewels – and St George's Chapel – a beautiful ecclesiastical building and the … [Read more...]
While London is gripped with Olympics fever I thought I'd step out of the city (just for a few hours) to the tranquility of the Sussex countryside and the Goodwood Estate to take a tour of Goodwood House, a 17th century English country house, and partake of a cream tea. You definitely need to take a house tour to fully appreciate the State … [Read more...]
Pin trading isn't an Olympic sport, but it's a hobby that has caught on to thousands of spectators. On a side street near the entrance to Olympic Park, I decided to try my hand at the art of the trade to two Greek pin traders, offering a Samsung pin I'd received in the media center for a USA pin with the Olympic rings. I was pretty pleased with … [Read more...]
For my day off, my host,Sheila, was kind enough to take me to see some of the English countryside. Although I'm staying in what is technically Kent, it's really a bedroom community of London, and lots of residents travel into London for work each day. We took a drive into nearby Seven Oaks to see Knole, a sprawling estate that is still … [Read more...]
The Olympic Games have brought the world to London, and anyone who visits Olympic Park is not disappointed. Its a massive venue, but really pleasing to walk through - even in the rain. Normally, I take a special workforce bus for volunteers and other support staff from the Tube nearly to Olympic Park, and walk directly to my volunteer assignment … [Read more...]
One of the mottos of the London 2012 Olympic Games is "Inspire a Generation", so it seemed fitting that a group of young athletes served as torchbearers to light the cauldron at Olympic Park on Friday. Carrying the Olympic Torch is an experience you never forget. By far, opportunity I had to carry the Torch for the 2002 Olympic Games has been, … [Read more...]
It's hard to believe I've been in London for four days. Let me tell you, it's been a whirlwind! After my British Airways flight to Gatwick I found my way to my host's home in Kent, then it was off to collect my Gamesmaker uniform. It was great to see so many fellow Gamesmakers! The whole process took about an hour, and while waiting, I met some … [Read more...]
So here I am, sitting at an airport in Tampa, Florida waiting for my flight to London, about to fulfill a dream I concocted about five years ago when I first heard London would host the Olympic Games. The thought of actually going to London for an extended period of time was kind of a pipe dream - something I just thought about, but didn't … [Read more...]
Challiss of Uppham is a sweeping novel of the Challiss family, a Victorian upper-class family struggling with the economic downturn that occurred in the 1830s. Continuing the saga found in J.A. Noble’s book The Lime Walk, the Challiss family faces hardships and changes all while trying to maintain their proper place in Norfolk society. Family … [Read more...]
A trip to St Paul's Cathedral is on most visitor's "must see" list and as it is only five tube stops away from the Olympic Park in Stratford it is likely to be popular this summer too. I was lucky enough to get a private tour and was taken to areas that are not open to the public every day. I also tried the Multimedia tour, which is included in the … [Read more...]
My British friend, Sue, summed up my impending trip to London for the Summer Olympic Games best. “It’s like planning a wedding,” she told me. “You have so much time, and then it’s next bloody week!” I couldn’t agree more. My trip to London has been more than two years in the making. It seemed like a … [Read more...]
We've all tried bus tours of London but, while I enjoy those too, I fancied seeing London from above. I love the view as you fly back to London and see the River Thames and start to pick out the landmarks but I have no plans to leave London in the near future so how can I get this beloved view? Thankfully, Jonathan came up with the idea of … [Read more...]
This is the 23rd year of the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. It's the largest garden and flower show in the world and covers 34 acres of the Hampton Court Palace grounds. It takes just three weeks to build a show garden and all come apart in just three days. The RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is not like the RHS Chelsea Flower Show; it's … [Read more...]
The State Rooms of Buckingham Palace have been open to the public every summer since 1993. What started as a way to pay for the fire damage at Windsor Castle has, thankfully, continued past the cost of those repairs and when the Queen retreats to Balmoral in Scotland for a well earned rest her London home is open for us to visit. (Top tip: A … [Read more...]
Open from 28 June 2012, (yes, before the London 2012 Olympics!) this is the first cable car in London and the first urban cable car system of its kind in the UK. Its official name is Emirates Air Line because of the Dubai-based airline's 10 year sponsorship deal at a cost of £36m. The Emirates Air Line is now on the iconic tube map and this is … [Read more...]
It's the fifth birthday for The O2 in Greenwich, one of London's most iconic landmarks and the world's most popular entertainment venue. Some people throw a party but they've decided to create a new attraction: a skywalk over the top of the building, open from June 2012. What is Up at The O2? Designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, who … [Read more...]
Sunday night marked the debut of "True Love", billed as the BBC's first improvised drama running over five nights on BBC1. The premise is five separate tales of love set in the same coastal England town, and the cast for each night is very impressive, with David Tennant, Billie Piper, David Morrissey, Jane Horrocks and Ashley Waters each featuring … [Read more...]
Just a couple of days ago came word that "The Inbetweeners" has finally gotten a release date in US theaters. However, the battle to see our four favourite degenerate British teens on a screen nearest you isn't over, and one of the co-creators of the show has asked for our help. Iain Morris put out a personal appeal via his Twitter account … [Read more...]
Mornings are not my thing. I can do them when required, but in general, I forgo breakfast meetings whenever possible. But the chance to meet one of the people involved in public relations for the London Games? That was a breakfast meeting not to be missed. Robert Wright is the managing director of Davies Tanner, one of the PR firms assisting … [Read more...]
It's about time! The film about the holiday hijinks of our four favourite irresponsible British teenagers, "The Inbetweeners" has finally been slated for a US release date in theaters, more than a year after its blockbuster release in the UK. Wreckin Hill Entertainment, who picked up the raunchy comedy in January, has announced that "The … [Read more...]
*Author's Note: Based on the response to this piece, I feel compelled to state the following. This is not a Top 10 Most Swoonworthy British Blokes of All Time list. You're not going to find Colin, Hugh, Daniel, Jude, David, Richard, Sean, etc. on it. This is a small list of up-and-comers that I think are worth mentioning, and perhaps some of … [Read more...]
Editor's Note: The Cutty Sark has recently re-opened in London after a massive renovation and our London correspondent Laura Porter had the chance to see behind the scenes before it opened to the public. Thanks Laura! What's so special about the Cutty Sark? The Cutty Sark is the last surviving tea clipper. What was a tea clipper? A 19th century … [Read more...]
I’m not sure when I first got the idea to travel to London for the 2012 Olympic Games, but now I’m just 100 days from my dream becoming a reality. It still seems a little unreal to me, even as I purchased my plane ticket a few weeks ago, and as I comb through travel guidebooks and websites highlighting the places I want to visit during my … [Read more...]
With the London 2012 Games about 100 days away, I didn’t need to leave my hometown to get into the Olympic spirit. I just headed to a popular waterfront park in downtown Tampa, Florida to enjoy the two-day Road to London Fan Zone. The Road to London Fan Zone is an interactive experience, where I got to try my hand at seven different sports, … [Read more...]
Anglotopia London correspondent Laura Porter from the About London blog was kind enough to write up a detailed review of the new Harry Potter Studio Tour Experience. What Is It? This is the actual film studio where the Harry Potter films were made and is opening to the public for the first time on 31 March 2012. The creative team behind the … [Read more...]
Editor's Note: Laura Porter from About London got a press preview of the newly renovated Kensington Palace and was kind enough to write up an article for us all about it. The Queen lives at Buckingham Palace so why do we have another palace in London? We actually have a fine selection of royal buildings across the country and Kensington Palace … [Read more...]
Editor's Note: There's no doubt that London 2012 will be a big deal this summer - so as part of our plans to cover it, we've brought on board a new columnist who's actually going to the Olympics! Candace Rotolo is a writer who has been lucky enough to snatch a place as a volunteer in the media center during the Olympics. Here's her first post - … [Read more...]
*Warning* If you don't watch Downton Abbey, I don't recommend reading this, as it does contain a few spoilers. But I do highly recommend that you start watching this show immediately so you'll be all caught up when it starts again, and so you'll have a sufficient amount of time to be sad like the rest of us because it's over (for … [Read more...]
*Warning* If you haven’t seen the film Love Actually, I don’t recommend reading the following, as it’s full of spoilers. And while we’re on the subject, why haven’t you seen it yet? It was released in 2003! Please go watch it. Posthaste. Dear Love Actually, It’s Christmastime once again, and this year I just … [Read more...]
Several months ago, I ordered a copy of the acclaimed British music magazine, MOJO, to be sent to me in the post. The particular issue I ordered also came with a compilation CD featuring artists on the London music label, Communion. Communion is of great interest to me, not only because the label was co-founded by Ben Lovett, a member of … [Read more...]
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Anglotopia was founded by Jonathan and Jackie Thomas in 2007 in a closet in Chicago. Anglotopia is for people who love Britain - whether it's British TV, Culture, History or Travel - we cover it all. Anglotopia is now our full time jobs and we spend our time working on the site and planning our yearly trips to Britain. Join us as we explore Britain and everything it has to offer!
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