Business Times - 07 Mar 2009
London calling
No matter how many times you've been to London, there'll always be something new to discover in this city where change is a constant. By Geoffrey Eu
OF ALL the cities in the world, nothing strikes such a strong chord in the hearts of seasoned travellers and first-time visitors like London, a city steeped in heritage and tradition, in culture and character - and also one in which change is forever constant. Charles Dickens referred to London as 'a great and dirty city', and 150 years on, he's still correct on both counts.
Like any modern metropolis with a proud history, London - a diverse and glorious mix of parks, neighbourhoods and communities found nowhere else on earth - is more prone than most to celebrating the past while living in the present and focusing on the future. Its origins date back two millennia to the Roman city of Londinium and everywhere in the city, there are impressive reminders of the prominence it achieved over the centuries, reaching a peak during the heyday of the British Empire.
In addition, this is the place that spawned a variety of pop culture phenomena, including the mini-skirt and the Swinging Sixties, Underground fashion and the Punk Movement. On the other hand, it is also home to the Victoria & Albert Museum, Buckingham Palace and Harrods.
No matter how many times you're been, there is something undeniably fresh and fascinating about London, a vast, vibrant melting pot of 7.5 million people spread across some 1,700 sq km, making it the largest city in Western Europe. Even the locals will tell you that, meaning it's tough to get bored with living there.
As a group, Londoners are famously resilient, having survived - in the course of its storied history - minor inconveniences such as The Great Plague and The Great Fire. More recently, it has had to deal with general strikes, The Blitz and terrorist bombs. No wonder, then, that the threat of daily traffic jams hardly warrants a quiver of protest on those notably stiff upper lips.
Whether it's a weekend flea market in the South Bank, a hip art gallery in Hoxton or some posh nosh in a Michelin-star restaurant in Knightsbridge, London has some of the best lifestyle diversions a big city can offer. It has a track record few can match - this is a place where the curtain first went up in a theatre in the year 1576, and it would be another 15 years or so before a young playwright named William Shakespeare started getting noticed in the London theatre scene.
In recent months, London's immaculate reputation as a top commercial centre and the leading financial hub for Europe has suffered a serious setback as it experiences a series of bank failures, assorted scandals and the effects of a deepening global recession. As a result, a city that over the past few decades attracted a coterie of oil sheikhs, Indian industrialists and Russian oligarchs to live in, and which was bristling with wealth (mostly borrowed or imaginary, as it turns out), is now characterised by a growing number of unemployed investment bankers and failing businesses.
However, that qualifies as good news if you happen to be a visitor, because the situation translates to a favourable exchange rate (the British pound has dropped 20 per cent or more against the Singapore dollar over the past nine months), sterling service in shops and restaurants, bargain basement deals on the accommodation front, and no shortage of ubiquitous London cabs (you can always tell a recession by the number of available taxis, long-time residents will tell you).
The shop sales may be omnipresent and the prices may actually be palatable for a change (after years of being one of the most expensive cities in the world, London is now providing plenty of bang for your buck), but the buzz just isn't there anymore. It may still be for some a capital for fashion, culture and conspicuous consumption, but the talk in the teahouses these days is less about Porsches in the garage and houses in the country, and more about reining in spending habits and propping up property prices.
Of course, there is little doubt that London will regain its energy and rise from the flames of recession, just as it has overcome more difficult challenges in the past. Its modern-day skyscrapers might be impressive, but it is the wonderfully iconic architecture of much earlier times that gives the city its unique charm - places like St Paul's Cathedral, Regent's Park and the relatively unknown but still delightful Sir John Soane Museum stand as ample testimony of the city's landmark quality, and the unshakeable spirit of the people that built it.
These days, many of the city's star attractions remain the same as they did decades ago, ranging from cultural destinations like the British Museum and the West End entertainment district to the upscale shopping belt around Oxford and Bond streets as well as Knightsbridge, South Kensington and the more bohemian Notting Hill district.
The quintessential London experience also includes a visit to the Tate Modern, a pint in a heritage pub (such as the Princess Louise in Holborn) or The Narrow, a gastropub next to the river and a popular member of the Gordon Ramsay culinary empire. Failing this, there are another 5,500 pubs around the city to wet your whistle in. Food-obsessed Singaporeans will no doubt also make a point to head for a Cantonese roast duck or lobster noodle fix in a favoured Bayswater restaurant.
For so long the centre of the civilised world, London still has the depth, the substance, and the aura of greatness that many pretenders to the throne lack. Its glory days may be in the past, but it would still be hard to disagree with the eminent 18th-century author and essayist Samuel Johnson, who said, 'By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show.'
This cosmopolitan city is the world in a capsule, and it will captivate you for life.
· Emirates flies five times a day to London's sprawling Heathrow airport, and also thrice daily to London's Gatwick airport.
If the United Kingdom is your cup of tea, you can just as easily explore other destinations in the country such as Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester and Birmingham, with Emirates.
Emirates flies daily to the beautiful Scottish city of Glasgow. One of the most dynamic and cosmopolitan destinations in Europe, Glasgow features an eclectic mix of world-famous art collections, Victorian architecture, excellent shopping and vibrant nightlife.
Fans of the English Premier League can also catch their favourite football stars in action with Emirates' daily flights to Newcastle and twice-daily flights to Manchester.
Those who want to enjoy more of the UK's sights and wonders can also head to the West Midlands city of Birmingham with Emirates' twice-daily flights to the city.
For more information on flight schedules, visit www.emirates.com/sg or call Emirates at 6735-3535.
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