May 25th, 2013 at 9:00AM: rodtuk
For the next few days on Instagram, Gadling is off to the Isles of Scilly.
The Isles of Scilly sit about 30 miles off the coast of Cornwall, which occupies the far southwest of England. The islands, just five of which are inhabited, are known for their mild Gulf Stream-enabled climate, white sand beaches, palm trees, turquoise waters and historic gardens. Tourism is the local economy's ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
UnitedKingdom posts
#OnTheRoad On Instagram: Isles Of Scilly
May 25th, 2013 at 9:00AM: rodtuk
For the next few days on Instagram, Gadling is off to the Isles of Scilly.
The Isles of Scilly sit about 30 miles off the coast of Cornwall, which occupies the far southwest of England. The islands, just five of which are inhabited, are known for their mild Gulf Stream-enabled climate, white sand beaches, palm trees, turquoise waters and historic gardens. Tourism is the local economy's ...Eurovision 2013: All Of Europe Under One Roof
May 18th, 2013 at 11:00AM: Alex Robertson Textor
Launched in 1956, Eurovision is a Europe-wide music competition held every May under the auspices of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Participating countries select their representative songs over the course of the preceding winter and spring. Some countries – like Sweden – make their selections via televised heats held over several consecutive weeks. Others ...In Praise Of Travel Lists
Apr 30th, 2013 at 1:00PM: Travel lists get a lot of grief. I've overheard many fellow travel writers offer the opinion that lists of various sorts are deeply inferior to any and all narrative travel writing. Others have suggested that lists are slowly crowding out real travel writing entirely.
C'mon now.
Let's agree for a few provisional minutes that the purpose of travel writing is, very generally, to inspire people ...Victoria & Albert Museum Showcases Treasures From Royal Courts
Mar 7th, 2013 at 2:00PM:
The Victoria & Albert Museum in London has just opened a new exhibition about the development of trade and official relations between Russia and the United Kingdom.
"Treasures of the Royal Courts: Tudors, Stuarts and the Russian Tsars" brings together more than 150 objects for a look at the interaction between both courts from the accession of Henry VIII in 1509. He and later Tudor ...Live A Day In The Life Of 'Downton Abbey' At These English Castles
Feb 14th, 2013 at 10:00AM:
The British TV series "Downton Abbey" has taken America by storm with millions of viewers tuning in each week to watch the lives of the wealthy Crawley family unfold. The glamorous outfits, the decadent dinners, the lavish estate – it's a splendorous life most of us can only dream of.
But take a trip to England and you'll see that sprawling country estates like Downton Abbey are very ...The Shard, London's Tallest Skyscraper, Opens To Public Today
Feb 1st, 2013 at 3:00PM:
Today London officially opens its newest landmark, a 1,016-foot skyscraper that has been under construction since 2009. As you can see above, the irregular pyramid-shaped building is entirely covered in glass, and resembles an icicle or chip of glass – hence the name, The Shard.
At 87 stories, the building is the tallest in the European Union. From the 68th to the 72nd floor, the ...Best Places To Live In United Kingdom Named
Dec 23rd, 2012 at 12:00PM:
Thinking of relocating to the United Kingdom? Halifax Bank's annual survey of the best places to live in the UK has just come out, with the district of Hart in Hampshire coming out number one.
Various factors were taken into account, including average wage, cost of living, crime, and average lifespan. While this survey is obviously geared towards residents and not visitors, a nice place to ...View From The Shard In London: Pre-Opening Glimpses
Nov 6th, 2012 at 2:30PM:
View from the Shard, which comprises three observatory floors at the top of the Shard, London's tallest building, is not yet open for business. The new tourist attraction will open on February 1, 2013. This week, in conjunction with World Travel Market 2012, View from the Shard has been open for advance viewing by travel media.
The 72nd floor, the View from the Shard's top observation ...Blood Rain Predicted To Fall In The United Kingdom This Halloween
Oct 23rd, 2012 at 1:00PM: Blood rain just before Halloween? While it may sound like a festive prank, forecasters are really predicting this bizarre weather occurrence.
The phenomenon is actually a mix of red dust from the Sahara Desert blowing toward Europe. However, because it's supposed to rain, the dust will most likely mix with the precipitation causing red raindrops, or blood rain.
Other predictions include the ...Totnes: South Devon's Alternative Village
Oct 13th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
Totnes, an Elizabethan town in the South West English county of Devon, isn't your average West Country village. Totnes is what is increasingly known as a Transition Town – in fact, it is a model Transition Town.
What is a Transition Town, you ask? A Transition Town is a municipality focused on sustainable local economic growth by encouraging the use of local resources and local ...Photo Of The Day: Worcestershire Beacon
Oct 4th, 2012 at 6:00PM:
Kumukulanui, one of our reliable favorites, took this photo of Worcestershire Beacon in England's Malvern Hills earlier this week. It should probably be soundtracked by a chorus of angels. The region, located close to England's border with Wales, has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by England's Countryside Agency.
Upload your best images to the Gadling Group Pool on ...Butlin's Bognor Regis And The Summer That Changed Everything
Jul 27th, 2012 at 10:00AM: Ginny tore open the envelope, postmarked from London, a few months before we were to leave.
"Butlin's Bognor Regis welcomes you to your place of employment," she read. "Assignment: Retail catering."
The name looked regal enough, with "Butlin's Ltd. of London" embossed in gold across the top of the stationery. Elated, she continued: "Listed below is a brief description of the facilities enjoyed ...London: 10 Fun Non-Olympics Things to Do
Jul 23rd, 2012 at 1:00PM:
London is in a state. At this point in the labored lead-up to the Olympics, many Londoners would probably tell you, if pressed, that they would prefer that their city not be hosting the Olympics in the first place. The tenor of the local press has been largely negative – sluggish immigration processing at Heathrow, security firm screw-ups, anticipated traffic and public transit delays, ...Beatles Fans Can Now Sleep In A Real Yellow Submarine Hotel
Jul 17th, 2012 at 4:00PM: Have you ever listened to the hit Beatles song and dreamed of spending the night in an actual "yellow submarine"? Now you can, with the newest quirky accommodation in Liverpool.
Aptly situated in the home of the Fab Four, the floating submarine hotel is painted to resemble the vessel from the cover of the "Yellow Submarine" record. According to the Daily Mail, the hotel floats on a mooring in ...Inside Stanfords: The World's Best Travel Bookstore
Jul 17th, 2012 at 11:00AM: London is a dangerous city for bibliophiles. The city has a ridiculous wealth of great independent bookstores and if you're a compulsive book buyer like me, you might give your credit cards quite a workout. My first literary stop in London is always Stanfords, the legendary travel bookshop that's been patronized by everyone from Michael Palin and Bill Bryson to Ernest Shackelford and Dr. David ...Demolition Derby In The United Kingdom: A Little Bit Different
Jun 3rd, 2012 at 12:00PM:
Traveling through Europe you'll notice that many things are just a little bit different from the United States. Like the Royale with Cheese (actually the Cheese Royal, Tarantino got it wrong), Europe has many slightly different takes on American icons.
Demolition derby, for example is huge in the United Kingdom, but it's called banger racing. Cars race around a track while smashing into each ...
Southend Airport: London's Sixth Airport
Jun 2nd, 2012 at 12:00PM:
In April, easyJet began flying in and out of Southend Airport, located to the east of London in Essex. With the arrival of easyJet, London regained a long-dormant airport. (In the 1960s, Southend was London's third biggest airport.) In its new incarnation, Southend becomes London's sixth airport. The new kid on the block joins Heathrow, Gatwick, the low-cost hubs of Stansted and Luton, and ...Travel Regrets: One Lost Conversation
May 14th, 2012 at 9:00AM:
It's impossible to know what a lost conversation might have yielded. A lost conversation occupies a place in memory, a reservoir of sadness or relief. It's the shape of the reservoir that remains forever unknown. This uncertainty often renders the very recognition of a lost conversational opportunity difficult.
The decision to welcome a stranger into conversation while on the road isn't ...British Tourism Q&A: Travel Writer Donald Strachan
May 11th, 2012 at 9:00AM: British tourism is a big topic in 2012. With the Queen's Diamond Jubilee next month, the Olympics in July and August, and the Paralympics in August and September, the United Kingdom is under some serious scrutiny, in particular as a national brand and a tourist destination.
Here I ask Donald Strachan, travel journalist, guidebook writer and all around Twitter delight, some questions about the ...Orkney Islands Serendipity: Discovering The Best Place I Never Wanted to See
Apr 19th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
"You'll need to catch the bus to Stromness," says the lady at the tourist information office. She's the cheery sort you'd expect to find working here -- that rare employee who genuinely seems to love her job.
I arrived in Kirkwall, the largest town in the Orkney Islands, less than an hour ago. I've come to ask the best mode of transportation to the Orkney Folk Festival, three nights of ...
