London Report - Professional Enhancement Activities (Part 2)

Cultural Perspective

This is the 2nd part of this article. For those who haven’t read the first part, you can always check it by clicking the links given below.

In this 2^nd part, I try to show the cultural perspective of our study trip to London and talk about a few things that I personally think are amazing in London as well as a few sites that offer any tourist the chance to get in touch and breath the outstanding English culture.

For me, London is the cultural capital of Europe! Everything happens here, every day, all kinds of culture: theatre, cinema, shows, social events, concerts, exhibitions, presentations, sport... Everything, but everything is here! The best musical, the most advanced nightclub, the less accessible exhibits, the most rare books, etc...

Because it stayed as a leading political, economic and cultural centre, London has been in past centuries the destiny of those who want to acquire knowledge of first line, work or simply have fun. As a result of this process, the British capital has become a fertile melting pot of cultures, sheltering people from different nationalities and with widely differing interests. There, perhaps, lies what’s the most captivating in London: its incredible ability to be a city that respects diversity and individuality, but at the same time is able to retain almost intact the century-old British customs.

The wealth concentrated in London is due to the success of business ventures and war affairs around the world, coupled with the fine taste of the English aristocracy in the study of art and history of other peoples and civilizations. This gave the city unique collections distributed by dozens of museums. From sculptures made by natives of lost islands in the Pacific Ocean to Leonardo da Vinci’s paintings, Egyptian mummies and sarcophagi, panels of Salvador Dalí, dinosaur fossils to manuscripts of Napoleon Bonaparte, everything can be seen in London.  
With a concentration of many internationally renowned museums such as the British Museum or the Tate Modern, and theatres like the Royal Albert Hall, Royal National or the Coliseum... the fame of these museums, the quality of the exhibitions and by the fact that many of them are free, makes them an attraction for all travelers who value culture and history.

The sophisticated and eclectic architecture of London is a popular activity even for non-expert. The traditional Palace of Westminster, home to the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the unmistakable majestic Tower Bridge, just to name a few, are wonders even for the most critical eyes.

Modernity is also present in works that stand out in the urban landscape, like the huge wheel London Eye.

The V.I.P.’s

Virtually every prominent British personalities were born in London, or lived there at some time in their lives. And this too attracts tourism! Thinkers and philosophers like John Locke, Thomas Hobbes and Francis Bacon. Scientists Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Michael Faraday lived here. Icons of literature such as William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Arthur Conan Doyle, Ian Fleming and the sales phenomenon J. K. Rowling among many others.

Actors Charlie Chaplin, Laurence Olivier, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Sellers, Anthony Hopkins, Jeremy Irons, Emma Thompson and Jude Law. Film producers as Alfred Hitchcock and Ridley Scott.

In the fashion context, fashion designer Stella McCartney and model Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss and Elizabeth Hurley.

In the music scene, Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker, David Bowie, Iron Maiden,... well, i better stop here.

The city was also adopted as home by foreigners celebrities in many different professions, like Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx, T. S. Eliot and Jimi Hendrix lived and died in London.

The difficulty here is to choose - decide what to pursue, because following London is impossible!


And that's all for now folks! I'll be waiting for your comments and inputs.


References (sites consulted):
http://www.londontown.com/
http://www.visitlondon.com/

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This article is composed by 3 parts:

Part 1/3 - The Planning

Part 2/3 - Cultural Perspective

Part 3/3 - Social, Communicational and Marketing Perspective

Miguel Silva

Triénio 2009/2012