Your first day in London

You've got jet lag, and you're torn between sleeping and high-speed sightseeing. How about a compromise?

By MARK SHANAHAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 6, 2000

Okay, so you've been looking forward to that summer vacation for a long time. But you've spent eight hours on a plane, another hour clearing customs and collecting your luggage, and a further hour battling the traffic in the back of a cab just getting into London.

Then, there was the rigamarole of check-in at the hotel, and you finally arrived in your room to find that air conditioning isn't standard in English hotels. All this, and it's barely 10 a.m.

So, what do you do? Stick your head under the pillow and try to reclaim that lost sleep? Or do you rush out to see Buckingham Palace, the changing of the guard and Big Ben? The best advice is neither of those options. But there is a lot you can accomplish on your first day in London without wearing yourself out for the rest of the trip.

The best starter is to get a good breakfast. Unless your hotel rate includes the "English breakfast," ignore the hotel restaurant, where it may set you back more than $15. Instead, head to one of the hundreds of small cafes frequented by London's office population. Figure on $5 to $8 at the many establishments you will find near tourist hotels clustered in the West End (site of the best live theater outside of Broadway), around the British Museum or through the narrow streets of Soho.

With breakfast done, get your bearings, from 430 feet up. This year's tourist hit has been the British Airways London Eye, on the South Bank of the Thames. Built as part of the Millennium celebrations, the London Eye is the world's largest observation wheel, offering visitors views of more than 25 miles in any direction.

During the half-hour trip, you will be able to see all of London's prime attractions. Ignore the rain: The glass on all 32 passenger capsules has been specially treated to ensure that water runs right off. And, when the sun shines, you will be able to pick out sights such as Windsor Castle and Hampton Court Palace.

"If you're planning a trip on the BA London Eye this summer, we'd strongly advise prebooking," advises airline spokesman Jamie Bowden. By May, "We had already welcomed our 1-millionth visitor, and we're expecting over 31/2-million in our first year of operation."

What you will clearly see is that London has no single heart. The City, West End, Kensington, East End, Notting Hill and many other areas all have their own special attractions. But they are quite spread out geographically, so you will need to come to grips with the London Underground system, the "Tube" to Londoners. But my advice is to leave that for Day Two.

Just yards from the London Eye, the former County Hall offers the London Aquarium and a new gallery that may be familiar to residents of the Tampa Bay area: Dali Universe opened May 25, featuring more than 500 examples of the prolific artist's work, including 124 drawings produced to accompany his autobiography, La Vie Secrete (The Secret Life).

Whether you choose to look at fish or Dali's surreal view of life, or ignore both, you can spend a few lazy afternoon hours on the Thames. Departing from either Westminster or Waterloo pier -- either is a short stroll from County Hall -- City Cruises is a fleet of sightseeing boats motoring on the Thames.

This fleet, recently refurbished at a cost of more than $10-million, carries about 3-million visitors each year. For about $10, you can sit back and enjoy the splendor of a round-trip cruise past the Tower of London, and $13 will buy you a return trip as far as the Millennium Dome at Greenwich, though it will not pay for entry there, Britain's biggest white elephant.

As an alternative to a boat trip, you could take a two-hour, personal taxi tour around London. The capital's cabdrivers are famous for their expert knowledge of the city -- they are tested on it before being licensed -- and they are also noted for having an opinion on everything. It will be an unforgettable experience; it will also cost about $110, though that fee covers up to five passengers, a tight squeeze.

If you still have the energy, it's worth taking afternoon tea at one of London's great institutions, the Palm Court Restaurant in Le Meridien Waldorf hotel. For about $27 (about $31.50 if you choose to sip champagne), you can people-watch the great and the good while you feast on sandwiches, warm scones with Devonshire clotted cream, pastries and your choice of tea or coffee.

During the week, guests are entertained by a harpist from 3 to 5:30 p.m., and on weekends, the Palm Court is transformed for London's most famous tea dance. For about $38, you will get both the tea service and a nostalgia fest of live big band music from the '20s to the '40s.

As evening sets in, sleep may be playing at your eyelids, but it is well worth finishing the day with a light dinner.

One Aldwych, just a few steps from the Waldorf, has been named London's hotel of the year. It is a world away from the history and nostalgia of the Waldorf and offers one of the trendiest dining experiences in town.

The Lobby Bar isn't cheap -- expect to pay up to $15 for a cocktail -- but it is situated where the City meets the West End, and thus plays host to bankers, lawyers, advertising types and the folk from across the road at the BBC.

Just upstairs is Indigo, a casual restaurant with a glowing reputation. Here you can feast on everything from roast plum tomato and ricotta cheese tart with tomato fondue to roast filet of lamb with polenta, air-dried vegetables and balsamic vinegar.

The light Mediterranean cuisine, at about $33 a person, won't break the bank.

You will need a reservation for Indigo, but of course there are hundreds of restaurants throughout Covent Garden, covering every type of cuisine and budget.

It is worth taking a stroll around the Piazza, with its outdoor cafes and street entertainers, before returning to your hotel. This part of London buzzes until about 2 a.m. But by then, you will most likely be dreaming about Buckingham Palace, St. Paul's Cathedral and all that sightseeing still to come.

-- Mark Shanahan is a travel writer based in London.

IF YOU GO

For information, contact the following:

What's new in London, check the Web site http://www.londontown.com.

Tours by cab, known as Black Taxi tours, call 44 (0) 20 7289 4371.

City Cruises, call 44 (0) 20 7740 0400.

Dali Universe, call 44 (0) 20 7620 2420.

Le Meridien Waldorf's Palm Court, call 44 (0) 870 400 8484.

One Aldwych's Indigo Restaurant, call 44 (0) 20 7300 0400.

British Airways London Eye: Tickets are about $13 for adults, about $7.70 for children and about $10 for those 60 and older. Call 44 (0) 870 5000 600 for reservations.

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