The Olympics and More
With 2012 set to take London by storm, the attention will be on the Olympics but if you are looking for something on the quieter side, read on as this is a guide to a few more things to see while you are visiting this big, beautiful city.
Watching Competitions Outside The Olympic Venues
Whether you stay in the center of town or opt to blend in with the locals in the quieter regions, chances are you can catch a glimpse of some of the Olympic action without journeying too far from your hotel base. For instance, if you hang around Westminster Abbey on July 26, you can watch the Olympic torch go by on its final leg to the opening ceremonies. Be outside of Hyde Park on August 4 and 5 and you can catch glimpses of the competitors in the men’s and women’s triathlon tournament as they whiz by on the bicycle leg of their event. Speaking of bicycles, the Olympic road cycling race held on opening day will present many excellent opportunities for people to cheer on world class athletes for free. The bike race will wind through the streets of London, over the Thames, around Box Hill in Surrey and back up to Hampton Court Palace where it will split off through Richmond Park for the final leg of the race. Since the cycle map of this route has already been released to the public you can use it to plan your strategy to be in the right place at the right time.
Limehouse Basin
For something a little of track, consider travelling to the less hectic side of London along the Limehouse Basin canal where water taxis will make regular 30 minute trips throughout the day to Olympic Village so you can avoid the traffic on the tubes. If you are in the mood to explore a bit of British heritage then hang out at The Grapes on Narrow Street .
Running through Limehouse Basin you’ll find a beautifully refurbished walking and bicycle path that will take you all the way to London’s city center and onto the Olympic Village without crossing any major roads. You can also try out the innovative floating towpath that provides foot access along the Limehouse Cut canal or rent a boat to putter around London’s waterways at a leisurely pace.
World Shakespeare Event
The World Shakespeare Festival is celebrating all things Shakespearean in collaboration with international artists presenting dozens of performances. There will be theatrical productions held in major theatres across the UK, including, London, Newcastle and Stratford-upon-Avon to name a few. During the Olympic games, if you want a chance of scene, you can catch classic performances such as Much Ado About Nothing, Richard the III, the Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) will be among the many acting companies that are taking part in this event.
Check out the British Museum’s presentation of “Shakespeare, Staging the World” presented July 19 through November 25 and “Living Walls” by Squidsoup at Stratford-on-Avon starting on April 21 and running through December 31. You can keep track where and when all of your favorites will be playing at their website, http://www.worldshakespearefestival.org.uk/about/. There’s a list of scheduled performances and updates will be posted on program changes that will inevitably occur. Organizers are still planning supporting activities like period piece costume balls, in-depth lectures on life in Shakespeare’s time and street theater events.
There are plenty of places to stay in the city that won’t break your budget. Hostelbookers offer chic and cheap hotels throughout London. You may find that prices closer to the East End of London are higher, so consider other spots in outer London where you can have access to the games and be close to other neighbourhoods where you can find things to do and experience during the summer of 2012!