In my role as a tour guide, I get to explore every hidden corner of London, though after nearly 5 years I sometimes feel like I am still just learning the ropes. Every day, every neaighbourhood reveals new secrets, new shortcuts, new quirky bits of history and new ways of getting from A to B.… Continue reading My ride in the last ever petrol London Black Taxi
Category: Life
Egypt and the building of a new Capital City
Though Egyptians have lived in and around the Cairo area since time began, the modern city itself is ually traced to the year 968 AD and the newly arrived Fatimid dynasty. For centuries the city prospered and grew to become the largest city in Africa and one of the largest in the world. Later French… Continue reading Egypt and the building of a new Capital City
Harry, Meghan and the £32 million wedding!
Today’s couples spend an average of £17,913 on their big day, with the average wedding size being 78 guests for the ceremony and 83 guests for the evening. However, Harry and Meghan aren’t like today’s average couples. They’re having everything from bespoke silver plated fanfare trumpets to a “drone destroyer”, so it’s safe to say they will be… Continue reading Harry, Meghan and the £32 million wedding!
The Royal Wedding – Harry and Meghan by the numbers
A few days ago, the Queen signed the Instrument of Consent which gave official approval for the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, you can see her signature at the top right of the document. So I thought I would do two posts looking at the Royal Wedding from a different perspective using facts… Continue reading The Royal Wedding – Harry and Meghan by the numbers
Is the Queen descended from the Prophet Muhammad?
It is said that most of us have hundreds or thousands of living relations, if only we knew who they were. On one line of my family tree I have found to be descended from such people such as the brother of King Harold of 1066 fame, Robert The Bruce and various old Saxon and… Continue reading Is the Queen descended from the Prophet Muhammad?
Ye Olde England Tours is Hiring!
Most of you will know that I run a small tours company based in London. We do a large number of walking tours in London itself along with plenty of day trip car based tours to places of interest such as Bath, Stonehenge, Windsor Castle and similar places. Thankfully business has been good and we’re… Continue reading Ye Olde England Tours is Hiring!
Language by the numbers
Following on from my mini-series of posts on the English language, I was contacted by a reader who thought we might all be interested by this great graphic all about languages. I hope that you like it as much as I do!
Humphrey Repton and the Bloomsbury Squares
One of my favourite areas of London and one which I have written on previously is Bloomsbury. Once the area was full of grand achitectural squares with lush green gardens as their centre piece. Even today, the area retains an air of quiet, gentle elegance though wartime bombing and construction have taken their toll on… Continue reading Humphrey Repton and the Bloomsbury Squares
Lord North, the most unassuming man in a position of power ever!
One of the things I dislike most about the world is people who are boastful or prideful and this goes doubly for those who do so for very little reason whatsoever. I always find if anyone has to boast about anything then they aren’t really anything special at all. The very best people have no… Continue reading Lord North, the most unassuming man in a position of power ever!
Manfred Von Richthofen – The Red Baron
April 21st 2018 sees the 100 anniversary of the death of one of the most famous names not just in the history of air-combat but aviation generally. The Red Baron was the name given to Manfred von Richthofen, a German fighter pilot who was the deadliest flying ace of World War I. Along with some… Continue reading Manfred Von Richthofen – The Red Baron
Stephen Liddell 