READING ACTIVITIES Josephine and Charlotte are on the Eurostar train to London They want to make as many things as possible !! There are special “sightseeing buses” They provide a great way to travel around the capital and its most famous sites like Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and of course… Buckingham Palace ! Girls are fond of fairy tales, you know ! The Royal Wedding Dress exhibition at Buckingham Palace from July 2011 to October 2011 Londoners love their parks When the weather is good, they play frisbee, fly a kite, or rollerblade in Hyde Park or Green Park Open-air concerts and plays take place in parks, particularly in the summer Gangs of friends or families bring a picnic and enjoy the show On Sundays, it is possible to listen to an open air debate at the Speaker’s corner in Hyde Park They talk about any subjects ( war, religion, education,… ) The “Speaker’s corner” in Hyde Park ! People in England like eating snacks and buy them at “corner shops” You can also buy newspapers and magazines there London is a shopper’s paradise In and around Oxford Street, there is a lot of choice so it is always crowded You can find chic boutiques ( elegant and expensive, like Accessorize or Dorothy Perkins ), ethnic shops ( Indian, South American,… ) or giant music stores ( Virgin or HMV ) English people really enjoy musicals “Mamma Mia !” is the top musical at the Prince of Wales The London Underground or Tube is older ( 1863 ) and deeper than the New York Subway or the Paris Metro “Bed and Breakfasts” are typically British It is a system of accommodation in a hotel or guest house You pay for a room for the night and for breakfast the following morning There are lots of “souvenir stalls” in London ! The English baked beans, breakfast : bacon and egg ! Perfect for hungry people ! Punks in Camden Market At the week-end, flea-markets like Camden Market attract hundreds of people They come to buy or just to look at trendy second-hand clothes and original fashion accessories Teenagers can’t get into discos So they take the bus and go to the cinema in Leicester Square or take the cab to go to a concert at the Brixton Academy ( rock, reggae and rap music ) or Wembley Arena ( rock and pop music ) Families often go to a pub for their Sunday lunch In Britain, children and teenagers under 18 can’t go to a pub on their own or in the evening They meet in fast-food restaurants or they have take-away meals at home or in the street Traditional “Fish & chips” Teenagers love that place ! The London Dungeon is a real museum of horror There are horrific scenes from London’s history, like Jack the Ripper It is very scary ! On the last weekend in August, over two million people come to London’s Notting Hill Carnival It is organized by the city’s Carribean population Today, the carnival reflects London’s multicultural society, and is the second largest carnival in the world ! Groups called “Mas” spend hundreds of hours and thousands of pounds every year to create the most elaborate and colourful costumes At the carnival you can hear steel bands, Calypso Soca and sound systems Teenagers love the sound systems - they’re so loud, they make your ears buzz ! It’s not a joke : there are “souvenir stalls” everywhere in London ! There are many cinemas near Leicester Square, The weekly magazine Time Out tells you what’s on in so groups of friends often meet there and then London ( films, plays, concerts and other activities ) go to the pictures Jerk chicken and coconut water ? Hey you’re in the West Indies ! Not in London !!