Thursday, February 28, 2013

Roast duck rice at Four Seasons Restaurant @ London

Four Seasons Chinese Restaurant is world-famous for their roast duck. However, in my opinion their roast duck is not the best. I came to this restaurant due to recommendation from a friend and I would like to taste some Chinese food in London.

Taste:8/10(Good. The roast duck is quite good but this is not the best that I had. The skins were crispy and there is a lot meat. Presentation wise, the roast colour is perfect and not overly done).
Price:6/10(Moderate. Duck rice for one person portion price at 7.00 Pound).



Roasted duck rice with cabbage.

Four Seasons restaurant on Gerrard Street.

Coordinate/GPS: 51.511934,-0.130981
Address: 12 Gerrard Street, London.
London tube station: Leicester Square (Chinatown).

St Pancras railway station @ London

St Pancras is regarded by some as the most beautiful railway station in the world. It is an international railway station with daily services to Paris via Eurostar. When it opened in 1868, the arched Barlow train shed was the largest single-span roof in the world.



Impressive Victorian architecture from outside St Pancras station.

Inside St Pancras.

Area surrounding St Pancras building.

The meeting place sculpture by Paul Day in St Pancras station.

King's Cross station on the opposite of St Pancras.

Coordinate/GPS: 51.531908,-0.125785
Address: Euston Road, London N1C 4QP, United Kingdom
London tube: King's Cross St Pancras station.

Meridian Greenwich

The Greenwich Meridian separates east from west in the same way that the Equator separates north from south. Greenwich Mean Time is the centre of our system of time zones. Its path is determined by the location of an historic telescope, the Airy Transit Circle, which is housed at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.


Finally set my foot here at Meridian Greenwich which is the GMT timing which worldwide follows.

Before reaching Meridian Greenwich point, you need to go thru Old Royal Naval College gate.

Historical building in the college compound.

A huge park in the area.

From Meridian Greenwich point, you may view London skyline.

Picture of London skyline.

Research building at Greenwich.

You will need to take London tube from here (Canary Wharf) to reach Greenwich.

GPS/Coordinate: 51.476847, -0.000515
Public transport: Greenwich OR Cutty Sark on London tube DLR line.
Address: Blackheath Ave, London SE10 8XJ, United Kingdom.
Opening hours: 10.00am to 5.00pm.

Changing of guards @ St James Palace, London

Changing the Guard or Guard Mounting is the process involving a new guard exchanging duty with the old guard. You may notice that the guard dress in grey colour instead of the usual red colour. During winter season, the guard will wear the grey colour suit to protect them from cold.


The guards at St James Palace.

Guards changing begins.

The guard has high discipline. Able to stand still for long time.

The bearskin cap covered the guard's eyes.

Me with the guard.

Address: Marlborough Rd, St James's, London SW1A 1BS, United Kingdom
Coordinate: 51.505033,-0.137994
London tube: Green Park


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Budget Stay in Palmers Lodge Hillspring @ London

Palmers Lodge Hillspring located within 10 minutes walk from Willesden Green Underground Station with easy access into central London via Jubilee. The trip from Heathrow airport takes around 1 hour & 10 minutes via London tube which is the cheapest mode of traveling from airport. It offers free Wi-Fi, luggage storage, and a large TV lounge. Free continental breakfasts including croissants, toast, cornflakes and juice. The hostel provides a self-catering kitchen that guests can make use of to fix their own meals. The hostel has both 24-hour reception and 24-hour access to guests via a key card security system. Guests can also use their room keys to access their own in-room safes, and security lockers are available for hire at 1 Pound per day or 5 pound per week.

Review:8/10(Good. This hostel is suitable for backpacker. Near to London tube station and located within zone 2. Free water as water dispenser provided in the kitchen. Breakfast is provided as well from 7.30am until 10.30am. The breakfast is just toast, cornflakes, milk, croissant and juice. The hostel seems crowded during breakfast as they seems to cater for many school functions. The wifi however is only moderate as the signal is not that strong and weak signal in the room. Plus there are many visitors there and the wifi device may not able to cope with the load. Nearby there are many convenience stores and the best thing is that the there is a bus stop in front of the hostel where you can take bus direct to Oxford Circus (bus no 98). And the bus is operated 24 hours. So you will have transport option after the tube operating hours which terminates around 12.00am daily).
Price: The price is 20 Pound a night. It really a budget accommodation in London.


Finally found this hostel. Google maps gives wrong direction and this is my first time that I need to contact the hostel directly to ask for exact location.

This is where I am going to stay for 1 week in London.

4-Bed Dormitory Room

In the room sink.

Large locker for each person.

Shower room.

corridor to my room.

Clean shared toilet.

View from hostel.

Daily breakfast. Whole mill & white bread toast. Croissant and cornflakes.

The next day breakfast.

Back to school style of breakfast. I notice that the hostel is quite crowded during breakfast and mostly are school children. Maybe they are on some boot camp.

Coordinate/GPS: 51.547129,-0.222993
Address: 233 Willesden Lane, Brent, NW2 5RP London.
London tube: Willesden Green station.

The Monsoon @ Brick Lane, London

Great food and great atmosphere plus the staff are friendly. The food is excellent, with good portions as well.

Taste:10/10(Excellent. This is the best Indian food that I ever had. I never thought that Bangladesh or Northern Indian food can be so good. I live in a country with abundant of South Indian food but lack of Northern Indian food. The taste is amazing and you should try their Gosht-e-lazeez which is tender pieces of lamb cooked with shallots, fresh ginger and coriander).
Price:6/10(Moderate. The price is moderate among London standard. I spent around 11 Pound for the Gosht-e-lazeez and keema rice).


My delicious Gosht-e-lazeez with keema rice.

Keema rice.

Inside the restaurant. Nice and cosy.

Coordinate/GPS: 51.519292,-0.07184
Address: 78 Brick Lane Bangla Town London E1 6RL United Kingdom
London tube: Aldgate East station or Aldgate or Shoreditch High Street.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Franx Cafe @ Covent Garden, London

Located at trendy Covent Garden which tend to be more expensive compared to the other parts of London, this small cafe serve great breakfast at a good price.

Taste:9/10(Delicious. Among the best English breakfast. The bacon was good, sausage is tender and juicy. The mushroom is well done and great toast).
Price:6/10(Moderate. Price at 6 Pound for the full course English breakfast).


A set of wholesomeness Full English breakfast.

Delicious breakfast with mushroom, baked beans, sausage, grilled tomatoes, bacon and bull's eye.

Good butter toast.

A cup of English tea. In other word, its Lipton tea.

Look out for this cafe while you are in London. Great breakfast.

Address: 192 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, England
Coordinate/GPS: 51.51543,-0.126885
London tube: Covent Garden station.

Neal's Yard @ London

Neal’s Yard is almost like a secret garden in the center of London. It now contains several health food cafes and New Age retailers such as Neal's Yard Remedies, Neal's Yard Dairy, and World Food Cafe. Neal's Yard is hidden in the small alley and its not on the main road. So look it out when you explore Covent Garden. Neal's Yard Remedies is a leading independent British retailer of organic natural health and beauty products. Founded in 1981 in Covent Garden, London.


Road leading to Neal's Yard.

Entrance to Neal's Yard.

Neal's Yard secret garden.

Colourful building of Neal's Yard salad bar.

Picture with the garden :-)

Cheese tasting session in Neal's Yard Dairy. Abundant of cheese selection and the shop keeper is friendly too. He kindly provides cheese samples for customer to try.

The shop is full of cheese.

Assorted cheese in Neal's Yard Dairy. Known as London's foremost cheese store.

So many types of cheese.

Just order the quantity you want and they are happy to cut for you. There is no minimum order.

Brie, soft cheese. Its creamy.

Address: 17 Shorts Gardens, London, Greater London WC2H 9AT, United Kingdom
Coordinate: 51.514261,-0.126147
London tube: Neal’s Yard is three minutes from Covent Garden tube station.


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