Constable Country is a mainline train journey from London, through beautiful green countryside. The artist John Constable captured its beauty on canvas and today you can still see Willy Lott's cottage in all its glory.

There are taxis at Manningtree station that will take you on the short journey into the heart of the county of Suffolk countryside bordering with Essex.

If you do not want to go further than Manningtree then take a short walk or taxi ride (approx 10 minutes by foot for able bodied) into the town, it is the smallest town in Britain, it is also famous for being the hunting ground of The Witch Finder General, Matthew Hopkins. The narrow streets and old buildings that border the river Stour makes for a refreshing break from the hub bub of the city. There are rooms available in the local eateries and pubs. There is an award winning curry house and a Chinese take away should you wish for the spicier things in life. Should you wish to self-cater there is a large supermarket next to the river walk, a great place to sit and eat a sandwich.

The author Catherine Cookson chose Manningtree as a refuge when in troubled times, walking along the linking river road towards Mistley, known as the walls, you will also find time to unwind and clear your head. There is a small animal sanctuary along the road that welcomes visitors daily and is a great treat for children. The day out should give you a little piece of the Essex and Suffolk countryside to add to your collection of memories of when you visited Great Britain, it is tour guide free leaving you independent and a little richer in the pocket, there is a public library housed in a grand building in the centre of the high street where you will find more places to visit another day.

Malaysia

Like other parts of the world, Malaysia too, celebrates the New Year's Day with great excitement and joyful. Malaysians prefer to celebrate New Year's Eve with much merry-making at public squares like Dataran Merdeka, hotels and restaurants. Though Malaysia is a multi-racial country with races includes Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sikhs, Eurasians, Portuguese, indigenous people and other minority races, we are here celebrated the New Year's celebration in harmonious and tranquility, regardless of religions, customs, languages and races. This unity spirit marks the strong unity among the citizens of Malaysians without bios and racism, which highlights the beauty of Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Malaysians gather one hour earlier at the Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur. Dataran Merdeka is just like the Times Square of New York. Almost all the restaurants and shops have their premises decorated with colorful bulbs, balloons and steamers. The Malaysian flag or “Jalur Gemilang” and the state's flags are swinging gracefully on top of the premises. People prefer to come out in the streets and stay until daybreak to cheer for the arrival of New Year rather than sit in front of the television, as they want to capture the full excitement moment in the mood of New Year's celebration. People will gather at stadiums, coffee shops, café, restaurants, KLCC, Genting Highlands and all parts of states in Malaysia shouting Happy New Year or “Selamat Tahun Baru” to each other when the clock strikes 12 at midnight.

The unique of Malaysians here are unity and family oriented. A day before the New Year in Malaysia, all family members from far of places return to their hometowns for the reunion dinners. We are proud to be Malaysians!

China

In the early morning on January 1, 2008, the Beijing Tiananmen held a grand flag-raising ceremony.

Flag-raising ceremony in China

People from all parts of China gathered here to watch the ceremony while greeting the arrival of 2008.

A child was sitting on the adult's shoulder while watching the flag-raising ceremony.

Japan

Every year on 1 January, Japanese celebrate their New Year or also known as Oshiogatsu or shogatsu. In general, the New Year in Japan commences on 31 December and lasts until 3 January. On every 31 December at the midnight, Buddhist temples ring their bells for 108 times on the last night of the passing year all over Japan. This event is also another major attraction called The Watched night bell held every year in Tokyo during the New Year's Day. The night bell is stricken 108 times symbolizes the 108 human sins in Buddhist belief and get rid of the 108 worldly desires regarding sense and feeling in every Japanese nation. Japanese believe that the tolling of the bells can get rid off their sins of the previous year.

Dezomenshiki in Japan

In Tokyo, the capital of Japan, people bid farewell to the past year and welcome the New Year by undertaking some activities such as Dezomeshiki (New Year's parade of firefighters. Traditional acrobatic stunts are performed by the firefighters of Tokyo in the parade during the New Year's Day in Tokyo) and Special Opening of the Imperial Palace Grounds.

Tokyo, Japan

Japanese eat Herring roe or fish egg (symbolizing fertility), black beans (symbolizing health), dried chestnuts (symbolizing success) and prawns as omens (symbolizing happiness) on the mood of celebrating the arrival of New Year. They also have their traditional mouthwatering delicacies called mochi or white rice cake breakfast called zouni.

Before the New Year's day, they sent cards to their relatives and friends but the postmen will keep them and only deliver the New Year's greeting cards or nengajo at one time on 1 January. All Japanese put on beautiful and finely knitted Japanese traditional costumes to greet their guests. Females will wear Kimono or Yugata on this day.

Japanese children play karuta or a card game, some play hanetsuki or a badminton type of game, and some have takoage or kite flying during New Year's Day. Parents give their children money or otoshidama on New Year's Day. In Japan, Japanese will do hatsu-mode by paying holly visits to Shinto temples and shrines to pray for a healthy and Happy New Year. They put decorations outside their house with pine and bamboo or Kado-matsu to celebrate New Year. They display a large steamed rice cake or Kagami-mochi in a place of importance in the house until 11 January.

South Korea

On 1 January, Korean people rush to sunrise sites in the eastern Gangwon Province and Southern city of Busan (the largest port city in the South Korea) to see the first sunrise of the New Year. Some gather at the east coast cities of Gangneung and Donghae to make wishes as the sun rose on the New Year. Korean Folk Village features at hosting some traditional games and events all over the Korea on New Year's Day. The festival mood of New Year's Eve Celebration includes a series of Korean cultural performances in central Seoul.

Watching sunrise in South Korea

Seoul, South Korea

On New Year's Eve, more than 150-thousand Korean people gather in Jongno district to witness the striking of an old temple bell at the Bosingak (Bonshingak, made in 1468,is the largest pavilion among the Korea's national treasures) pavilion. The bell rings 33 times to greet the coming of New Year. As the festive mood in Korea mounted, Korean people attend a variety of ceremonies and events, including parades, fireworks and traditional cultural performances till the end of the New Year's Day on 1 January every year.

United States of America

One of the unique and unusual New Year's celebrations in United States is the Mummer's Parade (This custom is brought to Philadephia by European settlers and dates back to medieval England, where troupes of costumed performers went house from house presenting a folk drama or Mummer's play at Christmas time. “Mummer” in German refers to a mask. The earliest known Mummer's club was formed in the 1840s and the first official "Mummer's Parade" was held in Philadelphia in 1901) held in Philadelphia on 1 January every year. This parade features at elaborating costumes with ornate costumes that rival those in Mardi Gras parades, comedy and string bands of accordions, saxes, drums, violins, banjos, bass fiddles, glockenspiels, and clarinets. A slide show of the parade is available from Mummer's museum while its photographs are available from Mummer's Picture Gallery.

New York Times Square, U.S.A

The New Year's celebration at Time Square, New York was the ball drop, and its streaming video clips are available at EarthCam.com. The first Ball lowering celebration held on headquarters in Times Square, New York on December 31, 1907 and has proceeded for the past 100 years.

The Waterford Ball is a geodesic sphere with six feet in diameter, and weighing approximately 1,070 pounds. During the New Year at Time Square, New York every year, people there lower the ball. There are 504 Waterford crystal triangles engraved with the names of those lost in the World Trade Center on the ball, with the decoration of 696 multicolored light bulbs, 96 high-density strobe lights and 90 rotating pyramid mirrors.

In celebrating the arrival of 2008, the Bow Tie of Time Square (42nd to 47th Sts. between Broadway and 7th Ave.) was unavailable to traffic. After lighting the New Year's Eve ball, city officials and guests at the Countdown Stage in the center of Times Square will ring a commemorative bell. By pushing the Waterford crystal button, it marked the final sixty-second countdown prior to the Ball Lowering. The numerals of the New Year “2008” shone high above Times Square, with the light bulbs on the New Year's Eve Ball turned off. A two-minute pyrotechnic display illuminated and glistered with the bursts of custom-mixed colors in the sky above One Times Square accompanying with special effects of computer. The release of the world-famous New Year's Eve confetti from the rooftops of buildings throughout Times Square marking the start of New Year and the people cheered happily and contentedly in the mood of New Year's celebration.

United Kingdom, U.K.

New Year in Britain is a time to drink, eat and dance either at homes or with friends in a club or pub when clock strikes 12 at midnight. Different countries and cities in Britain have their own unique ways to welcome the New Year but the spirit to celebrate the New Year in each person's heart is the same all over the Britain.

The other main feature of New Year in Britain is the tradition custom of “First Footers”, which believes that the first person over the threshold on the New Year's Day will dictate the luck to bring to the particular house on 1 January. Scotland and Northern Ireland had followed this tradition with the first footers bringing in a piece of coal, bread and whisky while crossing the threshold.

London, England

Chinese New Year's Day Parade, London

London's New Year's Day Parade, also known as Hogmanay is famous all over the world. Over thousands of people, more than 10,000 musicians, dancers, clowns and acrobats gather and feast at Trafalgar Square while waiting eagerly for the arrival of New Year. London is by far the best city to be on the New Year's Eve for some of its excellent bars and clubs. Last but not the least, is the traditional dragon dancing, music and entertainment at London's Chinatown.

Scotland

People celebrate Hogmanay (Hogmanay's culture roots back to the pagan practice of sun and fire worship in the deep mid-winter. This fire symbolizes how the light of the knowledge to be handed over from one year to the next, which carries forward the light of hope to a better world) or Scottish New Year on 31 December every year. It has become a great festive season at the large city of Glasgow and Edinburgh. To view “1000 pipers” gathered at Edinburg castle and piping their way down to Holyrood palace, go to Homnanay.com and click some of the video clips.

Fireworks display, Hogmanay's Street Party, Dornoch, Scotland

When the bells of Big Ben chimed at the midnight, everyone sang Auld Lang Syne with lots of kisses. The words to this song are as follows:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o'kindness yet
For auld lang syne!

Scotland “Firstfooting,” (Each year, groups of friends or families do a tour to each others' houses and each family takes turn to provide the meal for the group) and Ceilidhs (Scottish dances) took place in the most remote parts of Scotland. The children in Scotland went from house to house collecting oatcakes. Grand parties were held everywhere at this night, and people celebrated the arrival of New Year with Scottish dances or Ceilidhs.

Spain

Eating 12 grapes is a custom that makes New Year celebrations in Spain unique and New Year in Spain is worth visiting for his nightlife. The night view during the New Year's celebration is amazing, so make sure to be a part of the New Year in Madrid. Spanish people keep 12 grapes ready at the beginning of the New Year and eat one with each chime of the clock symbolizing the 12 months of the year. The grape eating custom dates back to the King of Spain, who gave grapes to everybody to eat on the New Year's Eve with jest and enthusiasm.

As soon as the clock strikes 12, people gather at the Puerta del Sol Square in Madrid cheered happily for the entry of the New Year. New Year in Spain indeed enchants the visitors with the atmosphere dipped in true festive mood, atmosphere and decorations all over the Spain.

In Barcelona, people also participate in 12 grapes eating tradition when clock strikes at 12 midnight. People here are having party, dance, music, drinking and feasting with great enjoyment, enlightening the New Year's atmosphere. Visitors may come to experience countless surprises while having rock band performances to salsa, and from ballroom dance to gourmet delights. Another feature of New Year celebrations include the arrival of Magos who distribute candies and lollipops to all in The Procession of the Three Kings, bottle rockets and other aerial fireworks are being shot off all over the city particularly in Barcelona, furnishing Spain with an aura of jollity and festive atmosphere.

Spanish people celebrated the arrival of the New Year or Año nuevo

A buffoon shakes his hands during a New Year's celebration in Spain's Madrid on December 31, 2007

Germany

In German language, “Silvester” refers to New Year's Eve as the name suggests that a pope who lived in the fourth century has his feast day of Saint Sylvester on 31 December. People here celebrate New Year by dancing, singing, drinking and getting merry. Many Germans prefer playing games to foretell the future of the arrival of the New Year. Dropping molten lead into cold water is one of the famous games that predicting the future according to the shapes it takes in the cold water. Some prefer to share this special moment with their friends and loved ones.

When the clock strikes at 12 midnight, Germans hug and wish each other Happy New Year. To celebrate New Year's Eve, Germans usually splash a bottle of fine champagne, burn eye-catching fireworks and party hard.

Germany Brandenburg Gate

In Frankfurt, a city rich in culture and tradition, the sky is dazzling with brilliant firework display. On the New Year's Eve, in almost all the pubs and clubs in Frankfurt, one cannot stop from munching the delicious almond cookies called Brenten, Bethmännchen and drinks like Kinderpunch and Apfelwein. On every 1 January, the traditional New Year's concert is held annually at Alte Oper with performances include Maurice Ravel's Alborada del Cracioso, Klavierkonzert G-Dur, Boris Blacher's Orchestervariationen über ein Thema von Paganini and Mazeppa. Meanwhile in Hamburg, as soon as the clock strikes 12 at midnight, the church bells toll and ships sound their horns, which marks the merriment of the New Year. New Year is a gala event where dance, party and usher in the New Year bidding adieu to the old in the stylist city of Germany has become an important festival in Hamburg, Germany.

France

The French celebrate New Year on 1 January by exchanging gifts, cards and goodies as if Americans celebrate Christmas. Initially, people celebrated the New Year's Day known as “La Saint Sylyestre” in France since 1582.

Paris, France

During the French New Year's Eve, people celebrate with grand pomp and show. Various cultural programs too, take place during the New Year's Day. French make every moment approaching New Year by partying hard with family and dear ones, and bid a joyful farewell to the past year while welcoming the New Year with sparkling success, glorious and excitement. The New Year's holidays in France ends on 6 January with a tradition of cutting cake and types of cakes are in varieties depends on the place where you are in France.

Australia

During New Year in Australia, the Sydney Harbor Bridge is dazzling with more than 80,000 fireworks lit at the Circular Quay in vicinity to the Sydney Opera House. During the New Year's Eve, from a 16km radius around Sydney, one can see the fireworks sparkling with glorious, joyful, and more than 300,000 tourists from all over the world who want to capture the glimpse of the famous fireworks set their legs in Sydney. Everyone set eyes on the clock waiting eagerly for the arrival of the New Year.

Sydney, Australia

Australians prefer to go on picnics, outing and camping on beaches as ways to bid farewell to the past year and at the same time welcoming the arrival of the New Year. Meanwhile, people enjoy themselves by having New Year Party, camping and enjoying bonfires in Sydney. As soon as the clock strikes at sharp 12 at midnight, they ring the Church bells with excitement. People there make loud noises, blow car horns, whistles and shouting Happy New Year to each other. The spirit to celebrate the New Year is the same no matter whether they are at the seaside, in a dance club, at home, in the shopping complex, in a hotel and any other places all over the Australia.

In celebrating the arrival of 2008, people have party along with their beloved family, relatives and friends in Melbourne accompanying with the hottest rock bands performing on Melbourne beaches. For the community of Chinese-Australia, spectacular Great Dragon appears in the streets of Melbourne, marking the arrival of the New Year.

Good-bye 2007, welcome 2008!

Festivals aside, Edinburgh is a diverse, exciting place to visit. The museums and art galleries here can take up a day's visiting alone. The national gallery of Scotland Complex is free to enter and shows works by Monet, Van Gogh, Gauguin and many others. The Queens' Gallery on the Royal Mile has changing exhibitions, including a wide range of art and treasures held in trust by The Queen. Then there's the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. This is also free to enter and includes works by Dali, Warhol and Hirst.

If you're looking for more of an experience The Real Mary King's Close is a guided tour of Edinburgh's famous underground streets, showing what life was like in the city in the 17th century. Later in the evening the Edinburgh literary pub tour begins at the Beehive Inn.

Shopping can also be a bit of an experience in Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Old Town Weaving company shows tartan being woven on the premises. Upstairs there's an information point where you can find the tartan for any clan, as well as other information on Scottish names and history. In the Scotch Whisky Experience by the castle not only can you buy your favourite single malt, but there's a tour which lasts about an hour revealing the mysteries of whisky and offering free tastings.

When it comes to eating out in Edinburgh there's a wide choice, ranging from lunch time cafes, Indian restaurants, Thai, Italian and many bistros. The Rhubarb restaurant on Prestonfield Road recently won Best Hotel Restaurant 2007 and is the latest restaurant from James Thomson whose other Restaurant, The Witchery By The Castle is already Scotland's most famous place to dine out.

Walk the streets of Edinburgh and you'll notice many pubs and bars. The Golf tavern overlooks Bruntsfield Links and is a unique place to enjoy a drink. The Bollinger Bar at Palm Court is Scotland's only Bollinger Champagne bar. The Prestoungrange Gothenburg on the High Street brew their own real ales on the premises. And The Jam House on Queen Street is Edinburgh's newest Live music venue, also offering fine dining in this old Georgian town house.

If you want something a little more lively The Stand Comedy Club has the best in Scottish and international stand-up comedy. There are many theatres and playhouses such as the Edinburgh Festival Theater on Nicolson Street and the Ross Open Air Theatre in Princes Street Gardens. But if you want something more authentic The Thistle on Leith Street boasts the best traditional Scottish entertainment the city has to offer.

Ever wondered what would one of the beautiful cities in the world look like from above?! No, you don't need to board the plane now! All you need to do is to board the London eye sponsored by British Airways and enjoy the rare treat of seeing the best of London right below you!

Route: London eye is pretty near to the Waterloo underground station. Westminster would also prove to be near and lots of people do alight at the Westminster underground to visit this place!

Admission fees: 15 GBP per person.*

2. Greenwich:

Experience the nature right where the time starts! Located on the eastern side of London, Greenwich, popular for housing the Prime meridian, is also quite popular for the lush green parks! It strongly reminds you of country life and quite a respite from the busy London crowd! There are host of places to visit in there like Royal naval Academy, the cruise, the Royal Observatory. Remember this is your only chance to be in two hemispheres at the same time!

Route: Board the DLR to Lewisham and alight at the Cutty mark. You will find the fun starts as soon as you come out of the station!

Admission fees: Free

3. Madam Tussauds:

Ah! So you watched them on TV! Now watch your favorite stars come alive in their wax figures at Madam Tussauds! Talent abounds in there with the work of perfection staring at you on the form of celebrities around the world! The dome shaped building houses movie stars, sports stars, politicians and lot of others who shine our lives with their stardom! Click snaps with all your favorites and flaunt them in style!

Route: Alight at the Baker street underground. The place is left to the station and is just 2 minutes walk away!

Admission fees: 25 GBP per person.*

4. Tower of London:

Welcome to the British Empire and to its riches! Find yourself lost amidst the glitter of crown jewels that has been the shining glory of the Royal Family. A unique museum, take a peek at the jewels including the famous Kohinoor and also treat yourself with the various myths and brave stories of the great empire. Highly recommended!

Route: It is in heart of the city! Alight at either the Tower Hill underground or Tower gateway DLR and find yourself staring at the grand tower as soon as you come out of it!

Admission fees: 16 GBP per person.*

5. Oxford Street:

What is a visit to London worth if you didn't shop at the Oxford Street! Yes, visit the most popular market in London and shop till you drop at the best of brands all along the street! Find yourself pampered by choice and enormity! A small hint - try walking from Bond Street to Marylebone - You are in for a shopping surprise!

Route: You can alight either at Bond Street, or Oxford Church or Marylebone. All would lead to the famous Oxford Street!

Admission fees: It's free!

* Visitors are requested to confirm the pricing before visiting.

In December of 1987 we drove to Nuremberg where we marveled at the largest Christkindlmarkt seen anywhere in the world. This traditional outdoor shopping market was usually in the town square. We could hardly walk between rows of shops, stalls, and kiosks. For every shop, there were three Essen kiosks, offering many German delicacies to eat, with plenty of good, cold, German beer, or nice, hot Gluhwein, to wash it down.

We sampled the Bratwurst, Germany's hot dog; the Frichedillen, Germany's hamburger; the Erbst Zuppe mit Brat, pea soup with sausage; and the Kartoffel-Pfannkuchen mit Apfel-Soße, potato pancakes with apple sauce. The Schmaltz Brot, bread covered with a thick layer of fat was not my wife's favorite. Our finest purchase was made that evening, a Nuremberg Angel for the top of our own Weihnachten Bäum, Christmas Tree, also referred to as Tannenbäum. When we returned home, we completed preparations to visit the United Kingdom.

We entered London by way of Tower Bridge. We had left the Manheim staging area at midnight and drove helter-skelter through Belgium to board a night-time ferry across the English Channel to arrive in Dover early this morning. I cringed as I watched our bus travel on the left side of the road. We think the Brits drive on the wrong side of the road, while the Brits claim they drive on the right side, which is the left side.

The famed Tower of London was not a single tower as I had imagined, but was a walled-in fortress with several towers and dungeons. We were greeted by a Yeoman Warder, a Beefeater, a retired British soldier. He talked with a Cockney accent I could barely understand. I turned to my wife and said facetiously, “When I look at our guide, all I think of is a bottle of gin.”

The Beefeater conducted a great tour, including the Crown Jewels; recounted fabulous stories, of which I am not certain half were true; and introduced us to the ravens strutting in the courtyards. I looked furtively at my wife and asked warily, “Do you really believe, my love, that when the last raven leaves the Tower of London, the Tower will figuratively self-destruct?”

As in Paris, we did it all in London, including St. Paul's Cathedral, a Christopher Wren masterpiece, where we entered the Whispering Gallery, an acoustic playground, under a 365-foot dome. I faced a wall at one end of the Gallery and whispered. “Can you really hear me?”

My wife was facing the other end of the Gallery and she replied, “Loud and clear.” I heard her without turning.

We spent a day at Windsor Castle, where we took in The Royalty and Empire, Madame Tussaud's fascinating exhibition recreating the magnificence of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee celebration of 1897. The Windsor and Eton Central Station was the original site to which her guests were brought by royal train from London.

Back in London, we toured Westminster Abbey, across the street from the Palace of Windsor on the banks of the Thames River. The Palace contained the Houses of Parliament, and featured the largest square tower in the world, and the more famous clock tower, Big Ben. When Big Ben struck the hour, I glanced at my watch and said jokingly, “Big Ben is three minutes slow.” Cater corner from the Palace stood Westminster Abbey, where every English monarch, except two, were crowned since William the Conqueror in 1066, longer than nine hundred and twenty years ago.

We joined thousands, Brits and tourists alike, jammed against the outer wrought-iron fence at Buckingham Palace to observe the changing of the guard. We tried, in vain, to get one of the guards, resplendent in his red coat and huge, black, beaver shako, to smile. So I just took a picture of my wife being dwarfed as she stood beside him. We drove by Downing Street. The Bobbies would not let us anywhere near #10. But we peeked at the Horse Guards, magnificent in their red-and-black uniforms and feathered helmets, sitting intensely still with saber drawn in front of Whitehall.

While in London, we ate the typical Big English breakfast, with enormous sausages, fried eggs, baked beans, fried potatoes, kippers, and huge breakfast rolls. But we skipped Tea at the Ritz because I would not spring for nine and a half pounds, $16.00, to gorge ourselves on cucumber sandwiches, scones, and strawberry tarts. And I would not substitute the Brit's tea for their beer, not with London's famous pubs at hand.

We did a pub crawl one evening, eating pub food, and drinking pub beer and ale. My wife wagged an index finger at me as she said grimly, “There are more than seventy thousand pubs in the UK. Are you trying to drink a pint in each one?” She poured me into bed that night

We went to Beefeater's for a medieval, five-course banquet, with unlimited wine and ale. Henry VIII was, of course, present to pose for pictures. And we shouted ourselves hoarse when the jousting began.

During free time, we dashed through Harrods, cruised through Piccadilly Circus, and shopped on Oxford, Regent, and Bond Streets. On the last street, we spotted a window sign that read, “English spoken here. American understood.”

We wandered through Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum on Marylebone Road. My wife winced in the Chamber of Horrors and her jaw dropped upon learning that Marie Gresholtz Tussaud, while imprisoned in Paris during the Reign of Terror, modeled heads of famous persons using heads from decapitated bodies to make death masks.

Early one morning we ventured out to Portobello Road and Petticoat Lane for shopping in the street. Then we walked to Covent Garden and the Jubilee market. We wended through Camden Passage, ending at Camden Head pub to slake our thirst.

Contrary to public opinion, London Bridge is not now, nor was it ever, falling down. In 1968, it was dismantled and moved to Lake Havasu in Arizona. If your children wish to see London Bridge falling down, you'll have to take them to Arizona.

We acquired tickets to Theater, not to newly opened Les Miserables or Starlight Express, but to Phantom of the Opera. I was happy that our seats were not under the chandelier.

The culmination of the trip was New Year's Eve, when we took The Tube to Trafalgar Square to witness over one hundred thousand Brits blowing off steam. We remained on the periphery and observed the crazies paint-spraying each other, sometimes to match their different colored punk hair-do. Noses were pierced, long earrings dangled, and tattoos were evident. The]]> Thu, 07 Jun 2007 08:16:14 PST