Week 6: The UK Symbols

My presentation will be about the UK Symbols exactly about one of the most vibrant city, which is London.  Whenever you think of the United Kingdom, you visualize things, colours and images which are connected with this part of the world. I have chosen London because of its variety of tourist attractions to see and things to do.

To start with the most important thing which is the flag. The flag of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, also known as the Union Jack, is in fact a combination of three symbols of the three patron saints of England, Scotland and Ireland. As you can see below, there is St George’s red cross on a white background for England, there is also a red cross of St Patrick, which has the shape of a letter X on a white background for Ireland, and the last but not least, there is a white X-shaped cross on a blue background, the symbol of St Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland.

Big Ben is one of well-known tourist hotspot. Over the years, this clock tower has turned into a significant symbol of UK. the Clock Tower is the largest four-faced chiming clock in the world. This large bell in the tower of the Houses of Parliament, which of course rings regularly to tell the time and can often be heard on. The tower of Big Ben is often used to represent London or the UK.

Red double-decker buses, black cabs, red telephone boxes are also images which we can find on the streets of London. The red double- deck vehicles are short ( from 9 to 11 m ) and just above 4 m high. If you should happen to be in the UK you have to ride in a double-decker :)

 Black cabs called hackney cabs are another symbol of the UK. They are usually black. In order to be a driver of a London cab, you have to pass “ The Knowledge”, which is a special exam. Red telephone boxes which are called K6, were designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. Undoubtedly, there are icons of “ Britishness”.

      

Buckingham Palace is the place where the Queen lives. When the flag is flying that means the Queen is at home. She does not live here all the time.  She often stays at Windsor Castle or in one of her other homes. Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family are the symbols of the perfect family. They mainly representative functions and are one of the major tourist attractions. Foot Guards belong to the Queen’s Guard. They wear red jackets and tall, furry, black bearskin hats, they carry out their duties and uphold the traditions and ceremonies of the past. 45.7 cm-tall and weighing about 0.7 kg, the bearskins make the guards taller. These hats are made of bearskin from bears, which live in Canada.

             It is the biggest observation wheel in London – the London Eye (The Millennium Wheel). It was opened on New Year’s Eve 1999 to celebrate the Millennium. The largest wheel is built next to the river Thames, near the Houses of Parliament. It is 135 meters high, and from the top you can see all of London. The London eye has 32 capsules, each transparent container is for 25 people. Each let’s say ‘trip’ takes 30 minutes. It moves slowly, at a speed of about 15 meters a minute.

I recommend you to book tickets in advance online or by phone. There are really long queues.

Across the river from the commercial skyscrapers in the Docklands is historic Greenwich. The district has many handsome old buildings, the famous observatory from where we calculate all the world’s time zones, interesting walks along the Thames and wonderful views of the city. Greenwich is the original British Royal Observatory, imagine the line which divides the eastern and western halves of the world. It passes through the grounds of the Observatory.

 

I have written about the commercial skyscrapers, which are located in Canary Wharf. This is the most important business district which offers you impressive views.

You can see:

  

                

London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames when it is opened a ship goes through. The guidebook says that it only opens two or three times a month. It’s famous because of a nursery rhyme- an old song or poem called London Bridge is Falling Down.

This song is connected with the history of this bridge. I’ve read that in 1965, it was sold and taken to the US state of Arizona, where many tourists go to see it, and a new bridge over the Thames was built to replace it.

Curiosity

Separate hot and cold water caps for them I mean the British it’s natural and normal, but to foreigners the unusual separate hot and cold water taps it is a bit confusing and annoying. For instance, if you want to wash your hands you have to use cold water or mix a bit cold and hot water in the sink. Some people think that this is less hygienic than washing under running water.

Your task :

Imagine that somebody is visiting your town or nearest city. What places or districts could they visit?