tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30762716743769936582024-03-05T08:32:22.164+00:00MePipeGiovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.comBlogger465125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-79203022349475774182017-10-12T00:24:00.004+01:002021-08-08T03:46:42.516+01:00London: Saving Money on your trip<h2>
London: Saving Money on your trip</h2>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: William Warby</td></tr>
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London is without a doubt one of the most expensive cities in the world, but your visit to the city does not have to leave a hole in your pocket. </div>
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Here are our top tips on how to save money.</div>
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<a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-on-hotels-and-flights.html">1. Save Money on London Hotels and Flights</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-on-airport-transfers.html">2. Save Money on </a><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-on-hotels-and-flights.html">London </a><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-on-airport-transfers.html">Airport Transfers</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-vouchers.html">3. Save Money with </a><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-on-hotels-and-flights.html">London </a><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-vouchers.html">Vouchers and Coupons</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-on-attractions-and.html">4. Save Money on London's Attractions and Museums</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-attractions-train-travel-days-out-2-for-1.html">5. Save BIG money on </a><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-on-hotels-and-flights.html">London </a><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-attractions-train-travel-days-out-2-for-1.html">attractions by ‘travelling by train’</a></div>
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<div><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-on-transport.html">6. Save Money on London Transport</a></div></div>
<div><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/10/london-save-money-on-guided-tours.html">7. Save Money on London Tours</a></div>
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Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-1542459119798295562019-05-07T02:25:00.000+01:002021-08-08T03:44:20.151+01:00Working at Disneyland Paris 2014 and 2015 - Blog Index<div><b>NEW</b>: Want more detail? Download my book about my 16 months spent living and working at Disneyland Paris now on <a href="https://amzn.to/2UpeAa1">Amazon</a>. Get the full inside scoop on my time as a Disneyland Paris Cast Member.</div><div><br /></div>For those of you who have followed by blog regularly, you will know that I have previously worked both at <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2012/01/working-at-disneyland-paris-blog-index.html">Disneyland Paris (in 2011)</a> and <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2013/05/international-college-program-icp-working-at-walt-disney-world-blog.html">Walt Disney World (in 2013)</a>. Now, it is time to go back to Disneyland Paris and this time it's with a permanent contract. Follow my adventure here.<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2014/04/working-at-disneyland-paris-2014.html">Working at Disneyland Paris 2014 - The Beginning (Applications Process and Interview)</a><br />
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2. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2014/04/working-at-disneyland-paris-2014-talent.html">Working at Disneyland Paris 2014 - The Talent Pool, The Confirmation and The Details</a><br />
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3. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2014/04/working-at-disneyland-paris-2014_25.html">Working at Disneyland Paris 2014 - Accommodation Options</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2014/05/working-at-disneyland-paris-2014-may.html">4. Working at Disneyland Paris 2014 - May Update (Housing, Sim Cars and Contracts)</a><br />
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5. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2014/07/working-at-disneyland-paris-2014-day-1.html">Working at Disneyland Paris 2014 - Day 1 to 4 - In the beginning...</a><br />
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6. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2014/07/working-at-disneyland-paris-2014-day-5.html">Working at Disneyland Paris 2014 - Day 5 to 11 - Training time</a><br />
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7. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2014/07/working-at-disneyland-paris-2014-day-12.html">Working at Disneyland Paris 2014 - Day 12 to 51 - 6 weeks - Days off, settling in at work and sorting out life</a><br />
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8. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2014/08/working-at-disneyland-paris-day-52-to.html">Working at Disneyland Paris - Day 52 to 70 - Parc Asterix, The Summer Peak, General Admin, and The Louvre</a><br />
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9. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2014/10/working-at-disneyland-paris-day-71-to.html">Working at Disneyland Paris - Day 71 to Day 126 - Summer is over!</a><br />
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10. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2014/10/working-at-disneyland-paris-halloween.html">Working at Disneyland Paris - A Halloween Trip Report - 9th October 2014 (Day 127)</a><br />
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11. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2014/11/working-at-disneyland-paris-day-128-to.html">Working at Disneyland Paris - Day 127 to 152 - Halloween Soiree, more training, empty parks, and much more</a><br />
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12. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2015/04/working-at-disneyland-paris-day-154-to.html">Working at Disneyland Paris - Day 153 to 314 - 6 months of updates</a> (includes the Discovering Magic backstage tour)<br />
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13. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2015/10/working-at-disneyland-paris-day-315-to.html">Working at Disneyland Paris - Day 315 to Day 480 - It all comes to an end... </a><br />
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Finished? How about <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2013/05/international-college-program-icp-working-at-walt-disney-world-blog.html">reading</a> about when I worked at Walt Disney World? Go on. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2013/05/international-college-program-icp-working-at-walt-disney-world-blog.html">Click here</a>.<div><br /></div><div><b>NEW</b>: Want the inside scoop? Download my book about my 16 months spent living and working at Disneyland Paris now on <a href="https://amzn.to/2UpeAa1">Amazon</a>. Get the full inside scoop on my time as a Disneyland Paris Cast Member.</div>Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-55980755293624601502017-09-27T22:08:00.001+01:002021-08-06T22:47:50.334+01:00London: Good Restaurants in the City of London/Financial District<h2>
London: Good Restaurants in the City of London/Financial District</h2>
<h3>
1. Angler</h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: DandDLondon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b>Nearest Station</b>: Moorgate</div>
<div>
<b>Address</b>: 3 South Place, South Place Hotel, London, EC2M 2AF</div>
<div>
<b>Opening Hours</b>: Lunch – Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 14:30. No lunch service on Saturday. Dinner – Monday to Saturday from 18:00 to 22:00. Closed on Sunday.</div>
<div>
<b>Phone</b>: 0203 215 1260</div>
<div>
<b>Website</b>: <a href="http://www.anglerrestaurant.com/" rel="nofollow">www.anglerrestaurant.com</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Voted one of the top 75 restaurants in London, Angler is a Michelin-starred fish-lover’s fantasy. The food is exceptionally presented and deliciously seasoned, making this one of the best meals we have ever had. The winter terrace offers beautiful views of the city year-round. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Angler is on the pricier end of the scale with a la Carte dishes ranging for £19.50 to £38.50. A three-course lunch menu is available for £35. A 10-course tasting menu is available for £85. Reservations are accepted and highly recommended.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
2. HKK</h3>
<div>
<b>Nearest Stations</b>: Liverpool Street and Moorgate</div>
<div>
<b>Address</b>: 88 Worship Street, Broadgate Quarter, London, EC2A 2BE</div>
<div>
<b>Opening Hours</b>: Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 14:30, and 18:00 to 21:45. Closed on Sunday.</div>
<div>
<b>Phone</b>: 0203 535 1888</div>
<div>
<b>Website</b>: <a href="http://www.hkklondon.com/" rel="nofollow">www.hkklondon.com</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
With an amazing ambiance, delicious food and impeccable service, HKK may just be the best high-end Chinese food in the city.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A la Carte dishes are priced between £12 and £38, with a tasting menu available for £88 with eight courses. Reservations are accepted.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
3. Polo Bar</h3>
<div>
<b>Nearest Station</b>: Liverpool Street</div>
<div>
<b>Address</b>: 176 Bishopsgate, Liverpool Street, London, C2M 4NQ</div>
<div>
<b>Opening Hours</b>: Open 24/7</div>
<div>
<b>Phone</b>: 0207 283 4889</div>
<div>
<b>Website</b>: <a href="http://www.polo24hourbar.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">www.polo24hourbar.co.uk</a> </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Whatever time of day you visit, Polo Bar is happy to feed you.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Polo Bar is a café and bar style environment, and serves comfort food in generous portions. Its industrial – yet spotless – interiors show how the area has become gentrified since it first opened in 1959.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Breakfast is served all day and priced at £7 to £10. Lunch and dinner classics are £8.50 to £12, and there is even a budget afternoon tea here for under £10.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
4. The Kitchen at Tower</h3>
<div>
<b>Nearest Station</b>: Tower Hill</div>
<div>
<b>Address</b>: Byward Street, All Hallows by the Tower, London, EC3R 5BJ</div>
<div>
<b>Opening Hours</b>: Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 17:30, Saturday from 9:00 to 17:30, Sundays and bank holidays from 10:00 to 17:30.</div>
<div>
<b>Phone</b>: 0207 481 3533</div>
<div>
<b>Website</b>: www.thekitchenattower.com </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Kitchen is one of our favourite gems in central London for affordable eats. Located on the grounds of All Hallows by the Tower Church (parts of which date back to 700AD), The Kitchen serves British fare in leafy surroundings, and with friendly service that makes you feel like a local.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The early bird full English breakfast is just £6.50 before 11:00, whereas all-day meals are priced at under £11. You can even build your own mini afternoon tea.</div>
Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-65276440680860510162017-09-24T19:04:00.003+01:002021-08-06T22:46:40.068+01:00London: Good Restaurants in Westminster, Victoria and St James's<h2>
London: Recommended restaurants in Westminster, Victoria and St James's</h2>
<div>
<h3>
1. The Northall (at Corinthia Hotel - British food)</h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Corinthia Hotel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b>Nearest Station</b>: Embankment</div>
<div>
<b>Address</b>: 10a Northumberland Avenue, Corinthia Hotel, London, WC2N 5AE</div>
<div>
<b>Opening Hours</b>: Breakfast – 6:30 to 10:30 on weekdays, 7:00 to 11:00 on weekends. Lunch – Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 15:00, Sunday from 12:30 to 16:00. Dinner – Daily from 17:30 to 23:00.</div>
<div>
<b>Phone</b>: 0207 930 8181</div>
<div>
<b>Website</b>: www.corinthia.com/hotels/london/dining-and-bars/restaurants/the-northall</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Northall serves up delicious British-inspired food with incredible presentation, excellent service and a stunning setting. The restaurant has many pricing options – from mid-priced to fine dining.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Breakfast includes individual pastries (each £4), crepes and pancakes at £12 to £14, and other a la carte items. A buffet is available at £34 per adult and £17 per child. The Express Lunch set menu is £25 for two courses, or £29 for three. The Theatre set menu (17:30 to 19:00 and 21:30 to 23:00) is one pound cheaper than the lunch set menu, and offers great value for money. A Sunday brunch is also available. A la Carte mains are £14 to £35 all day, with other pricier options also available.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Overall, this a dining experience to be revered with fantastic attention to detail and well priced set menus.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
2. Gustoso – Ristorante & Enoteca (Italian food)</h3>
<div>
<div>
<b>Nearest Station</b>: Victoria</div>
<div>
<b>Address</b>: 35 Willow Place, London, SW1P 1JH</div>
<div>
<b>Opening Hours</b>: Restaurant – Monday to Thursday from 12:00 to 22:30, Friday & Saturday from 12:00 to 23:00, Sunday from 12:30 to 21:30. Bar – Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 22:30, Saturday from 18:00 to 22:30. The bar is closed on Sunday.</div>
<div>
<b>Phone</b>: 0207 834 5778</div>
<div>
<b>Website</b>: <a href="http://www.ristorantegustoso.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">www.ristorantegustoso.co.uk</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When looking for Italian in the Victoria area, this is our number one spot. Gustoso provides delicious food at decent prices, and with good service. Portions are not huge, but adequate, and certainly not miniscule as at some higher end locations.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Prices are fair with pasta mains priced at £9 to £14, and meat or fish-based main courses priced at £10 to £17.50. Sides are £4. Specials are also available for a rotating set of dishes each and every day. Reservations are accepted and highly recommended.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
3. Brutti and Boni – Bottega Contemporanea (Italian food)</h3>
<div>
<div>
<b>Nearest Stations</b>: Gloucester Road and High Street Kensington</div>
<div>
<b>Address</b>: 14 Gloucester Road, London, SW7 4RB</div>
<div>
<b>Opening Hours</b>: Monday to Wednesday from 7:00 to 19:00, with a late closing at 21:00 on Thursday and Friday. Saturday from 9:00 to 21:00, and Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00.</div>
<div>
<b>Phone</b>: 0207 589 2260</div>
<div>
<b>Website</b>: <a href="http://www.bruttiandboni.com/" rel="nofollow">www.bruttiandboni.com</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This place is more of a café than a restaurant, and serves tasty and authentic Italian food. With only four tables inside, and a couple outside during warmer weather, it is the perfect place to stop for a quick lunchtime snack, or something a little bit more filling.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Pasta dishes are £7 to £8, delicious tortellini is £10, with focaccia and pizza slices priced at £4 to £6. Overall, prices are affordable and quality is decent.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
4. The Lord Moon of the Mall (Pub food)</h3>
<div>
<div>
<b>Nearest Station</b>: Charing Cross</div>
<div>
<b>Address</b>: 16 Whitehall, London SW1A 2DY</div>
<div>
<b>Opening Hours</b>: Monday to Thursday from 8:00 to 23:30, with a late closing on Friday & Saturday at 0:00. Sunday from 08:00 to 23:00.</div>
<div>
<b>Phone</b>: 0207 839 7701</div>
<div>
<b>Website</b>: <a href="http://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/london/the-lord-moon-of-the-mall-west-end" rel="nofollow">www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/all-pubs/england/london/the-lord-moon-of-the-mall-west-end</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For good British pub classics in the heart of central London, give this place a visit. </div>
<div>
This is a Wetherspoon’s pub, which is a large chain, but we feel it provides decent quality food for the price paid in such a prime location. This is a popular establishment, though, and finding a table may be a challenge.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Breakfast meals run £2.30 to £5 including a drink, with traditional English breakfast being an option. Classic pub meals are £6.50 to £9 each, with pasta, burgers and salads being priced similarly.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Like at most pubs, the food here won’t win any awards, but it is tasty and affordably price.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-89494742541969970172012-06-20T17:40:00.001+01:002021-08-06T22:46:17.155+01:00The New 2012 Macbook Air - Is there a better competitor?Apple last week unveiled its new line-up of laptops including the latest revision to the Macbook Air. With prices staring at £849 for the 11-inch model, there's no doubt it's one of the more expensive laptops around but is there anything better on the market for it's specs and features?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYE6PNS4b6mmQSvDoiPK1vQrW1H8_YRt5xtUwwpgRswqwRV7tIpTR4rlsQVvwlPmMokAzIAyOQKDUbLc3UCHPXyRUt1eO-87PbeA3sYczxd85XBMj2eGYUQO1JcJHi9wPbeT5v-5sYY3F/s1600/buystrip_hero.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYE6PNS4b6mmQSvDoiPK1vQrW1H8_YRt5xtUwwpgRswqwRV7tIpTR4rlsQVvwlPmMokAzIAyOQKDUbLc3UCHPXyRUt1eO-87PbeA3sYczxd85XBMj2eGYUQO1JcJHi9wPbeT5v-5sYY3F/s1600/buystrip_hero.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Apple.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The Macbook Air competes with the latest line of ultrabooks - high-spec, low weight laptops running Microsoft Windows.<br />
<br />
Below is a comparison of the Macbook Air and a few other ultra books - for the purpose of this comparison we'll be using the baseline 13-inch Air.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://images.apple.com/euro/macbookair/images/design_unibody2.jpg#gallery-unibody-2" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="http://images.apple.com/euro/macbookair/images/design_unibody2.jpg#gallery-unibody-2" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><u>2012 Macbook Air 13-inch:</u></b><br />
<b>Price</b>: £999<br />
<b>Screen</b>: 13-inch<br />
<b>Processor</b>: Intel Core i5 Ivy Bridge 1.8GHz - Turbo Boost up to 2.8GHz<br />
<b>Hard Drive</b>: 128GB SSD<br />
<b>RAM</b>: 4GB<br />
<b>Graphics</b>: Intel HD Graphics 4000<br />
<b>Notes</b>: Available from £859 for students. 2 USB 3.0 ports, 1 thunderbolt port, 1 SD card slot. Weights 1.3kg, 720p FaceTime camera, OS X Lion and iLife Suite included, 7 hours battery life, no built in ethernet port (adaptor available at extra charge), can upgrade to 8GB RAM for extra cost, backlit keyboard<br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s7v1.scene7.com/is/image/JohnLewis/231571305?$list4$" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://s7v1.scene7.com/is/image/JohnLewis/231571305?$list4$" width="199" /></a></div>
<b><u>Dell XPS 13:</u></b><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;">
<b>Price</b>: £949</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;">
<b>Screen</b>: 13-inch</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;">
<b>Processor</b>: Intel Core i5 1.6GHz</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;">
<b>Hard Drive</b>: 128GB SSD</div>
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<b>RAM</b>: 4GB</div>
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<b>Graphics</b>: Intel HD Graphics 3000</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;">
<b>Notes</b>: Weighs 1.4kg, claims 8 hours battery life, ethernet port, Microsoft Office Starter edition included (word and excel with ads), 2 USB 2.0 ports, runs Windows 7 64-bit, has a tapered design like the Air.</div>
<br /><b>Verdict</b>: A strong competitor, almost identical to the Macbook Air, with slightly better battery life (at the cost of an extra 100g of weight) but slightly slower graphics and processor. Also no USB 3.0. If you prefer Windows over OS X, buy this. If you're a student, the Macbook Air is cheaper via the educational store though.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://s7v1.scene7.com/is/image/JohnLewis/231577621?$list4$" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://s7v1.scene7.com/is/image/JohnLewis/231577621?$list4$" width="199" /></a></div>
<b><u>HP Folio 13-1020EA:</u></b><br />
<b>Price</b>: £669.95<br />
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<b>Screen</b>: 13-inch</div>
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<b>Processor</b>: Intel Core i5 1.6GHz - Turbo Boost up to 2.3GHz</div>
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<b>Hard Drive</b>: 128GB SSD</div>
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<b>RAM</b>: 4GB </div>
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<b>Graphics</b>: Intel HD Graphics</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;">
<b>Notes</b>: Up to 9.5 hours battery life, weighs 1.5kg, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, memory card reader (multi-format), 1 USB 2.0 port, 1 USB 3.0 port (so only 1 USB 2.0 device can be used at once!), Microsoft Office Starter edition included (word and excel with ads), no built in ethernet connection, finger print reader, backlit keyboard</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin: 0px;"><b>Verdict</b>: The battery life is astounding and could be worth it for the extra 200g of weight. The price is £330 cheaper than a Macbook Air making this a bargain in comparison - if you can deal with the fact there is only 1 USB 2.0 port and no ethernet connection! The aluminium finish and backlit keyboard are usually associated with premium notebooks so are nice to find on a much cheaper machine. If on a budget this is the one to go for!</div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<b>Final verdict: </b>At just £670 the HP Folio is a bargain for all its features. If you can deal with the fact it only has 1 USB 2.0 port (although this may not be a problem in the future it certainly is now due to the lack of 3.0 devices - combined ports like on the mac would make more sense).<br />
<br />
If you live in the Apple ecosystem the Macbook Air makes sense, in particular with the upgrade to Mountain Lion meaning it will have further iCloud support, airplay mirroring and integration with all the Apple services. It does come, however, at a price premium.<br />
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Now some differences between PC and Mac in general: the PC will be loaded with crapware but comes with the reduced-functionality versions of Word and Office, the Mac does not come with any office program and these must be purchased separately. The Mac does however include iLife. On Mac you'll get an upgrade to Mountain Lion, on Windows it's an upgrade to Windows 8 (a major revision!)</div>
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Yes, I've only found two comparable ultra books at the moment but the line-up is sure to expand over the coming months. if you find something better post it below in the comments!</div>
Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-61175804094490719372017-09-12T23:00:00.002+01:002021-08-06T22:45:30.275+01:00London: How to get to London from Luton Airport<h2>
London: How to get to London from Luton Airport</h2>
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London Luton is another of London’s airports and it consists mainly of low-cost carriers from across Europe. There are some charter routes out of the airport to North Africa, New York and Asia but these are few and far between. Luton is 35 miles or 56.5km north of central London.<br />
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One of the big advantages with Luton is its size – because it is still relatively small, you can get through the airport quite quickly. It still, however, sees over 10.5 million passengers come through its doors every year and is growing rapidly.<br />
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<h2>
Public Transport from London Luton Airport to Central London</h2>
<h4>
London Luton Airport to Central London by rail or train</h4>
Journeys from central London to “Luton Airport Parkway” station are operated by Thameslink and East Midland Trains. Trains are available from London Blackfairs and London St. Pancras stations. Journey times vary considerably – there is one fast train per hour from St. Pancras where the journey time is a mere 20 minutes. Other journeys vary from 39 to 55 minutes.<br />
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Luton has an unusual situation where the rail station is not directly located in the airport itself; instead it is 1 mile west of the airport, and both are linked by a shuttle bus that runs every 10 minutes during the day. The shuttle bus journey takes an additional 10 minutes.<br />
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<h4>
London Luton Airport to Central London by Coach</h4>
<a href="http://www.terravision.eu/" rel="nofollow">Terravision</a>, <a href="http://www.nationalexpress.com/" rel="nofollow">National Express</a> and EasyBus all provide shuttle services from central London directly to London Luton airport. Transfer time is 50 to 80 minutes depending on where you board. Prices are generally between £8 and £12 each way. Promotional fares from £2 are sometimes available, if booked well in advance.<br />
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<h3>
Other Transport from Luton Airport to London</h3>
<h4>
Car from Luton Airport to London</h4>
This is a fairly easy car journey with a typical journey time of 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes depending on the traffic you encounter. From Luton Airport you will need to follow signs for the M1 motorway going south, when in the suburbs of London, you will briefly join the A406 (North Circular Road). Then exit onto the A41 (Hendon Way), and finally follow Finchley Road to reach central London. From here, we recommend you use a GPS device to reach your destination.<br />
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<h4>
Taxi and Uber from Luton Airport to London</h4>
You can get a black London cab directly from the taxi rank outside the main terminal. You can also make a reservation with one of the many mini-cabs firms that operate.<br />
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<b>How much is an Uber between Luton Airport and London?</b> With an Uber, expect to pay between £50 and £129 for the journey depending on what type of car you get and the destination. Get $20/£10 free credit by using our exclusive sign-up link at <a href="http://uber.com/invite/uberindependentguides" rel="nofollow">http://uber.com/invite/uberindependentguides</a> or enter “uberindependentguides” as a voucher code when using the app for the first time.<br />
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<br />Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-66304916253653363642017-09-12T22:54:00.001+01:002021-08-06T22:44:51.304+01:00London: How to get to London from Stansted Airport<h2>
London: How to get to London from Stansted Airport</h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DSedHjO7v5FAqWJPxxm0SEiBvxKORBqKzt8kxx4z7VW4L6f_vAlDmvUIBANSWaCknnkmhwrfXWrDqbk-FVLXTd0PO2f1NOdeNFdDsFjigWI6aEn1COSyJJHhQzTDqyRjkEn18K9zhN-L/s1600/terminalexternal.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="stansted airport terminal" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DSedHjO7v5FAqWJPxxm0SEiBvxKORBqKzt8kxx4z7VW4L6f_vAlDmvUIBANSWaCknnkmhwrfXWrDqbk-FVLXTd0PO2f1NOdeNFdDsFjigWI6aEn1COSyJJHhQzTDqyRjkEn18K9zhN-L/s200/terminalexternal.jpg" title="stansted airport terminal" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stansted Airport Terminal</td></tr>
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Stansted Airport lies 30 miles, or 48 kilometres, north-east of central London. It is the newest large passenger airport in London. Stansted is a breeze to get through with a beautiful glass terminal meaning lots of natural light fills the space, making it feel spacious. It is not as busy as Gatwick and Heathrow airports. </div>
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This airport is mainly targeted at European travellers, though a few flights to long-haul destinations have been added in recent years. It is, however, still a major airport with over 19 million passengers a year traveling through it.</div>
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<h3>
Public Transport from Stansted Airport to Central London</h3>
<h4>
Rail - Stansted to London by Stansted Express Train</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRg1HglfXKuA2noSgfaYpWsK5Ac4nSHM3A1R1aBsZGblS6Fl7CFEWiRg4tabxBLHLfRHpHkFiutU06Lh80TGqMr7191FBH6yVPdtQuYiq3GNU6PXRkUNd-r8iHrtNuB7ShXahDkWPypmP9/s1600/Stansted_express_logo.svg.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="stansted express train logo" border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="1600" height="76" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRg1HglfXKuA2noSgfaYpWsK5Ac4nSHM3A1R1aBsZGblS6Fl7CFEWiRg4tabxBLHLfRHpHkFiutU06Lh80TGqMr7191FBH6yVPdtQuYiq3GNU6PXRkUNd-r8iHrtNuB7ShXahDkWPypmP9/s200/Stansted_express_logo.svg.png" title="stansted express train logo" width="200" /></a></div>
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The <a href="http://www.stanstedexpress.com/" rel="nofollow">Stansted Express</a> departs every 15 minutes with a journey time of 47 minutes each way from London Liverpool Street. You can also get the <a href="http://www.stanstedexpress.com/" rel="nofollow">Stansted Express</a> from Stratford (with a change at Tottenham Hale) or directly from Tottenham Hale station itself in east London. </div>
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Same-day tickets are £18 to £19 each way (depending on your start point), or £30 to £32 return for adults. First class fares are £10 more expensive each way and include a FastTrack airport security pass. </div>
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Pre-booked tickets start at £7.50 each way – you must specify a travel date, but not time. Group offers are also available for parties of 3 or 4 passengers.</div>
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<h4>
Stansted Airport to London by Coach</h4>
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<a href="http://www.nationalexpress.com/" rel="nofollow">National Express</a> coach tickets start at £6 per person each way with journey times of 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. EasyBus tickets start at £2 per person each way with journey times of approximately 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. <a href="http://www.stanstedcitylink.co.uk/" rel="nofollow">Stansted Citylink</a> also provides coach services for £8 to £10 each way. Pick up points are available in central and East London.</div>
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<h3>
Other transport from Stansted Airport to Central London</h3>
<h4>
Stansted Airport to Central London by Car</h4>
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Join the M11 at Junction 8, follow the M11 until you reach the North Circular road (A406). You are now in East London. Please have a navigation device with you for the rest of the journey as it very much depends on where you would like to go in London itself. We do not recommend driving for most people as it is a long drive (over an hour) and can be done far more quickly by train.</div>
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<h4>
Stansted Airport to Central London by Taxi and Uber</h4>
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We do not recommend you take a taxi to and from your hotel due to the long journey time and expense. A train will usually be a much better option. </div>
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<b>How much is a taxi from Stansted Airport to central London?</b></div>
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In a cab, the journey will take 70 to 80 minutes and will cost about £95 to £110. There is no taxi rank at the airport; these must be pre-booked in advance with London Black Cabs. This can be done at arrivals. A mini cab may be cheaper. </div>
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<b>How much is an Uber from Stansted Airport to central London?</b></div>
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An Uber between the airport and central London is priced at between £58 and £119 depending on the size of car you request, and where you are travelling to. Get $20/£10 free credit by using our exclusive sign-up link at <a href="http://uber.com/invite/uberindependentguides" rel="nofollow">http://uber.com/invite/uberindependentguides</a> or enter “uberindependentguides” as a voucher code when using the app for the first time.</div>
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Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-64351564573698087712017-09-12T22:46:00.003+01:002021-08-06T22:44:19.375+01:00London: How to get to London from Gatwick Airport<h2>
London: How to get to London from Gatwick Airport</h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZP6z8_fWWQEpcK7OT6vxIzwPRPkUXWQOSKPWE8tMI10S4oaiw7eP1Wy6rJbtM-x6tbeXknNfmLmuXI_scEcdnzyGShDRC4C35SBWwFKfneD1i243B6xItwLGOJdx3AJxVK4rCnV8oBDu/s1600/4.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="gatwick airport air traffic control" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZP6z8_fWWQEpcK7OT6vxIzwPRPkUXWQOSKPWE8tMI10S4oaiw7eP1Wy6rJbtM-x6tbeXknNfmLmuXI_scEcdnzyGShDRC4C35SBWwFKfneD1i243B6xItwLGOJdx3AJxVK4rCnV8oBDu/s200/4.jpg" title="gatwick airport air traffic control" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gatwick Airport Control Tower</td></tr>
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Gatwick is London’s second largest airport and is located 29.5miles (47.5km) from central London, about twice as far out at Heathrow. It has two terminals - North and South - and one runway. It is the world’s busiest “single-use runway” airport. Many charter airlines operate from Gatwick, as well as scheduled airlines. The two terminals are connected by an automated people-mover.</div>
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Public transport options from Gatwick Airport to central London</h3>
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Rail - Gatwick to London by London Underground and Gatwick Express</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgWl8OX5Dyt_1L5Pz7Liu1FoblrY3NNnpcZuvkw0qbvM-O0RbuRHnfjDWmJZ9OoQRf8-Uklnhi-7ijMou-tHuEwGMwlCO0nrK8umXxxofPMbP4VyJHpGjK-gcuV656C6TgKzxrV420YFo/s1600/GatwickExpress2016.svg.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="gatwick express logo" border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1200" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgWl8OX5Dyt_1L5Pz7Liu1FoblrY3NNnpcZuvkw0qbvM-O0RbuRHnfjDWmJZ9OoQRf8-Uklnhi-7ijMou-tHuEwGMwlCO0nrK8umXxxofPMbP4VyJHpGjK-gcuV656C6TgKzxrV420YFo/s200/GatwickExpress2016.svg.png" title="gatwick express logo" width="200" /></a></div>
<i>How can I get to Gatwick Airport via London Underground? </i>There are <b>no London Underground services</b> to this airport. National Rail services operate to and from London Victoria and London Bridge stations and the “Gatwick Airport” rail station.</div>
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The <i><a href="http://www.gatwickexpress.com/" rel="nofollow">Gatwick Express</a></i> service is a non-stop train journey taking about 30 minutes between central London and the airport; there are trains every 15 minutes on this route. Standard Class tickets are £19.90 each way for adults, £34.90 return, or £9.95 each way for children, £17.45 return. First Class tickets are £29.00 for adults and £14.50 for children each way, or £56.00 and £28.00 respectively for a return ticket. </div>
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A discount of 10% is available for tickets that are pre-booked online. You can also use contactless payment cards and Oyster cards on this route to avoid having to purchase a physical ticket in advance. These fares are the same price as the on-the-day fare. </div>
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<h4>
Rail - Gatwick to London by Southern Railways or Thameslink</h4>
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Southern Railways and Thameslink also provide services between Gatwick and central London. These trains make more stops than the Gatwick Express but are also substantially cheaper. There also a wider variety of starting/ending points for your journey: London Victoria, London Bridge, London Charing Cross, London Waterloo East, City Thameslink, London Blackfriars, London Kings Cross and London Liverpool Street. Journey times vary between 30 and 53 minutes.</div>
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Single adult fares vary depending on which station you are travelling from, and at what time. These range between £9.40 and £15.40 for a one-way single ticket in standard class for adults. Single child fares vary between £4.70 and £9.95. </div>
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We recommend this option over the <a href="http://www.gatwickexpress.com/" rel="nofollow">Gatwick Express</a> as the time difference for a lot of the trains is negligible and the savings can be substantial – especially for a group. Purchase the “Anytime” tickets online or at the station – “advance” tickets only allow you to travel on a certain train which could easily be missed due to the flight, immigration or baggage delays.<br />
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Book your train tickets and check all your options at <a href="http://www.trainline.com/" rel="nofollow">Trainline</a>.</div>
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<h4>
<b><span lang="EN-US">Gatwick to London by Coach or Bus</span></b></h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2Hj5ZyrTxQK-Y11k33oKyfXsdl2y2-SbhKdy6kLgNvaO4t5LrIH9_QU_wnX5Nk_Zx_0XOAJcX7BepyG9XH6ZEbSuoq-ard9osBWBNfR5lp9kTg-hO5-YuUsbeeYbRXzbONzs2u8c-mA1/s1600/national-express-contact-number.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2Hj5ZyrTxQK-Y11k33oKyfXsdl2y2-SbhKdy6kLgNvaO4t5LrIH9_QU_wnX5Nk_Zx_0XOAJcX7BepyG9XH6ZEbSuoq-ard9osBWBNfR5lp9kTg-hO5-YuUsbeeYbRXzbONzs2u8c-mA1/s200/national-express-contact-number.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.nationalexpress.com/" rel="nofollow">National Express</a> coach tickets from Victoria
Coach Station to Gatwick airport cost £8 on average each way, with a journey
time of 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes. EasyBus tickets start at £2 each
way if booked far in advance from Earl’s Court to Gatwick with a journey time
of approximately 1 hour 5 minutes. <a href="http://www.terravision.eu/" rel="nofollow">Terravision</a> is another operator with fares
starting at £6.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h3>
Other Transport Options from Gatwick to Central London</h3>
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<h4>
Gatwick to London by Car</h4>
Follow the signs to the exit of the airport. Follow the M23 and A23 toards London for about 23 miles. At the end of this road you are on the edge of central London. Follow B221 towards the Westminster area. Follow the local signs from there. We do not recommend you drive to and from your London accommodation due to the long journey time and expense; a train is usually a much better option for most people.</div>
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<h4>
Gatwick Airport to London by Taxi</h4>
Gatwick says the only official service is “Airport Cars Gatwick” and it is possible to book these online at http://taxis.gatwickairport.com/bookings/taxi.html. We do not recommend you take a taxi to and from your hotel due to the long journey time and expense, a train will usually be a better option.<br />
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<b>How much does a taxi cost from Gatwick to central London?</b><br />
A pre-booked private minicab will cost £45 to £60 each way depending on the company. A local black taxi will cost in excess of £100 each way.</div>
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<h4>
Gatwick Airport to Central London by Uber</h4>
This is another popular option, allowing you to book a cab from your smartphone on demand. There are several categories of car you can book depending on your needs. You will get an estimated price before you confirm your vehicle.<br />
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<b>How much does an Uber cost from Gatwick to central London?</b><br />
Fares generally run between £79 and £130 one-way depending on location. Get $20/£10 free credit by using our exclusive sign-up link at <a href="http://uber.com/invite/uberindependentguides">http://uber.com/invite/uberindependentguides</a> or enter “uberindependentguides” as a voucher code when using the app for the first time.</div>
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Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-59407020256983836012008-04-11T19:28:00.003+01:002021-08-06T22:43:39.985+01:00Convert to a better email client?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJe8BuPxZ3EipN2Ozxn_DvDm6BnZl_aM1q3PO4-wnMR0qyM41T_kgRvDHikCfUgvDoJMe-BrH-pwkb7NJGKZccLS6sIqHkMUO547NCeC7gbQh6T74d-ApP4WPKdHT9arByUKiEVuP6dX1/s1600/Screen+Shot+2013-05-27+at+21.51.59.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJe8BuPxZ3EipN2Ozxn_DvDm6BnZl_aM1q3PO4-wnMR0qyM41T_kgRvDHikCfUgvDoJMe-BrH-pwkb7NJGKZccLS6sIqHkMUO547NCeC7gbQh6T74d-ApP4WPKdHT9arByUKiEVuP6dX1/s200/Screen+Shot+2013-05-27+at+21.51.59.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Tired of Outlook Express? Don't want to pay for Outlook? Or bored of both? </div>
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Well, look no further - because without spend one penny, you will be able to get a fully customizable email client and not lose any of your emails! </div>
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Mozilla, the creators of Firefox have their very own email software too. Now as we know, most good things come at a price - well not with Mozilla Thunderbird. As with Firefox, Mozilla like to keep their products free. Their programs don't have any ads and Thunderbird is no exception. </div>
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A simple setup wizard guides you through the process of importing all your contacts, messages and email addresses. There are also hundreds of addons to add more features to your email client, to keep RAM (memory) usage low. </div>
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Thunderbird does not include a calendar but this feature can be added by visiting http://addonss.mozilla.org and clicking "Other Applications" then "Thunderbird" and this and many more addons can be installed without any fuss. </div>
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If you need an client that can be customised, that good, runs fast, is easy to use, sleek and is based around a community of users, not making money, then Firefox may well be the email client for you. </div>
Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-34902725873478965822009-10-17T21:50:00.003+01:002021-08-06T22:43:30.592+01:006 Life saving freeware utilities for Mac OS X<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After having moved from a PC over to a Mac, it can be difficult deciding what programs you need to get. Surprisingly, many of the programs you would have to pay for on Windows have superior free alternatives on a Mac so the initial outlay may save you money in the long run. I do ask that you donate to the developers for their hard work if you can, please remember they developed this for free and used their own time, so please show some appreciation. Let's get straight into the list:<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.dejal.com/timeout/"><span style="color: black;">TimeOut</span></a> - This utility sits quietly for 30 minutes (or whatever you configure) then as the time approaches it begins to fade out your screen - allowing you time to save what you are doing. Your screen will then be completely covered and it will display a countdown timer telling you to have a break. You can configure all lengths of time and add sounds and micro-breaks more often in addition to your longer breaks. Your eyes will thank you and so will your wrists - no more eye strain or RSI. This is developed free so if you do get some use out of it please do donate to the developer, even $10 will help. They are also developing TimeOut 2 which you will get the full paid version for free if you donate now - minimum $10. You will get TimeOut 2 as soon as it is released. (<span style="color: black;">AntiRSI</span> is also free and similar though more basic - also donationware!)<br />
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2. <a href="http://lightheadsw.com/caffeine/"><span style="color: black;">Caffeine</span></a> - Developed by Lighthead this fantastic utility allows you to do one simple thing. As the developers put it "<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Caffeine is a tiny program that puts an icon in the right side of your menu bar. Click it to prevent your Mac from automatically going to sleep, dimming the screen or starting screen savers. Click it again to go back." Want to leave the screen on for a certain reason or want to make sure your Mac doesn't go to sleep? Give it some Caffeine. I can't find a donation link on their website so I guess it's straight up freeware!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. <a href="http://www.bombich.com/index.html"><span style="color: black;">Carbon Copy Cloner</span></a> - This is the best hard drive cloning and backup tool I have EVER come across on any Operating System and it is significantly better than commercial solutions which can be very costly. Your backups are made on block-level so everything is cloned and the backups are bootable. There are scheduled backups which I have never seen from any backup tool that work reliably, let alone from a free tool. Even more amazing is the inclusion of incremental backups meaning only new changes are cloned making very quick backups after the initial backup. You can also backup to another Mac on your network. Donations for this program are recommended as this would sell for at least $60 if it were commercial.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. <a href="http://www.stereopsis.com/flux/" rel="nofollow">Flux</a> - "<span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-spacing: 2px;">Ever notice how people texting at night have that eerie blue glow? Or wake up ready to write down the Next Great Idea, and get blinded by your computer screen? During the day, computer screens look good—they're designed to<b> </b>look like the sun. But, at 9PM, 10PM, or 3AM, you probably shouldn't be looking at the sun. F.lux fixes this: it makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day.Tell f.lux what kind of lighting you have, and where you live. Then forget about it. F.lux will do the rest, automatically." I honestly thought this was ridiculous initially but now I have it on all my computers and my eyes are more relaxed and I'm not staring at the sun anymore at night. The developer also wrote Picasa before it was acquired by Google.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-spacing: 2px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri" , "helvetica"; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. <a href="http://handbrake.fr/" rel="nofollow">Handbrake</a> - All those DVDs you have at home can now be ripped straight into iTunes and then synced onto your iPod to watch whenever you want. Just pop the DVD in and press Start come back an hour or two later and your DVD will be ripped straight to your hard drive. It can also transcode any video file into a different format. It is GPL-licensed and no donations are taken</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">6. <a href="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/" rel="nofollow">VLC</a> - Another GPL-licensed program, VLC is <i>the</i> best media player around. It is cross platform and available on Windows, OS X and Linux. It will open any file that you can throw at it without asking you for codecs or details - it will just work. It can also be used to convert video as a media converter and as a streaming tool too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Only free public-domain or independant software is above - there are thousands of other free programs but these are some that truly go further than any other commercial utility and do surely deserve a place. Also some programs like Handbrake and Carbon Copy Cloner are reason enough to get most Windows users to switch instantly - if </span><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">only </span><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">they knew.</span><br />
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</script>Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-31964323758574815712009-10-22T18:52:00.004+01:002021-08-06T22:42:42.204+01:00Windows 7 Launches! Microsoft retail store opens and Microsoft Cafe!As you undoubtedly know today is the much anticipated launch of Windows 7 and Amazon UK already has some good news: the pre-orders of Windows 7 beat the previous record holder for pre-orders Harry Potter -when that happens you know something Microsoft has done is seriously right. The visuals are stunning - almost, but not quite, on par with Apple; the stability is much improved and best of all for consumers it's not called Vista. In fact Amazon UK has no versions run out of their allocation of all full Windows 7 versions and are now offering upgrade versions only but even these are now pre-orders.<br />
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The price of £80 has definitely lead consumers into making this purchase, although some may argue it should be free after the blunder of Vista. Meanwhile, Microsoft has also opened it's first retail store today in Scottsdale, Arizona and yes - there was a line outside of people waiting to get inside. The employees clapped, cheered and high-fived- as the first guests came in and cheers were heard throughout the mall. The store is very similar to an Apple store in design and frankly does look amazing.<br />
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At the same time, Paris has the world's first "Windows Cafe" as reported by Le Journal du Geek<br />
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<a href="http://www.journaldugeek.com/files/2009/10/windows-cafe-live-02.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.journaldugeek.com/files/2009/10/windows-cafe-live-02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Image courtesy of Le Journal du Geek. Full article <a href="http://www.journaldugeek.com/2009/10/21/microsoft-windows-cafe-paris/" rel="nofollow">here</a>.</div>
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Finally, Microsoft is also selling many brands of PCs on Microsoft.com in order to gain soem more Windows 7 sales. For anyone looking for more Windows 7 coverage why not join Leo Laporte at his 2 hour Win 7 party on <a href="http://live.twit.tv/" rel="nofollow">TWiT</a> today at 19:00 London Time or watch CNET TV for loads of news, tips and tricks.</div>
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Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-79249788005627009112009-10-26T17:17:00.002+00:002021-08-06T22:42:06.140+01:00Creative Commons looking for $500,000 - help!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Creative Commons, the creators of licenses that allow content-creators to share their work while being properly attributed, are seeking $500,000 to keep the service going.</div>
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At the time of writing Creative Commons is only $42,000 towards its goal and only has until December 31st 2009 to gain the remaining $450,000+. In early 2009, Wikimedia (the owners of Wikipedia) got to $6million in donations within days of asking for donations with many private individuals giving more than $100.<br />
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If you want to continue seeing free software, podcasts and more (that are currently licensed under Creative Commons) then please do donate! You can donate any amount you wish with the box part-way down the page. If you donate $75 or more you get some stickers, buttons and T-shirts shipped to you as well as some one-site features including Open-ID integration.<br />
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If you wish to maximise your donation then you can opt-out of these gifts. Donate more than $300 and you can become part of the CC Conference Calls and decide the future of Creative Commons. Donors or $1000 or more get invited to special Creative Commons events which are held two or three times per year.<br />
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Payments are taken via Paypal and if you want you can pay in monthly installments if that makes it easier for you to help the cause. Please do donate to this great cause if you can as it really does help things keep legally moving online and it's legally binding contracts are the only way that some content creators can give away their content for free.<br />
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Click here to donate now.Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-84600947128395715692009-10-27T12:54:00.002+00:002021-08-06T22:41:11.996+01:00Best iPhone Apps for LondonersLondoners have a tough time getting around the capital, with 7.5 million people moving around during the day there are bound to be some problems with public transport, on the roads and in emergencies. Luckily, to soothe your day a tiny bit below are some of the best Applications for Londoners with iPhones.<br />
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This article is from 2009, an updated article from 2013 is available <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2013/03/best-iphone-and-ipad-apps-for-londoners.html">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacAL7-6oVr41Orudfc4MoTlWIIOhTEL18LonHxT6fdLcnzRbN5hFATGP-uJBAqHfvPZMFUV0SJxwv0eU1CPkO-bIt66xMIfZpNo6Y2mf53Y9nUQOFBfa6krw3hem0k9kvZmORITQonxgs/s1600-h/tube-deluxe-icon.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhacAL7-6oVr41Orudfc4MoTlWIIOhTEL18LonHxT6fdLcnzRbN5hFATGP-uJBAqHfvPZMFUV0SJxwv0eU1CPkO-bIt66xMIfZpNo6Y2mf53Y9nUQOFBfa6krw3hem0k9kvZmORITQonxgs/s320/tube-deluxe-icon.png" /></a></div>
<b>TubeDeluxe (£0.59)</b> - This application is the best transport app around for any city in the world. It gives you live status updates (including via Push Notifications if you enable the feature), station closures and service messages, a tube map (in both landscape and portrait), journey planning (works perfectly when offline), live departure boards so can check how long it is until the next few trains from pretty much every station, Timetables (first trains, now, and last trains) and weekend line closures. What more could you need?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzX5iaNh3_ix5kYoBKzP3zcdZndJvS547N-NHTdGIHF1OBbg3mpM8iIpOvmK5IXogq1hLJZvRW2lditxT2cA84pyayqEP1wxNTPxAMgWLIElwnWA_jCOjfYkkl5uovCZ8yqSntihrKSsFC/s1600-h/images.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzX5iaNh3_ix5kYoBKzP3zcdZndJvS547N-NHTdGIHF1OBbg3mpM8iIpOvmK5IXogq1hLJZvRW2lditxT2cA84pyayqEP1wxNTPxAMgWLIElwnWA_jCOjfYkkl5uovCZ8yqSntihrKSsFC/s400/images.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<b>London Bus, Tube and Rail Journey Planner (£0.59)</b> - This fantastic application integrates with the TfL Journey Planner, you can locate your nearest stops, available routes and feed this into the journey planner or specify To and From locations or enter a postcode or an address, you can save your favourite routes and areas, whilst in transit you can track where you are along the route and follow your progress towards your destination and you can look up timetables for bus stops. There are 599 routes covered, 20000+ bus stops, 500+ Tube and Rail stations and real time TfL journey planning.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2oy52UZgTpsJVReDNL38e69UIF5Mqeyvn5Oeh-ks7Dm2FNbXYorAXjTphh-BFSOqtxeiEcsOMolsjeIh5zUCMAAJYcL2ff47oQo8-dJ7wmZfQWT0o_sMR6kY116aP-hbLxF76BZgS8kLj/s1600-h/306687757_5.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2oy52UZgTpsJVReDNL38e69UIF5Mqeyvn5Oeh-ks7Dm2FNbXYorAXjTphh-BFSOqtxeiEcsOMolsjeIh5zUCMAAJYcL2ff47oQo8-dJ7wmZfQWT0o_sMR6kY116aP-hbLxF76BZgS8kLj/s200/306687757_5.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>National Rail enquiries (£4.99)</b> - As a matter of principal no-one should download this application in my opinion because National Rail forced Apple to remove all the other applications that did the same thing saying it violated their terms of service, a few weeks later they released this application for £5 to capitalise on people's need of it. However, as many people will need it - here are its features: Journey planning for single and return journeys across the whole UK rail network, with departure platform information (where available), you'll be told about delays and cancellations when searching for trains and be given alternatives, live departures and arrivals at all National Rail stations in the UK with live train progress, add multiple stations to the application's home screen to one-touch access to their live departures, automatically find your nearest stations and the 'Next Train Home' finds your nearest station and plans the quickest journey home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdWtyTCE0qWaUW2BccV-LZm5rjVKt-9cEXiD9nrUMXF7m9tX1Kd9kNJO_i5C0ZtfcLWrp6WWhEC8w6YHFbmpka96UsNMQKLgK2lD5xsep2ut25hDs3NzAmgBEGfYWq1jTDewQSYLz8pVe/s1600-h/mzl.cqharvds.100x100-75.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgdWtyTCE0qWaUW2BccV-LZm5rjVKt-9cEXiD9nrUMXF7m9tX1Kd9kNJO_i5C0ZtfcLWrp6WWhEC8w6YHFbmpka96UsNMQKLgK2lD5xsep2ut25hDs3NzAmgBEGfYWq1jTDewQSYLz8pVe/s320/mzl.cqharvds.100x100-75.jpg" /></a></div>
<b>London Mini A-Z (£5.99) - </b>Essentially this is the whole London A-Z on your iPhone and this has a search function which is easier than searching in the index for streets. The one major problem, which may be fixed in the future by an update, is that when you are searching for streets you must type them exactly as they appear on the map, so if you were searching for "Great Street", roads that are on the map as "Gt. Street" (abbreviated) would no appear. After a while you may get used to this limitation and remember that instaed of typing "Gardens" you may have to type "Gdn" or "Gdns". There is no need for an Internet connection which is a big plus. If you do have GPS enabled you can find your location on the map which is rather useful.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUWlwCKMr7NeerTev-RBdnZ2v4FFQ4s7pEiGC1AM0odzCk5P2tl1ULHQE1y2EmKFc3XHyOFBU2OMif67oL0hhe3vljey6TfAHBQGt-ZMW__UIPddOs-NzEiNFPqGclRBRCfJcc9GjNZl-/s1600-h/original.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcUWlwCKMr7NeerTev-RBdnZ2v4FFQ4s7pEiGC1AM0odzCk5P2tl1ULHQE1y2EmKFc3XHyOFBU2OMif67oL0hhe3vljey6TfAHBQGt-ZMW__UIPddOs-NzEiNFPqGclRBRCfJcc9GjNZl-/s320/original.png" /></a></div>
<b>Tube Exits (£1.79) </b>- Ever wanted to know where the station exit is and on what carriage you should get on? Tube Exits has the answer. It can also tell you what carriage to get on for the nearest interchange to other lines saving you valuable time, especially in peak hours and will even tell you what side the doors will open on. No internet connection required. You can also plan journeys using the app.<br />
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<b>iRefund (£0.59)</b> - Have you ever been delayed by the Tube for more than 15 minutes? Then you are probably entitled to a refund (refunds cannot be made if the delay is beyond TfL or its contractors control such as: security alerts, third party action or adverse weather conditions. This also applies to service changes alerted in advance. For all other situations, you are entitled to a full refund, but this can be time consuming so the App does everything for you. When the delay starts, open the app and tell it, when it is over, tell it the delay has finished - the details are saved. Once back above ground click to submit. Your Oyster card, address, name and other static details are only needed once and will be saved for all future claims. Literally, in under 30 seconds, you can be claiming your refund. It also keeps track of your claim history so you can cross-reference the claims that you have yet to be paid for. Best of all with just one refund the App has paid for itself! A definite must for londoners. (The image of the App on the top left has changed to one of a train lately)<br />
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However, some of these Applications have <b>free alternatives</b> which are just as good for no cost at all. Here they are below:<br />
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<b>Tube Pro</b> (usually £1.19) - This is essentially the exact same Application as Tube Exits above, but for free. It worked perfectly on the routes I tried. It is only free until 1st November 2009, so get your skates on!<br />
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<b>Thetrainline</b> - This is a free alternative to the National Rail Enquiries app but with no live departures or platform info, it only has timetables (which are available offline) and the 'Next Train Home' feature, as well as the ability to locate the stations which are closest to you.<br />
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<b>London Tube Status</b> - Check the status of the tube lines live. All the tube lines are covered.<br />
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<b>Tube Board Free</b><b> -</b> Check how long until the next tube arrives, live and free. This covers pretty much every London Underground station. A premium ad-free version is available which also offers a favourites function.<br />
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<b>Google Maps</b> - It's already on your iPhone but it essentially is the A-Z but always updated (and free) but requires an internet connection although some maps can be saved (cached), to do this, visit the location where you want the map to appear for with Wifi/3G on, then you can open up that map at any time without an internet connection.Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-82946196574245737832009-11-19T16:24:00.002+00:002021-08-06T22:40:33.069+01:00Premium content now live on YouTube from Channel 4, BBC and ITV.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Surfers in the UK are the first to see the development of YouTube into a premium content portal today. Broadcaster Channel 4 has joined forces with YouTube to make full length versions of its shows available on the popular video sharing website. By visiting YouTube.com/shows viewers can see many of their favourite shows.<br />
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However, it is not just Channel 4 that is in on the act, broadcaster ITV has also made available segments of it's popular shows such as X Factor online and it is now even possible to view these legally on YouTube. Not to be left out, BBC's international branch, BBC Worldwide has made many of its programs available too. Disappointingly Five seems to have yet again not come on board with the idea and is restricting its content to Demand Five online.<br />
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The YouTube shows page is very well organised and is now one of tabs at the top of the YouTube navigation as can be seen below:<br />
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Once on the shows page you can search by genre on the left, look at the shows in the spotlight, featured broadcasters or look at what is popular. However, not all the content on the "Shows" page is from major broadcasters, in fact YouTube sensation "Fred" appears under the Popular tab.<br />
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YouTube's design is much better than any other actual individual broadcaster's VOD webpages once on the shows page. You can subscribe to receive the latest episodes of shows, switch between Full Episodes and Clips, see the length and air date of the programme, select what season you want to watch and see more from that broadcaster. YouTube's implementation here is second-to-none.<br />
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Before a programme starts it also tells you the age rating of the programme and that "viewer discretion is advised" if necessary - a useful touch. This could be the start of one video website where all major broadcasters can come together to offer their videos on demand, similar to Hulu in the US (which still doesn't have videos from CBS), and YouTube does have experience in this field so it would make sense for this to happen eventually.<br />
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The content does have to be paid for and users are not willing to do this after already having to pay a license fee. Therefore, Channel 4's shows are currently monetised by a 30-second pre-roll, ITV's clips have no pre-rolls and full length episodes have a 15-second pre-roll and BBC Worlwide programmes have a 20-second pre-roll. These seem like reasonable times and the programmes do not appear to have ad breaks in the middle but this may change.<br />
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Highlights from Channel 4 include Drop The Dead Donkey, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Father Ted, The Inbetweeners and The IT Crowd. The BBC has Walking with Cavemen, Wildlife Specials and Dr Who (Classic Series) to name but a few.Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-58757233998296542882009-11-22T12:28:00.002+00:002021-08-06T22:39:40.420+01:00The Coolest Tech Christmas Gifts of 2009Here we are with this year's coolest tech xmas gifts for 2009, making it easier than ever for you to decide what to buy this christmas and what is really worth your hard earned cash.<br />
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1. <b>Self Stirring Mug</b> - this handy mug has a small propeller at the bottom which mixes your teas, coffees, drinks perfectly with no effort required by you. It also comes with a lid to keep your drink warm when going out. The <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0010YPTXS?ie=UTF8&tag=mep02-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B0010YPTXS" rel="nofollow">Self Stirring Mug</a><img alt="" border="0" cp7xj6q5y="" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=mep02-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B0010YPTXS" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> is available at Amazon RRP - £14.99<br />
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2. <b>The Sound Asleep Pillow</b> - ever wanted to listen to your music while going to sleep without disturbing others - now you can. This is a pillow with a built in speaker meaning only you will hear what's going on! There are two versions of this pillow. The standard <span style="color: #551a8b;"><u>Sound Asleep Pillow<img alt="" border="0" cp7xj6q5y="" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=mep02-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B000XS42RQ" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> </u></span>with the speaker built in costs £12.78 delivered, and at £29.99 the pillow will also be made of memory foam making your sleep even more comfortable.<br />
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3. <b>i iPhone Battery Charger </b>- this a essentially a backup battery pack which claims to give you up to 250 hours of extra standby time, 5 hours of talk time or 20 hours of extra music. This is a fantastic emergency battery but it is rather big and can become loose if you don't leave it alone. The <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001B214II?ie=UTF8&tag=mep02-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B001B214II" rel="nofollow">TeckNet 1900mAH Mobile External Battery for ALL Ipod Touch, Classic, Nano & Iphone 3G, 3G S - Black</a><img alt="" border="0" cp7xj6q5y="" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=mep02-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B001B214II" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> is available for £10.99 delivered.<br />
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4. <b>Cyber Clean</b> - As one reviewer put it on Reevo:<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "</span><span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">tactile de-stressing brightly coloured putty, great fun and it works to clean out grimy keyboards, mobile phones, calculators etc, Makes dusting and cleaning fun!! Kills germs!! Comes in a screw top plastic tub to stop it drying out. Colour guide on tub label to let you know when you need to replace your Cyber Clean." The <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000T9CODS?ie=UTF8&tag=mep02-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B000T9CODS" rel="nofollow">Cyber Clean Home and Office 75g Sachet</a><img alt="" border="0" cp7xj6q5y="" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=mep02-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B000T9CODS" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> costs just £4.36 delivered.</span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. <b>Mini Mixer for iPod</b> - Connect two iPods, MP3 Players, anything with any audio out port. Then slide from left to right, remixing as you go. Great cheap DJ kit for the amateur but it does make a slight hissing noise when switched on and there is no music playing. It does include a built-in speaker and an audio-out port if you want to use that too. The <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002ISE8BE?ie=UTF8&tag=mep02-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B002ISE8BE" rel="nofollow">Mini Mixer for iPod</a><img alt="" border="0" cp7xj6q5y="" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=mep02-21&l=as2&o=2&a=B002ISE8BE" style="border: none; margin: 0px;" width="1" /> costs £22.38</span></span>Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-46849626874168052932017-09-23T19:56:00.004+01:002021-08-06T22:38:55.912+01:00London: The Millennium Bridge<h2>
London: The Millennium Bridge</h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqfvOL3ejXBpv-LmJplWOzS79oKfIOzUJKoNRjsCpOZPOPQPqExRPI9mQhIW3RXC678tCQfvUhA9Xb98qV8R2inLfEucsaoP06UcVykC-KEzRJFYMGC-ZulhRI-EDpAojORbGx6uN5CLq/s1600/IMG_0054.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNqfvOL3ejXBpv-LmJplWOzS79oKfIOzUJKoNRjsCpOZPOPQPqExRPI9mQhIW3RXC678tCQfvUhA9Xb98qV8R2inLfEucsaoP06UcVykC-KEzRJFYMGC-ZulhRI-EDpAojORbGx6uN5CLq/s400/IMG_0054.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<b>Nearest Stations</b>: Southwark and St. Paul’s<br />
<b>Address</b>: Thames Embankment, London<br />
<b>Entry price</b>: Free<br />
<b>Typical opening hours</b>: 24/7 – Public area<br />
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The Millennium Bridge is one of the newest crossings of the River Thames and links The City of London (and St. Paul’s Cathedral) with the <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-tate-modern-attractions.html">Tate Modern</a> and <span id="goog_1816005738"></span>Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre<span id="goog_1816005739"></span>.<br />
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The bridge has been nicknamed the “Wobbly Bridge” due to an engineering disaster when it was first unveiled. As people crossed the bridge, their walking patterns created a force causing the bridge to sway. It had to be closed only a few days after opening in order to fix this issue, and re-opened two years later. Nowadays, it is a permanent non-moving structure, which is perfectly safe to cross.<br />
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The bridge allows you to get beautiful photos looking down the river towards <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-tower-bridge-attractions.html">Tower Bridge</a>, and is also well-known for having been destroyed by Death Eaters in the sixth Harry Potter films.Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-8223337203131867022017-09-21T18:18:00.003+01:002021-08-06T22:38:27.986+01:00London: Marylebone, Bloomsbury, Baker Street and Camden Neighbourhood Guide<h2>
London: Marylebone, Bloomsbury, Baker Street and Camden Neighbourhood Guide</h2>
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Moving north of Oxford Street, you start to enter the areas of Marylebone, Bloomsbury and Camden. There are quite a few mainline railway stations in this area, including Marylebone, Euston, Kings Cross and St. Pancras.</div>
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Bloomsbury is an extremely nice area with many publishing houses located here, as well as the British Museum. Marylebone is in prime central London with Madame Tussauds and the Sherlock Holmes Museum being the most well-known attractions here. Camden is a more alternative area known for its punk scene and food market, as well as the Zoo. The punk scene is less obvious here than ever before, however, as the area has been gentrified in recent years.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Recommended Attractions in the Marylebone, Bloomsbury and Camden area</h3>
<div>
<ul>
<li>The British Museum</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-regents-park-attractions.html">Regent’s Park</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-zsl-london-zoo-attractions.html">ZSL London Zoo</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-madame-tussauds-attractions.html">Madame Tussauds</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-sherlock-holmes-museum-baker-street.html">The Sherlock Holmes Museum</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-harry-potters-platform-9-34-and.html">Harry Potter’s Platform 9 3/4 and Shop</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-british-library-attractions.html">British Library</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-wallace-collection-attractions.html">The Wallace Collection</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-abbey-road-crossing-and-studios.html">Abbey Road Crossing and Studios</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-london-canal-museum-attractions.html">London Canal Museum</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h3>
Recommended Restaurants in the Marylebone, Bloomsbury and Camden area</h3>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Recommended Restaurants</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h3>
Recommended Hotels in the Marylebone, Bloomsbury and Camden area</h3>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-good-hotels-in-marylebone.html">Recommended Hotels</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-84830971220449700762017-09-21T17:34:00.003+01:002021-08-06T22:37:41.742+01:00London: Kensington and The Museums Neighbourhood Guide<h2>
London: Kensington and The Museums Neighbourhood Guide</h2>
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The area is very much residential but also offers a collection of London’s finest museums. Those looking for a bit of royalty will be pleased to find both Kensington Palace in a park called Kensington Gardens, and the Royal Albert Hall, a live performance venue.</div>
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Shoppers will not be disappointed with the selection of luxury goods on offer on High Street Kensington, King’s Road, and Harrods – the largest department store in Europe at over one million square feet in size.</div>
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Finally, sports fans can visit Stamford Bridge, Chelsea F.C.’s stadium.</div>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<h3>
Recommended Attractions in Kensington and Museums area</h3>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Natural History Museum</li>
<li>Science Museum</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-victoria-albert-museum.html">Victoria and Albert Museum</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-kensington-palace-attractions.html">Kensington Palace</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-royal-albert-hall-tours.html">Royal Albert Hall Tours</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-brompton-oratory-attractions.html">Brompton Oratory</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-saatchi-gallery-attractions.html">Saatchi Gallery</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-brompton-cemetery-attractions.html">Brompton Cemetery</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<h3>
Recommended Restaurants in the Kensington and Museums area</h3>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-good-restaurants-in-kensington-museum-district.html">Recommended Restaurants in Kensington</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<h3>
Recommended Hotels in the Kensington and Museums area</h3>
</div>
<div>
<ul></ul>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-good-hotels-kensington-knightsbridge-museum-district.html">Recommended Hotels in Kensington</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<ul></ul>
</div>
</div>
Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-67290605530109607012013-12-05T17:36:00.001+00:002021-08-06T22:37:14.587+01:00Web of Links - Week 13<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-DZDgDGQ1erCTyFK3JEHE-PgtzCVEtO2bLDZlWmzSsoV7-WhZakTqbhSmUsPdzJqwlg_0s4-WmXgk2SRJm6-AVfCgDa1Xf7iGVBHUD8PeNfp2ZRa5brMYEebuFluhNsRqe6z_-y3VA33/s1600/7905320090_4c7802b4f7_z.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik-DZDgDGQ1erCTyFK3JEHE-PgtzCVEtO2bLDZlWmzSsoV7-WhZakTqbhSmUsPdzJqwlg_0s4-WmXgk2SRJm6-AVfCgDa1Xf7iGVBHUD8PeNfp2ZRa5brMYEebuFluhNsRqe6z_-y3VA33/s200/7905320090_4c7802b4f7_z.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
It's time for the weekly round-up of some the most interesting and thought provoking articles, videos and websites I saw this week.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
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1. <a href="http://lifehacker.com/how-long-to-nap-for-the-biggest-brain-benefits-1251546669" rel="nofollow">How long to nap for the biggest brain benefits</a> - Supersize your sleeping habits with this article.<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.faithit.com/ball-pit-turns-strangers-into-friends/" rel="nofollow">Ball Pit turns strangers into friends</a> - A reminder that there still is some good in this world.<br />
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3. <a href="http://blackfishmovie.com/" rel="nofollow">BlackFish Movie</a> - Although I haven't watched the full movie myself, the trailer was enough to captivate me on the harsh realities of killer whales in captivity.<br />
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4. Questions To Which The Answer Is No - A hilarious Independent blog detailing questions and headlines in the news which don't need answering and to which the answer is always 'no'<br />
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5. <a href="http://now-here-this.timeout.com/2013/12/03/this-hectic-timelapse-video-of-london-will-perk-you-up-immediately/" rel="nofollow">This hectic time-lapse video of London will perk you up immediately</a> - Pretty self-explanatory really.<br />
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6. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=trueview-instream&v=N1XAfWj90W4" rel="nofollow">'When travelling in London town'</a> - This TfL ad reminded me of the Dr. Seuss books. Great stuff.<br />
<br />Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-36602993533106653082017-09-18T13:28:00.003+01:002021-08-06T22:36:11.743+01:00London: Westminster Cathedral (Attractions)<h2>
London: Westminster Cathedral (Attractions)</h2>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0u2cJcci8_m-ko-beWDeiKoBmB3vfejPJ3p_L8CFIxF4CbwHpAOX4nB_fbBHMFO_QMlOLWVv0v0LxBDDLqYj9mqt1w90Z8oQvKZyfof7yGwMluHepYqIk0fFtQCBR-SHoi1c0m7xn9K0U/s1600/cathedral.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="875" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0u2cJcci8_m-ko-beWDeiKoBmB3vfejPJ3p_L8CFIxF4CbwHpAOX4nB_fbBHMFO_QMlOLWVv0v0LxBDDLqYj9mqt1w90Z8oQvKZyfof7yGwMluHepYqIk0fFtQCBR-SHoi1c0m7xn9K0U/s400/cathedral.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Joan E, Londonist</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<b>Nearest Station</b>: Victoria</div>
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<b>Address</b>: 42 Francis Street, London, SW1P 1QW</div>
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<b>Entry price</b>: Free admission to services. Tower Viewing Gallery: Adults – £6, Concessions – £3. <b>Exhibition</b>: Adults – £5, Concessions – £2.50.</div>
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<b>Typical opening hours</b>: Tower and Exhibition – Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 17:00, closing an hour later on Saturday and Sunday.</div>
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<b>Phone</b>: 0207 798 9096</div>
<div>
<b>Website</b>: <a href="http://www.westminstercathedral.org.uk/" rel="nofollow">www.westminstercathedral.org.uk</a></div>
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<b>Tickets</b>: Buy these directly at the venue.</div>
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Westminster Cathedral is often missed by visitors to the city, as many stop at the nearby Westminster Abbey instead. The two churches are not to be confused. </div>
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Even during peak summer season, this church is often very empty as far as visitors are concerned.</div>
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Westminster Cathedral is the principal Roman Catholic church in the UK and dates from 1903 (whereas Westminster Abbey is Protestant).</div>
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Many people walk past the church and miss it, maybe even assuming it is a mosque due to the large tower and unusual architecture.</div>
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The tower is actually home to a viewing gallery (with lift access), and the church houses an exhibition – Treasures of Westminster Cathedral – where you can see rare collections of objects and learn about the church’s construction. </div>
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Both of these activities are paid admission. However, entry into the church to see the beautiful mosaics and marble-work (or for prayer) is free at all times. </div>
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Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-68416254087273720082012-06-02T18:53:00.002+01:002021-08-06T22:35:17.815+01:00Disneyland Paris - Club Actionnaires Meeting - 31 May 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The latest Disneyland Paris Club Actionnaires (Shareholder's Club) meeting was held a few days ago on 31st May 2012 and offered members of the club an opportunity to ask questions about how the resort is favouring. This is particularly import in this pivotal 20th anniversary year with massive investments having been made. Below is what emerged from the meeting:<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Villages Nature:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Construction agreements are being negotiated.</li>
<li>They are preparing the marketing for the real-estate there - it ill first be targetted at "Ecological forward-looking countries" such as Scandinavia, Germany, Netherlands, France, ... initially, before marketing them globally.</li>
<li>There will be roughly three levels of "comfort", but prices have not yet been finalised. </li>
<li>The target customer will be families staying for an average of one week. </li>
<li>P. Gas hopes to attract some of these families to the theme parks, but there won't be a central reservation system to avoid cannibalising resort hotel room sales (and vice versa)</li>
<li>Different offers and packages are being considered, including local residents who would enjoy the facilities. They are investigating what will work.</li>
</ul>
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<u>My view</u>: A one week stay seems excessive for the scale of the project, this could be another example of the company making overly-ambitious plans, such as when all the hotels opened so quickly at the start of Eurodisney. It could be that the prices are affordable though.</div>
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<b>Convention Centre:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Still going ahead but in the longer term as it requires working in cooperation with the government.</li>
<li>The principle is the same as the Palais des Congres in Paris, with the possibility of holding concerts / shows to fill the space (and attract visitors that the Resort would not come to the Resort)</li>
</ul>
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<b>Val d'Europe:</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Ségécé (mall designers) had two plans for the future of the center. One of the two projects was not liked at all by EuroDisney because of its lack of image / atmosphere (story telling). </li>
<li>The other plan is well suited for the center, but there's no detail either. Looking at 2015 at the earliest for implementation of this plan. ED is involved on the future of the centre.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Ratatouille:</b></div>
<ul>
<li>P.Gas confirmed that Ratatouille was in progress, as he says in any case it was an open secret.</li>
<li>Planned opening in 2014. </li>
<li>The attraction will be accompanied by a new restaurant concept of a new, more upscale table service. P.Gas cited a single menu concept, as the restaurant "L'entrecote" in Paris where the only thing to choose is how you want your steak cooked. Except Gas says here it won't be steak... they want to be innovative.</li>
</ul>
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<u>Background research on "L'entrecote" restaurant:</u> "When you dine with us, there is no menu - simply tell your waitress how you would like your steak cooked. After your salad starter, your steak is brought to you in two stages, with one half held back to keep warm, so you can enjoy it at its best and is accompanied with more freshly prepared frites. "</div>
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<b>California Grill: </b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>A new chef arrived a few weeks ago, he can do whatever he wants and has been told to make the restaurant more "gourmet."</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<b>World of Disney & Disney Village:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>The current Disney Store will be transformed into one of the "imagination park" stores such as those in London or Madrid for example. </li>
<li>It opened the question of the future of the Disney Village, Disney Store, and aged appearance of the Village. </li>
<li>The opening of non-Disney stores is what is anticipated. </li>
<li>There is also the question of how to attract people to the end of the Village, although the Earl of Sandwich is satisfied with its result.</li>
<li>There is a need to think about the storyline of the Village as it now makes no sense.</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Walt Disney Studios :</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Park development will focus on the Studios until at least around 2017-2018. </li>
<li>The future of Studios - there is a serious need for change and a change of theme is considered, there's two ways it can go about: </li>
<ul>
<li>Progressive: By adding things that have nothing to do with the original theme, we come to forget it and one day the theme will be changed as Disney has no other options </li>
<li>Voluntary: Disney change the theme overnight (Gas:"and not just the name") after considering the case.</li>
</ul>
<li>The second method is favoured because the change can be more easily communicated to guests, but it also requires a high investment. </li>
<li>The disrepair of the Tower of Terror was also mentioned - The investigation is ongoing, but it is long because it involves insurance, experts, who is responsible, ... and all that before actually doing anything about it. </li>
<li>A hotel at the park entrance is envisaged. A brand new hotel or an extension of the DLH which is in high demand.</li>
</ul>
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<div>
<b>20th Anniversary so far:</b></div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Reservations are up 6% to 7% over the same period last year. </li>
<li>The satisfaction rate has jumped more than 10% in one month with the launch the 20th anniversary.</li>
<li>The 20th anniversary got 5 times the media coverage of the 15th anniversary. </li>
<li>3% increase in attendance compared to April 2011, despite bad weather.</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<b>Hotels:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>High-end hotels and budget hotels are the most requested. </li>
<li>"The rich continue to come to DLH", people who were want an intermediate hotel often downsize to the Santa Fe or Cheyenne.</li>
<li>The satisfaction rate of renovated lodges at the Ranch is the same satisfaction as at the DLH. </li>
<li>The renovations of hotels will continue in 2-year plans, ( currently 500 rooms a year in Sequoia). </li>
<li>3.5 years left until all the hotels are refurbished</li>
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<b>Dreams and restaurants: </b></div>
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<li>The satisfaction rate of Dreams is very incredible: 98%. </li>
<li>People remain in near the hub and spend more than before between 20:00 and 22:00 until Dreams. </li>
<li>Families with small children have a slightly lower satisfaction rate because the show is at 11:00 p.m. It should increase when the show takes place around 20:30 when it gets dark earlier. </li>
<li>Also, they are trying to solve the problem of restaurants closing early. This should be fixed for the summer season. They blame some of the early closures on the fact that the fireworks close off a lot of fantasyland (I think: this however doesn't explain erstaurants in Frontierland closing early... )</li>
<li>They are also planned to develop an "evening" ticket to enable locals to come and attend Dreams, and a package including "evening park entry + evening meal + VIP Dreams positioning"</li>
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<b>Shareholder's Club:</b></div>
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<li>Someone asked about a Gold shareholder card that would offer 25% discount in restaurants instead of 15%. It is in fact planned for there to be two levels of the shareholders club in the future, these are not yet defined and they would offer different services. </li>
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<b>Annual Passports and the Website:</b></div>
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<li>The "Super-Dream" passport is once again confirmed P. Gas said "I swear it will happen." </li>
<li>A loyalty/reward system will also be introduced, and perhaps not only with the new passport. </li>
<li>Someone mentioned the mess in the management of annual passports, they say they are well aware that this exists and are working on solving these problems, but it takes time to change an outdated computer system. </li>
<li>Ditto for the website will be completely redone to be more intuitive, even Philippe Gas said that it is hard to find what you are looking for.</li>
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<i>Thanks to Mikes at the DisneyGazette forums for providing this information in French.</i> Further research has been done into some issues by myself.</div>
Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-80174742387599871332011-05-17T17:25:00.001+01:002021-08-06T22:34:46.716+01:00O2 Network Down in East and North London, and surrounding areas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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O2 has revealed that their network has been down all day, today Tuesday, 17th May 2011 causing millions of customers to be without voice, SMS service and data.<br />
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The reason behind the downtime is theft and vandalism at an East London operations site, causing customers in East and North London, Essex and Sussex to lose contact with the outside world. O2 says engineers are working on the issue replacing equipment and that the network should be back up at some point today.<br />
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O2 will not be offering compensation to any customers as "the nature of mobile services means that it is not possible for operators to derive which customers may or may not have used their mobiles in an affected area" as well as restating that they spend £1million a day maintaining the network. There's more information on O2's blog post. <br />
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Having experienced this myself first hand, it is not pleasant - an iPhone without calls, let alone data is next to useless as far as keeping me updated with the world's events. Let's hope the network is back up soon.Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-72953504957142955412017-09-21T17:50:00.002+01:002021-08-06T22:33:56.450+01:00London: Hyde Park, Notting Hill, Marble Arch and Bayswater Neighbourhood Guide<h2>
London: Hyde Park, Notting Hill, Marble Arch and Bayswater Neighbourhood Guide</h2>
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Hyde Park adjoins with Kensington Gardens in central-west London and together are 625 acres in size. You could spend an entire afternoon, or longer, in the parks just seeing everything they have to offer. </div>
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Surrounding the parks are the affluent areas of Notting Hill to the north, and Kensington to the south, Marble Arch and Park Lane are to the east with Mayfair there too. All the areas around the parks are also worth exploring for their unique characteristics.</div>
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The areas around Bayswater and Paddington are particularly popular with travellers on a budget due to the amount of “motel” style accommodation in this central area. </div>
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Recommended Attractions in the Hyde Park, Marble Arch, Notting Hill and Bayswater area</h3>
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<li>Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-notting-hill-attractions.html">Notting Hill</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-portobello-road-attractions.html">Portobello Road</a></li>
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Recommended Restaurants in the Hyde Park, Marble Arch, Notting Hill and Bayswater area</h3>
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<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-good-restaurants-in-notting-hill.html">Recommended Restaurants</a></li>
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Recommended Hotels in the Hyde Park, Marble Arch, Notting Hill and Bayswater area</h3>
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<li><a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/good-hotels-in-notting-hill-marble-arch-bayswater-london.html">Recommend Hotels</a></li>
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Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-31623190765494574092013-03-22T04:29:00.002+00:002021-08-06T22:32:49.185+01:00Best Travel and Transport iPhone and iPad Apps for Londoners 2013 edition<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">Visiting the capital? You'll want to take a look at this round-up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">Incredibly it was been three and a half years since my <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2009/10/best-iphone-apps-for-londoners.html">last post</a> on this subject, so it's only suitable to update you on what new apps have emerged and which have stood the test of time. The iPad wasn't even available back then so there's so helpful tips relating to those apps too.</span><br />
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<br /><b style="background-color: white; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">London Tube Deluxe (£0.69)</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"> - This (renamed) application is <u>STILL</u> the best transport app around for London. The <a href="http://mbarclay.net/" rel="nofollow">developer</a> has kept it up to date with new map releases which is always reassuring going forward. He has also integrated all of London transport into one app, so this now covers all TfL services but with a particular focus on the underground system and buses. There is both an iPhone and iPad version available. It gives you live status updates (including via Push Notifications if you enable the feature), station closures and service messages, several hi-res tube maps, journey planning (this only works when connected to the internet, but you can access previous journey histories when offline so just plan before you lose connection), live departure boards so can check how long it is until the next few trains from pretty much every station, Timetables (first trains, now, and last trains) and weekend line closures. It also overs 750+ bus routes. What more could you need?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">Next Bus London (£1.99) - Since the last update TfL has aupdated their buses to enable live tracking via mobile phones. All you have to do is go to any bus stop, key in the number displayed on it and check when your next bus is coming. This app makes all that simple! You can even use GPS to locate stops near you.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><b style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/national-rail-enquiries/id519094154?ls=1&mt=8" rel="nofollow" style="outline: none;">National Rail Enquiries</a></b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"> - The great news is that this app is now free! It used to cost £4.99 and is even more powerful than before! Here are its features: Journey planning for single and return journeys across the whole UK rail network, with departure platform information (where available), you'll be told about delays and cancellations when searching for trains and be given alternatives, live departures and arrivals at all National Rail stations in the UK with live train progress, add multiple stations to the application's home screen to one-touch access to their live departures, automatically find your nearest stations, and the 'Next Train Home' feature finds your nearest station and plans the quickest journey home. You can now also plan journeys between a station and a postcode and find and buy train tickets.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><b style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">Tube Exits (£0.69) </b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">- Still a favourite and now at a third of the price! Ever wanted to know where the station exit is and on what carriage you should get on? Tube Exits has the answer. It can also tell you what carriage to get on for the nearest interchange to other lines saving you valuable time, especially in peak hours and will even tell you what side the doors will open on. No internet connection required. You can also plan journeys using the app.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://img-ipad.lisisoft.com/imgmic/2/0/2063-1-irefund-tube-refunds!.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="http://img-ipad.lisisoft.com/imgmic/2/0/2063-1-irefund-tube-refunds!.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><b style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;">iRefund (£0.69)</b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; text-align: left;"> - Still a great app - Have you ever been delayed by the Tube for more than 15 minutes? Then you are probably entitled to a refund (refunds cannot be made if the delay is beyond TfL or its contractors control such as: security alerts, third party action or adverse weather conditions. This also applies to service changes alerted in advance. For all other situations, you are entitled to a full refund, but this can be time consuming so the App does everything for you. When the delay starts, open the app and tell it, when it is over, tell it the delay has finished - the details are saved. Once back above ground click to submit. Your Oyster card, address, name and other static details are only needed once and will be saved for all future claims. Literally, in under 30 seconds, you can be claiming your refund. It also keeps track of your claim history so you can cross-reference the claims that you have yet to be paid for. Best of all with just one refund the App has paid for itself! A definite must for londoners. (The image of the App on the top left has changed to one of a train lately)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">GetTaxi (free) - Catching</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;"> a cab in London can be a pain. You stick your hand out and wait, and wait and eventually one will let you in. Sometimes you'll spend ages waiting on a corner wondering when you're cab will be coming that you booked 10 minutes ago! Only got cash? Most taxis won't take it! GetTaxi is the solution to all three of these problems! It's a simple app which loactes you via GPS, you can then book a cab in a matter of seconds and then track it until it reaches you with the estimated arrival time, distance and live map locator. And with a range of payment options you can pay however you wish: via cash, card or a business </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px;">account! This is <i>the</i> best taxi app for Londoners!</span></span></div>
Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076271674376993658.post-56975670860786409262017-09-17T01:10:00.005+01:002021-08-06T22:31:48.726+01:00London: Top 10 Must-Do Attractions<h2>
London: Top 10 Must-Do Attractions</h2>
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London has hundreds of different things you can do and see, but it is likely you will only have a limited amount of time to visit the city. This section allows you to take a trip through a wide selection of London’s attractions.<br />
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As will become apparent, there are a wealth of things to do, including many with no admission charge.<br />
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To ease your planning, each attraction has a short description, as well as the nearest public transport links, the entry price (if applicable) and opening hours. In the chapters that follow, we also include more detailed coverage of all these attractions.<br />
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Admission prices stated are ‘on-the-door’ rates, and cheaper tickets can be obtained by booking in advance online, or from other sources.<br />
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Museums and galleries that are listed as providing free admission are completely free of charge, without the need to obtain a ticket. However, a donation on the way out, or a small purchase from the gift shop of one of these locations is appreciated.<br />
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Remember that popular locations may have long waits to get in during busier periods of the year.<br />
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Many attractions have variable opening times depending on the day of the week, the month of the year, and whether it is term time or school holidays. To avoid disappointment, we recommend you check the opening times and dates with each attraction prior to your visit.<br />
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Click on each of the attractions below to learn more:<br />
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1. Tower of London<br />
2. Houses of Parliament and Big Ben<br />
3. Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens<br />
4. Natural History Museum<br />
5. Science Museum<br />
6. London Eye<br />
7. Trafalgar Square and <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-national-gallery-attractions.html">The National Gallery</a><br />
8. The British Museum<br />
9. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-piccadilly-circus-attractions.html">West End - Piccadilly Circus</a> and <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-leicester-square-attractions.html">Leicester Square</a><br />
10. <a href="http://www.mepipe.com/2017/09/london-buckingham-palace-attractions.html">Buckingham Palace</a><br />
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There are of course hundreds, if not thousands, more attractions for you to experience and you will find details of these, as well as restaurant recommendations and accommodation recommendations in our neighbourhood guides section.<br />
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Giovanni Costahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08446982918100094094noreply@blogger.com