Thousands will be moving around the city to celebrate the occasion and experience the very best of the events. To help you avoid delays I prepared a short list of things to remember if you are planning to travel to London.

The majority of services will be operating as normal over the Diamond Jubilee weekend. The Richmond to Willesden Junction and South Tottenham to Barking sections of the line will not operate due to engineering work.

1. Starting with quite obvious. Buy your travel tickets in advance to avoid queues and being late for your transport.

2. Plan your journey in advance. You can do so by visiting National Rail’s website at http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/ and using the journey planner there.

3. Keep an eye on live traffic news (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/road/) and live travel news (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/tube/default.html) to be able to change your route in last minute to avoid delays.

4. If you plan to hire a bicycyle, make sure that you the status of docking stations before you set out. You can do so here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/18088.aspx

If, however, you’re not attending any events, you are probably better off avoiding Central London altogether, especially on Sunday the 3rd of June. The traffic will be severe, some streets will be closed, same with Royal Parks, making moving around the city quite difficult.

With so many special Diamond Jubilee events taking place over the next weekend, it might be difficult to pick what’s the best to do and see. From concerts to parades, there will be a lot going on in the city over the first few days of June.

If you have a problem deciding what to do, or simply want to find out what are the definitely “must see” events, read on. What follows is a list of top Diamond Jubilee events you simply can’t miss.

1. Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace

Music is everyone’s favorite. And, if you have some of the biggest British and Commonwealth musicians gathered together for one show, it’s a definite topper on the list.

Over 20,000 people are expected to attend this exciting event featuring some of the best artists from each decade of the Queen’s reign. Shirley Bassey, Jools Holland, Tom Jones, Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Cliff Richard, Annie Lennox and more will perform on the 4th of June at Buckingham Palace.

For more information and tickets go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00nh923

2. River Rave at the Thames

Come over to see one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the river Thames. On Sunday 3rd June 2012, over one thousand boats will muster on the River Thames in preparation for Her Majesty The Queen to take part in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.

The flotilla will set off from Battersea Bridge at 2pm and finish at Tower Bridge from 5pm.

You can read more about the event here: http://www.thamesdiamondjubileepageant.org/

3. Park Festival at Battersea

On the 3rd of June, Battersea Park will fill in with music, food and banter. There’s going to be a traditional steam fair and vintage clothing stalls, too all promising a fantastic day out.

And, on top of that watch a portrait of the Queen being made from 3000 cakes! Definitely a not to miss event.

Tickets are £5 and are available through Ticketmaster UK.

4. Fly the Flag

Watch the Queen’s carriage procession from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace on June 3 from venues around the city.

And, you can wave your flag along the route!

For more info visit the Queens Diamond Jubilee website.

How about you?

Will be attending any particular events you during the Jubilee? If so, let us know about them in the comments.

Naturally they all spoke with their Liverpudlian accent and often used typical scouse sayings. We all do that in our cities. Everywhere you go you will hear a local accent and tons of sayings that an outsider will never understand.

The thing is though, in a city like Liverpool, with it’s amazing nightlife and party atmosphere, not knowing what people around you are saying might be hard. So, with that in mind I have prepared a list of some of the most common scouse sayings that you simply must know if you are coming to the city.

Ready?

Scouse Words (Used Almost Everywhere)

• bins glasses, spectacles
• buzzes the Police 
• bevy drink (alcoholic)
• bevvied drunk
• Alright laa hello
• deadbeat person of no use at a particular task
• divvy stupid person
• Do one Go away
• in bulk laughing fit to burst
• Jesus boots sandals
• nomark someone of little importance
• ossy hospital
• sagging playing truant
• shoot / get off leave, go somewhere else
• slummy coins that have collected in your pocket and you want to get rid of
• th’savvy this afternoon
• twirlies bus-pass holders
• laters bye
• wozzer wasp
• Ma Mum
• Old Fella/ Old Man Dad

Scouse Phrases You Simply Must Know

• getting a cob on getting angry
• going to town going to the city center
• over the water The Wirral
• That’s when Jesus Christ was playing full back for Israel That was a long time ago
• You are having a giraffe you must be joking
• On you bill on your own
• Billy no mates loner

The Fab Four have met, started playing and enjoyed their first success in this Merseyside city. As a result Liverpool is filled with wonderful places related to the famous band. In todays post I want to highlight 10 most important ones that you simply can’t miss during your stay in the city.

Places Related to Their Career

• Cavern Club

Undoubtedly one of the most popular Beatles spots in Liverpool, the Cavern Club is a place where they played their first live performance, on 9 February 1961. It is also where their future manager, Brian Epstein saw them live for the first time, on 9 November 1961. Many claim that this was the event that practically launched their massive career.

• The Grapes

The Grapes is a bar on Matthews Street famous not only for being frequented by the Beatles during the band’s early days but also because this is exactly where Pete Best came in to drown his sorrows after being fired from the very first line up of the band.

• NEMS Music Shop

Many consider this a place that probably launched the Beatles career. An inquiry as to the availability of My Bonnie by The Beatles sparked Brian Epstein into seeing them perform at The Cavern. What followed is now a history.

Places That Inspired Their Songs

• Penny Lane

Immortalized by the song of the same name, Penny Lane is an area very close to the house John lived in as a child. A busy bus terminus at a time, Penny Lane was a spot where John and Paul would meet to catch the bus to the city centre.

Thanks to the popularity of the Beatles’ song, the area had developed into a trendy and desirable place. A lot of alternative businesses (charity shops, whole foods outlets etc.) have made Penny Lane their home along with trendy cafes and bars turning Penny Lane into a place to be, especially for students.

• Strawberry Field

Strawberry Field was a Salvation Army Children’s home located at Beaconfield Road, not far from John’s childhood home. John with his friends used to play in the garden behind the house. Also, a summer garden party held in the house was one of the biggest treats during John’s childhood days. A legend has it that it is at one such party, after watching a band playing on a little stage in the centre of the garden John decided to become a musician.

Places Related to Their Lives

• 20 Forthlin Road

20 Forthlin Road is an address of the childhood home of Paul MaCartney. Famous not only for being a home of the Beatle, 20 Forthlin Road was also a venue for the bands first rehearsals. Moreover, many of their earliest songs were penned here.

The house is under National Trust care and all visits to the house are run through the Beatles Experience tour from the Albert Dock.

• The Mendips

Even though his real childhood home was at 9 Newcastle Road, it is 251 Menlove Avenue (referred often as the Mendips) that is considered Johns home. He lived here from 1946 to 1963 with his Aunt Mimi and Uncle George after he was taken away from his mother and put into the care of the relatives.

Unlike Paul McCartneys home, 251 Menlove Ave was never purchased by the National Trust to preserve for the future, however, Yoko Ono, John’s widow did so and donated the house to the Trust to preserve it and open to visitors.

• 9 and 59 Madryn Street

9 Madryn Street is the childhood home of Ringo Starr, however, after his parents divorced he spent most of the time in his grandparents house at no. 59 on the same street.

• 12 Arnold Grove

This was George Harrison’s childhood home from 1940 − 1953.

• Liverpool College of Art

Located on Hope Street the Liverpool College of Art was a school John attended and this is where he met Stewart Stu Sutcliffe, one of the founding members of the Beatles.

• The Liverpool Institute

Paul and George attended the Liverpool Institute together between 1953 − 1959.

Your Turn

Are you planning to visit any Beatles related places in Liverpool? Let us know which ones they are and what are your expectations for the visit. Leave your comments on our Facebook Page.

Today I want to highlight 5 places that have associations with famous irish writers.

Trinity College

Trinity College is by far one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. It’s glorious grounds, as well as some of the buildings, including the famous Library are stops of almost every single tour around the city. However, what’s little known is that the college has some literary connections as well.

Jonathan Swift, a writer, famous for being the author of the Gulivar’s Travels and dean of the famous St Patricks Cathedral, Oscar Wilde, Bram Stoker and Samuel Beckett have studied in the college.

Davy Byrne’s Pub

Dublin is almost synonymous with James Joyce. Famous for his novels The Dubliners, Ulysses and more, Joyce was a true Dubliner who loved the city deeply. Many places in Dublin such as the Bachelors Walk have been immortalized in his works but one of them truly stands out, the Davy Byrne’s Pub.

Joyce was a frequent visitor to the pub and even developed a special relationship with the owner. The pub is featured in Joycean works and the most prominently in Ulysses as a place where Leopold Bloom goes in for lunch.

On a side note, Davy Byrne’s is also said to be haunted by a ghost of none other by James Joyce himself!

Abbey Theatre

Abbey is one of the most fantastic theaters in Dublin. Opened in 1904, remains active till today and presents plays by some of the finest writers from Ireland and abroad.

The theatre was funded and opened by William Butler Yeats, a poet and the very first Irishmen honored with the Nobel Prize. Abbey was also a stage for one of the biggest literary scandals in Ireland, known as the Playboy Riots.

The Playboy Riots started as a reaction to staging of a play by another Irish writer, John Millington Synge’s “The Playboy of the Western World”. Offended by certain words used the crowd rioted and forced actors to finish the play without using their voices.

Dublin Castle

Very few people would consider the Castle’s connection with the literary Dublin to go beyond an odd function or hosting a writer within its walls. However, a little known fact is that one of the most famous Irish writers, Bram Stoker was actually working in the castle as a clerk.

Another interesting thing about Stoker is that his soul probably has never left the city and his ghost is sometimes seen in his home, writing by the candlelight.

Camden Deluxe Hotel

Not to be confused with Camden Court Hotel, the Deluxe is located half way through the Lower Camden Street and is connected to one of the finest contemporary Irish writers, Roddy Doyle. One of the most popular Doyle’s novels is “The Commitments”, a tale of a group of unemployed people from North Dublin who start a soul band. The book was turned into a popular movie, with many scenes shot inside the Camden Deluxe. The hotel dubbed for the rehearsal room as well as a venue for some of the bands performances.

Other Posts You May Also Like:

• 25 Super Funny Dublin Sayings You Would Never Understand
• 16 Haunted Places in Dublin that You Can Visit…If You Dare
• 15 Unbelievable Laws in Dublin You Might Have to Adhere to While in the City
• 10 Interesting Facts About Dublin I am Sure You Didn’t Know
• How to Survive Public Transport in Dublin

Image credit: stephane333 via Flickr Commercial License

If you are looking to discover a less known Dublin, read on. What follows is a list of 16 haunted places that you can visit them yourself. That is, if you are brave enough…

Haunted Dublin Pubs

Dublin is famous for its wonderful pubs and their welcoming atmosphere. A little known fact is that many of the pubs are frequented not only by the living and a ghoul soul sometimes wanders in. Below is a short list of the most notorious ones:

Davy Byrne Pub

People have claimed to see James Joyce reflection in the mirror on the main lounge in Davy Byrne’s bar on South Anne’s Street. This bar was heavily featured in Ulysses and was a favorite of the man himself.

The bar is located on 21 Duke Street, Dublin 2.

Brazen Head

Famous for being the oldest pub in Ireland, the Brazen Head was often frequented by a rebel leader Robert Emmet, who used the pub for various meetings. And, even though he was executed in 1803, his ghost is said to remain in the pub, still looking out for the enemies.

Lord Edward’s Pub

A bar located around the corner from our office is said to be frequented by the ghost of an Irish poet, James Clarence Mangan. Famous for Roisin Dubh song, Mangan was in fact born in the building where the pub stands and is said to visit the place every so often. His appearance always brings an overwhelming depression to everyone present.

Kavanagh’s in Glasnevin

This pub dating back to 1833 is named after its former landlord, John Kavanagh. The pub is commonly known as the Gravediggers, due to its close location to the Prosepct Cemetery. The pub is also famous for its resident ghost, an old man dressed in an old-fashioned tweed who is sometimes seen sitting at a bar and then disappearing without a trace.

Haunted Famous Tourist Landmarks

Not only pubs in Dublin are visited by various haunting apparitions. Even famous tourist landmarks are not free from supernatural visitors.

Kilmainham Gaol

This one of the most popular tourist attractions is known for an infamous game of cards played between prisoneers with a new inmate, suggest that this young man’s winning hand was making the other prisoneers suspecious, he dropped a card and when one of the other players bent down to pick it up, the hoofs of the devil were spotted under the table. The young inmate left the room, and was never seen in the prison again. The room were the game of cards was played has mysteriously gone on fire several times.

Trinity College

The glorious college is not free from some dark history and ghostly apparitions too. College grounds are said to be visited by a one Dr Samuel Clossey, the infamous head of the practise of medicine in Trinity 1786 – 1803. Legend has it that he robbed graves to indulge in his own experiments after college hours. 2 medical students disappeared during his time teaching. His ghost can be seen walking he halls of Trinity carrying an amputation kit and organs.

Bram Stokers House

There are a few versions of the story concerning the house of the author of “Dracula” novel. Apparently his shadow can be seen in the window at night writing by candlelight.

Howth Harbour Lighthouse

The Lighthouse at Howth Harbour is said to be haunted by the ghost of a 3 year old and her father who were washed out to sea back in the 1800’s. Her fathers ghost has been spotted on the shore calling her and her cries have also been heard.

Malahide Castle

This beautiful former residence of the Talbot family is now haunted by a ghost of one of the former watchmen, Puck, who fell asleep and didn’t see the enemies coming. He took his own life in shame and has been haunting the place ever since.

Another version of this story puts him as a servant who fell in love with a noblewoman. One night he was found stabbed through the heart. Apparently he managed to announce his intentions to haunt the castle before he died and does so ever since.

Dublin Castle

The Dublin Castle might not look like a MK wonder and is used for more public events than anything else, however, a little known fact is that hundreds of decapitated bodies are buried under the construction. Their ghosts are said to be roaming the castle at night.

Portobello Harbour Bridge

This bridge in Rathmines is said to be haunted by a vicious ghost of a lock-keeper. Blamed for the deaths of a number of passengers of a public transport cart, he drowned himself in shame. His ghost is apparently appearing at the bridge scaring passers by away.

Olympia Theathre

The famous city centre theatre is said to have its own poltergeist, a vicious ghost. Doors and windows have been known to rattle violently in this theatre, and once a dressing room was virtually destroyed by an unknown presence.

Haunted Churches

Religious sites are often a subject to paranormal activity and it is no different in Dublin. A number of well known churches is often frequented by visitors from “the other side”. Some of the most well known haunted churches include:

St Audoen’s Church

Located right opposite our Christchurch apartments, this little Polish chaplaincy is said to be a home to a ghostly haunt of lepers. The area outside the church is said to be a home to Darky Kelly, a woman executed for killing her unborn child (or five men, there are two versions of this story).

St Michan’s Church

The vault under the church contains thirty mummified bodies. Some visitors have reported to hears whispering between them and also often felt to be touched by a presence when bending down to inspect the bodies.

St Patrick’s Cathedral

The famous Dublin landmark has its own ghost too. A Newfoundland dog sometimes appears at the memorial of John McNeill Boyd who died rescuing sailors at risk of drowning. His dog was said to have waited at his master’s grave until the day it died. Now it appears beside his memorial at the cathedral.

Other Posts You May Also Like:

• 25 Super Funny Dublin Sayings You Would Never Understand
• 15 Unbelievable Laws in Dublin You Might Have to Adhere to While in the City
• 10 Interesting Facts About Dublin I am Sure You Didn’t Know
• How to Survive Public Transport in Dublin

Image credit by: mattwi1s0n under Flickr Commercial License

If your kids put Lego above anything else, as is the case with many young ones, then a trip to Legoland UK is a must. This lego themed park is a perfect destination for your family holidays.

Read on to find out more about this family holiday destination.

Legoland UK Location and Operating Calendar

Legoland UK is usually opened from March till November, and is closed on some Tuesdays and Wednesdays in May, September and October. Daily opening times are from 10am till 5 to 8 pm, depending on a day of the week as well as school and public holidays calendar. The park is usually opened longer during the summer months.

The Lego park is located in Windsor in Berkshire, only 12 miles away from the Heathrow airport and 45 miles from the Gatwick airport. It is easily accessible by car, coach, train and bus.

Age groups catered for

The Legoland London is catering mainly for three to twelve year olds. However, it does not mean that we adults can’t have fun there too. Having said that many of games and attractions such as various rides have been designed to children only.

Top Legoland UK Attractions

The park is divided into many themed areas, each incorporating various attractions, restaurants and leisure areas.

Some of the top areas include:

• Miniland

Miniland features miniatures of various locations from around the world, recreated using Lego. The areas feature a number of animated models, interacting with each other. Motor vehicles move around the streets, trains run on tracks and boats float on various rivers.

Some of the places featured in Miniland include: London and Edinburgh from the UK, Sweden, France, Italy and the Netherlands.

Another attraction are celebrities that you can spot in various cities. Jeremy Clarkson and the crew from Top Gear can be seen near the racecourse, Doctor Who and K9, Master Yoda, Gordon Brown and of course Her Majesty The Queen are amongst the others recreated in Miniland.

• Traffic

Themed around transport, Traffic allows children to learn about various ways of transport. Driving School lets kids drive Lego cars and learn how traffic lights and transport works. Your child can even get a mock license for their efforts!

Boating School lets you take control of a boat on a waterway, whereas Balloon School lets you take a mock up balloon for a fly around the park.

• Kingdon of the Pharaohs

This exciting area takes you back to the ancient times, and contain such attractions as the Laser Riders, which takes you through an Egyptian tomb, as well as Scarab Bouncers, Desert Chase and Thunder Blazer rides.

• Knights Kingdom

Go back to the medieval times with the Legoland UK Knights Kingdom area. Top feature includes The Dragon roller coaster ride and the Dragons Apprentice.

QBot Queueing System

In 2008 Legoland UK introduced an innovatory way of virtual queuing allowing its guests to reserve a place for various rides online and enjoy their time somewhere else, instead of waiting in the queue. If you avail of QBot system, you will be given a pager which will inform you when your turn in the queue comes in.

Your Turn

Have you ever been to Legoland UK? Share your experiences with us through our Facebook Page. If you are planning on going, tell us what you want to see the most in the park.

1. 1. Even though St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in numerous countries around the globe, there are only 3 places in the World where it is an actual public holiday:
   - Ireland
   - The Canadian Province of Newfoundland, and
   - The Island of Montserrat
2. 2. The very first St. Patrick’s Day parade didn’t take place in Ireland. It was in fact held in Boston in 1737, however, the first large scale such event took place in New York in 1762.
3. 3. In 1780 George Washington allowed his soldiers a holiday on March, 17 as an act of solidarity with the Irish in their fight of Independence.
4. 4. The shortest parade route was reported to be in Dripsey in County Cork, Ireland. It stretched for a mere 23.4 meters (approx. 77 feet), between two local pubs: The Weigh Inn and the Lee Valley. However, these days the shortest parade is apparently held in Hot Springs in Arkansas. It spans 30 meters (98 feet).
5. 5. It is hard to imagine bars and pubs in Ireland being closed on St. Patricks Day. Let’s face it, Guinness sales are soaring on the day, however, up until 1970 all taps were dry on March 17th. By a law decreed in 1903, st. Patricks Day was celebrated as a national holiday. All bars have to be closed on any national holiday and thus, there were no pubs open on the St. Patricks Day. The law was finally overridden in 1970.

Your Turn

Do you know any St. Patricks Trivia? Or do you have any interesting stories relating the saint or the celebration? Share them with us on our Facebook Page.

Image credit: el_floz via flickr (creative commons license)

Or perhaps you are coming to Dublin for the first time and wonder how will you understand the locals.

Dublin is quite famous for its sayings and slang language. Some of those are so popular that are widely used by almost everyone in the city.

If you are on your way here, or planning to come over some time later this year, read on.  What follows is an extensive guide to typical Dublin sayings you would never understand.

Ready? 

1. Good Morning – “Top of the morning to ye“, “Story horse“

2. Hello, how are you? – “Whats the story Bud?” , “Whats the craic?“, “How’s she cuttin?“, “How’s the form?“

3. Everything is good – “All’s Top drawer” , “Bleedin Deadly“, “I’m pulling the devil by the tail“

4. GoodBye – “I’ll love ye and leave ye” , “May the road rise to meet you“

5. Off you go – “On your bike“

6. Reaction to something shocking/funny – “Ah be da Jaysus“

7. House – ‘Gaff’

8. The Boss – ‘The Gaffer‘

9. Put the kettle on – “Wet the tae” (as opposed tea)

10. A cup of tea – “Cup of scald“

11. Not a bit – ‘Not a screed“

12. Be Quiet – “Stall yer witts“

13. An unattractive girl – “Not even the tide would take her out“

14. Be careful – “Sleep with yer good eye open“

15. Settling for very little – ‘Scraping the bottom of the barrell‘

16. I have something to tell you – ‘C’mere till I tell ye‘

17. Someone who has a grumpy face – ‘Face like a well chewed toffee‘

18. Taste this – ‘Get yer laughing gear around this‘

19. To have no luck – ‘sure ye couldn’t win an argument‘

20. Messing or misbehaving – ‘acting the maggot‘

21. To be embarrassed – ‘I was scarlet‘

22. Your father – ‘ould fella‘

23. Someone from the countryside – ‘Muck savage‘

24. Someone from Dublin – ‘Jackeen’

25. Are you serious? – ‘Are you havin a laugh / Are you havin me on / Pull the other one‘

Your Turn

What do you think of those? Do you like them? Let us know through Twitter or our Facebook Page

Image credit: hamadryades via Flickr (creative commons license)

So, if you are planning a trip to DUblin, get yourself accustomed to some of the funniest laws you might have to adhere to while in the city.

General Public

Most of the laws relate to the general public, naturally. An average Irishman has been subjected to some of the funniest restrictions in the city, however, there are also few laws permitting them more than you would imagine.

If you are coming to Dublin for holidays or a short break, make sure that you remember to adhere to the following:

Law: It is illegal to be drunk in a pub. Unbelievable but true…. apparently …. and … never seen to be executed.

Law: It is illegal to smoke tobacco on Grafton Street. The funny thing about this law is that two main tobacco shops in the city are located exactly on Grafton Street. This is another law that never seems to be executed.

Law: If a Leprechaun calls at your door you must, by law, give him a share of your dinner. No choice.

Law: Holders of the freedom of Dublin have the right to pasture sheep on common ground within the city boundaries. The law was gladly executed by Bono and The Edge of U2 couple years ago. However, some say that by doing so they accidentally broke the law at the same time as you are only allowed to graze your own sheep, not borrowed ones. See for yourself.

Law: You can drive around on public roads without ever proving your competency at driving. I am not going to comment on that one, come and see for yourself.

Law: The Tippling Act 1735 prohibits a publican from pursuing a customer for money owed for any drink given on credit. The law pretty much explains why you can never get a drink on credit in Ireland.

Law: It is illegal to conduct nuclear tests in the city. This law from 2006 clearly states that: “A person who carries out, or causes the carrying out of, a nuclear explosion in the State shall be guilty of an offense.”

Law: Crossing a railway track on a bicycle is illegal whereas you can drive across it legally. You are still supposed to dismount and walk your bike across at a level crossing.

Law: It is illegal to perform any form of witchcraft in the city.

Students

Students have their fair share in enjoying some of the craziest laws, a honor they seem to be rarely entertaining though. If you are coming to the city to study, particularly at the Trinity College make sure that you remember about the following:

Law: In Trinity College, students can demand a glass of wine during the exam. Another version of the law states that they have to wear a sword though, which makes it a little more complicated, however ties in with the next law regarding the student body.

Law: It is illegal for a student to walk through Trinity College without a sword. Unfortunately, I have never noticed this law to be executed though, sadly.

Law: You can shoot someone and kill them from the top of the bell tower in Trinity on a particular day of the year and not be charged with murder. Apparently this is true! However, it is impossible to find out what day of the year it is….

Crazy Past Laws

There is also a number of past laws in Ireland that today raise your eyebrows in wonder. Some of the best ones include:

Law: It is illegal to operate a flashing amber beacon on an agricultural tractor (and many other vehicles). Another source claims that this law is still active.

Law: (by Henry VIII): a pilot of a ship who runs aground in Dublin Bay will be blinded as punishment for their incompetence.

Law: The penalty for suicide was death by hanging. Origin: 1964

There are of course different variations of the above laws and most likely, many of them are more legend than any actual laws but it is still interesting that someone would think of anything like that.

And, since there is no proof that those laws are definitely only a tale, then beware when you place your feet on an Irish soil!

Image credit: Trig’s via Flickr, Creative Commons License