The Traveling IQ vault is packed with travel photos that have never seen the light of day. They’re lonely and want to say hello.
Here’s a little photo tour of East London, from my November 2011 visit.
East London has undergone a dramatic change over the last decade. The once isolated area beyond the Tower of London, is now home to trendy shops, cafes, art galleries and open-air markets.
During my visit last year, I explored the area with my trusted “insider” Urban Gentry guide and stayed for the grand opening of the Aloft London Excel Hotel–all as the city was prepping to host the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The world of travel moves fast! Let’s keep up–together. This week, Traveling IQ curates recent travel stories on London, which you may have heard is hosting a sporting event of some kind, starting July 27.
London 2012
*Fasten your seat belt, it’s going to be a taxing night. One enterprising London cabbie has transformed his black cab into a hotel for one, with a “memory foam” mattress, pillow, duvet, bedside lamp and a Paddington teddy bear. Available during the Olympics for £50 (about $78) a night. (via CNN)
*The London Olympics will travel to you. For the first time fans will have live access to every event–at least every event with a camera on the scene–by streaming to their computers or mobile devices. Here’s a guide to the joys and complications. (via Consumer Search)
*London is busy on its slowest day. With as many as 5.5 million day-trippers and 450,000 visitors expected for the Games, plan to cozy up with strangers and follow these tips for navigating public transportation. (via LA Times)
*Enjoy the stylish life with advice toward the shops, restaurants, hotels and sights that will fit you to a T. (via NY Times T Magazine)
*Coming to London for the Olympics but don’t want to stay in the city? Commute from villages and rural retreats, most within an hour by train, and skip the inflated prices and crazed city fever. (via The Guardian)
*Take IQ’s suggestion and steer your own sightseeing course with Urban Gentry’s personalized tours of London’s art, fashion, design, food or architecture scenes. (via Traveling IQ)
*Celebrate the Olympic spirit and London’s new craft beer renaissance over a tasty pint. (via NY Times)
*And check out some of IQ’s recent articles on the Aloft London Excel Hotel, London cabbies, and the Soho neighborhood.
What did I miss? Share your favorite travel news in the comments below or by posting on the Traveling IQ Facebook page.
More than ever, London fashionistas are feasting in the East. Improved access by public transportation, cheaper rents for shops, and a renewed interest in East London, which is serving as the main site for the 2012 London Olympics, have fueled a flurry of new store openings over the last year, appealing to residents and visitors alike. Click below to read about our East London faves, as published in Out Traveler:
