Romantic London - Spotlight Online

30-35_Romantic London_11_13.qxd 08.10.13 17:03 Seite 30
TRAVEL | Britain
Romantic
EVE LUCAS hat Tipps zu ihren
Lieblingsecken in London zusammengestellt, die wie geschaffen dafür sind,
ein perfektes romantisches Wochenende
zu planen.
London
30-35_Romantic London_11_13.qxd 08.10.13 17:03 Seite 31
River cruise:
enjoy views of
London from
the Thames
Fotos: F1 Online; Alamy/Mauritius (2); PR
E
arth has not anything to show
more fair...” wrote
William Wordsworth, as
he looked out over Westminster Bridge. That was
in 1802. More than 200
years on, London has
changed a lot, but stand 1
on any bridge in this city
and you’ll find it difficult, even today, not to give in to the
feelings that inspired England’s great Romantic poet. I’ve
spent a lot of time around the River Thames, and it still
moves me. So it seems like a natural place to start exploring the London that I love, a romantic London — for
lovers, and for all those who want to renew their affair with
the great city itself.
There’s only so much time you can spend on bridges.
On the other hand, a Bateaux London cruise (1) on the
Thames, from Waterloo Bridge to London’s Docklands
and back, provides two hours of pure pleasure and a beautiful introduction to the city’s special architectural history.
Combining views with food is an even better idea — one
that several cruise companies have taken up.
On this Friday afternoon, the sun is still reflecting on
the water. I’m enjoying a cup of tea and some fine English
sandwiches on the boat as it glides past the majestic
Houses of Parliament, the neoclassical beauty of Somerset
House and St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Norman fortress
otherwise known as the Tower of London. More recent
additions to London’s skyline such as The Shard and The
Gherkin rise between the older buildings, creating a fascinating combination of past and present. Seeing the city
from the river takes you to the very centre of London’s
long history, bringing together all its parts in a fantastic panorama.
A short ride on London Underground’s
Circle Line from Embankment to Liverpool
Street station takes me to a place with
another great panoramic view.
Sushisamba restaurant (2) is situated
on the 38th and 39th floors of the
Heron Tower in the middle of the
City, London’s financial district. A
fast lift takes me up to the cocktail
bar, where I order a glass of wine
and stand by the floor-to-ceiling
windows.
Lord
Foster’s
Gherkin building is just a
couple of streets away. From
this height, I can see into
its offices, where tiny-
cruise company
[(kru:z )kVmpEni]
docklands [(dQklEndz]
drift [drIft]
fair [feE]
fairyland [(feErilÄnd]
floor-to-ceiling window
[)flO: tE )si:lIN (wIndEU]
fortress [(fO:trEs]
Gherkin: The ~ [(g§:kIn]
Kreuzfahrtunternehmen
Hafenviertel
dahintreiben, ziehen
hier: schön
Feenreich
raumhohes Panoramafenster
give in to sth. [gIv (In tE]
glide past [(glaId pA:st]
hatbox [(hÄtbQks]
inspire [In(spaIE]
rooftop [(ru:ftQp]
Shard: The ~ [SA:d]
take up [teIk (Vp]
twinkle [(twINk&l]
Festung
gläserner gurkenförmiger
Wolkenkratzer
einer Sache erliegen, sich einer Sache
hingeben
vorbeiziehen, vorbeigleiten
Hutschachtel
inspirieren
Hausdach
gläserner scherbenförmiger
Wolkenkratzer
aufnehmen, ergreifen
funkeln, glitzern
looking people are shutting down their computers and
preparing for a Friday evening out. I feel a bit like Mary
Poppins, drifting over the rooftops. St Paul’s Cathedral, to
my right, looks like a hatbox with cream-coloured
columns surrounded by a labyrinth of pinks and greys. All
around, the lights of a fairyland city begin to twinkle.
2
For a dinner date high above the city:
Sushisamba in the Heron Tower
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