Charles Dickens: Champion of the poorest

"There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate"  Charles Dickens.

The man in the picture is Charles Dickens.  Today is his birthday, he would be 200 years old if he were alive. So, Have a happy birthday!
His novels show the appalling conditions of life of poor people in Victorian times. Reading his books you will have a dramatic description of the poorest neighborhoods in London.

Some fast facts about his life and Dickens' London map if you want to explore it.
Listen to or download some of his books.
Time Out takes you to visit London places related to Dickens.
Click and play: a BBC game about Dickens and London in his time.
The Guardian has a gallery of pictures of London spot related to him.

And the video:

London tube

Let us buy a ticket and take a ride on the London tube.
Remember: You shouild stand on the right side and leave some free space for people in a hurry , if you are in a hurry you should walk on the left side!

Romeo and Juliet (again)

O, that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek! 

(Romeo talking to Juliet who is in a window, Romeo and Juliet, Act II scene 2)

This is for those of you who are reading Romeo and Juliet.
Watch how Romeo met Juliet and how he learnt that she was a Capulet, member of the family enemy to Romeo's ow family (Montague).

Click and follow the Romeo and Juliet itinerary in Verona.
 

This is a graffitti wall in Juliet's home in Verona.
Click for more about Romeo and Juliet.
Follow the link to see pictures of the Globe Theatre in London.
Some facts about Shakespeare.

London: All you need for a short break.

Build your own custom video playlist at embedr.com

A London song and some videos with tips for your summer trip.

Magnificient Maps Exhibition

Click on the map to follow the link.

If you think to travel to London next summer, you are lucky because you will be able to visit the exhibition of Magnificient Maps in the British Library (a great library with more things than books). But if you can't go there, you always have the possibility to visit this great  website, where you can travel through the old maps and use the zoom to get a detailed view of them.
Click here you can see an animated presentation of the BBC showing the History of Mapmaking in Europe.
Or click to explore the beautiful website the BBC has about maps.
Pictures of London, just to enjoy.
Map to find the British Library and some more tips from Time Out London.
London for free, just in case you are short of money.

Your message to world leaders

Not only students of IES Maria Casares will travel to London next week, also G20 leaders will meet there next Thursday, if you have ever wanted to send a message to your premier and to all the leaders of most important countries in the world, this is your chance. You only have to think what you want to say, try to be brief, and follow the link,  Obama or Brown might read your message.
If you want to know more about the effects of this economic crisis in those countries just follow this link.
Click here to read about the protests and demostrations to come, this G20 meeting doesn't seem to make everybody happy.

London in your computer

Hi, I have some links for those who are travelling to London . Feeling nervous? I've not forgotten you,  here you have a present for you: a London map to search the town in your computer. You can search the places you want to visit. Remember our hotel is near the British Museum, so Russell Square is a good point to start your virtual trip (write that in the "from" box) and the point where you want to go in the "to" box. If the place where you want to go is too far to walk, don't worry, you have a tube map in the same website.
Click here to explore the British Museum (it is so next to our hotel that we can't miss it).
Natural History Museum
Click here to see some images of London.
How much do you know about London? check here.
Enjoy of this pre-London trip!

London tube

Those of you who are planning a trip to London will find useful this link where you can download and print your bus or tube map. The tube (that's how Londoners call to the underground)is the best way to move around and it is quick and safe as well. It works from very early in the morning until midnight, after that hour you have night buses or taxis, but the latter is an expensive option. You can buy a single or return ticket but it is always cheaper and easier to buy a travelcard which always charges to you with the lower fares. Now you have your travelcard and you tube map, now you are ready to explore London.

Routemaster

Routemaster is the name of the most famous double-decker bus in London. Although it has been withdrawn from the streets and replaced for newer ones in 2004. For the delight of both tourists and Londoners, it still survives as a classic ("heritage") bus and runs two lines only (9 and 15). Routemaster buses had been working for more than fifty years.

Learn English with the British Museum

 

Some of you will visit London next month, maybe you want to explore the British Museum and see the image above and many more things, you can plan your visit and meanwhile, watch and listen to the movie about the exhibition on Babylon. It is also possible to download the mp4 podcast. Enjoy!

Your trip to London

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Sherlock Holmes Death

The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (The Hound of the Baskervilles)

Sherlock Holmes, the worldwide famous detective started his work as a private eye in the book called "A Study in Scarlet"and he died (on the 3rd of May) fighting against his enemy Moriarty in a story called "The Adventure of the Final Problem" published in a magazine "The Strand" in 1893. Conan Doyle was fed up with this character and wanted to get rid of it. But he couldn't, readers got upset,and, so many as twenty thousand of them cancelled their subscription to the magazine. Finally Conan Doyle had to bring Holmes to life again, it was so much pressure.

As all of you know, Sherlock Holmes lived in London, at nº 221B, Baker St. as it is set in "A study in Scarlet" with his friend, Watson who was of great help in his difficult cases.

You can listen to "the final adventure" clicking here.

Click here to play a concentration game.

As you have already read "The speckled band" watch now a scene: