There are some foods that we will never try in our lifetime. There are some foods that, quite frankly, we never want to try in our lifetime. But do we know what the offerings are from different cultures and countries? Unless we specifically fly out to them, we probably aren’t aware of what’s available to us. We don’t know what we may love but haven’t had the chance to sample yet, or what we’ll save til another day (month, year, century). Let’s take a couple of the weirdest foods from a few countries/continents and see what tickles our fancy… 

Scotland, Europe

What was once a Scottish-only celebration has now descended across the whole of the United Kingdom, taking place on the 25th of January every year.

January in Scotland is a month of big celebration. Not only do they bring in the year in style with Hogmanay, but revered poet Robert Burns’ birthday is celebrated on the 25th of the month with a traditional dinner of haggis, neeps & tatties (haggis, turnips and potatoes), washed down with traditional Scotch whiskey and a recital of Burns’ poetry. What is haggis? Well, it’s a mixture of a sheep’s internal organs, spices and oats, encased in sheep intestines. There are health benefits in it though, as it is full of fibre and protein. What’s to lose by trying some? 

China, Asia

There are a few dishes in Chinese cuisine which may not be suited for Western palates. The one meal that is common in the Western world is swiftlet birds nest soup, which is made using one of the most expensive animal-made products in the world (the birds nest, which can demand prices of up to US$2,500 worldwide); it has always been regarded as a meal which promotes good health. Other delicacies include the century egg, which is an egg preserved for a good few months encased in a mixture of ash, clay and salt. It produces a strong-tasting, salty product that barely resembles the original egg in everything but shape. 

Alaska, United States, North America

Stinkheads. If you haven’t figured out what they are yet from the name alone, let the elaboration confirm it for you: a rotting fish head. More specifically, the fermented head of a king salmon. It doesn’t really retain its shape, and is instead eaten in a mushy form. Doesn’t it sound appealing? 

United Kingdom, Europe or Australia, Oceania 

Marmite for the UK and Vegemite for Australia. The well-known phrase coined in the UK for Marmite is “You’ll Either Love It or You’ll Hate It” and it could not be more true; try and find a Brit who is indifferent to this yeast-filled delight. Made from the leftovers of the beer-brewing process, this dark brown thick, sticky spread is salty but that’s as far as you’ll get with trying to describe the taste - it’s definitely savoury, but tastes like nothing else you have ever tried before. If that description alone won’t nudge you towards trying it, there’s not much else that will; some British chefs are even creating recipes with it as it provides that distinct a flavor to be combined with blander food.

So - which are you going to try first? 

London means different things for different people. For some, it can be a place of patriotism and glory, whereby images of the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace, and Nelson’s Column will parade across the back of one’s eye. Or perhaps its attraction lies in its cultural diversity, evoking smells of steam-cooked Taiwanese pork buns and BBQ-fried jerk chicken, exhaled from tiny back-alleys. Or maybe, for others, London is a place of hedonism, be it laced with crystal glass highballs and million-pound views, or heavy basslines, pumped out from clubs situated beneath the plethora of railway arches dotted across the city. I have attempted to include all popular spots while slipping in a few hidden gems, so you can experience London to its fullest. 

Whether or not you are interested in history, the famous landmarks are well worth a sight, if only for their architectural magnificence and bucket-list statuses. With that in mind, take a walk over Westminster Bridge and view the splendor of Britain’s 500-year-old Houses of Parliament; book a tour if you are politically interested. Continue on to Trafalgar Square, crane your neck up at Nelson’s Column and take a hike around the National Portrait Gallery, before wandering up to Buckingham Palace.

There are many others which you also don’t want to miss. Here is an extensive list of the most popular site seeing destinations, so you won’t miss anything. 

 

• London eye 
• Tower of London 
• Tower bridge 
• St Paul’s Cathedral 
• Westminster Abby 
• Big Ben 
• British Museum 
• Palace of Westminster 
• London Dungeon 
• Globe Theatre 
• National Gallery 
• Kensington Palace 
• Hyde Park 
• Natural History Museum 
• Churchill’s War rooms 
• London Zoo 
• Tate Modern 

Top Pubs you don’t want to miss

As with any good trip, your visit to London should begin (and end) in a pub. Pubs are the essence of British culture; it was in a pub where Lord of the Rings was first drafted, and where the infamous Gunpowder Plot was conscripted, incriminating the name of Guy Fawkes forever more. London is home to some of the most historical and eclectic pubs in Britain, with everything from dark, crumbling caves for interiors to glittering cavernous halls. To get you started, here are London’s 5 most popular pubs according to TripAdvisor: 

1. The Mayflower Pub, Rotherhithe. This pub is almost 400 years old and its owners have tried to retain its original features and ambience as much as possible, only with a highly plausible update on the food menu. A good starting point for a pub crawl around Rotherhithe that will quite literally take you back in time. 
2. The Queen’s Head, Piccadilly Circus. For a welcome respite from the big shops and gaudy advertisements of modern Central London head to this independent pub that dates back to 1736. Sink some real ale and chow down on some hearty food in this surprisingly good value central location. 
3. The Andover Arms, Hammersmith. If you find yourself out in the deep unknown of West London, The Andover Arms will feed, water and bed you for the night in the comfortable surroundings of a traditional English pub, but with just a touch of fancy so that it feels a little bit special. 
4. The Victoria, Paddington. This pub is a good bolt hole to counterbalance the wide open spaces of nearby Hyde Park. A Fuller’s pub, expect a cosy atmosphere and some classic London beer whilst you revel in the fact that Charles Dickens wrote some of his last novel, Our Mutual Friend, whilst sat in your very spot. 
5. The Churchill Arms, Kensington. The Churchill Arms is a heart-warmingly quaint little pub found in the shadows of the royal Kensington Palace. Another Fuller’s pub, this merry and comfortable establishment should round off your visit to the classy Kensington High Street and Gardens perfectly, with some good Thai grub on offer to remind you how two cultures can live so cooperatively side-by-side. 

Secret Spots: 

• Tamesis Dock: If you are wondering around parliament, this is a perfect stop for a break just an 8-minute walk from parliament. Take a walk just over the bridge, turn right, and carry on walking until you see it. It is a pub on a boat, docked up on the Thames. On top of the dock is a seating area, where you can watch the sunset over parliament and the surrounding city with a cold beer, and some great pub food. 

• A Cheeky Secret on the Cheap. (Keep this one hush): If you are looking for a quiet place to have some very cheap drinks in the center of London, well you are very lucky you have read this article. If you are travelling on the underground, you will likely come across Euston Square. Get off! Most people will go and spend a huge amount at the Euston Tap down the road (worth a look though). However even closer, 10 meters from the main exit, you will see 336 in big text on the nearest building. Forgive me for not giving the street name, I won’t make it that easy for you. Go in and turn immediately to the door on your right. For 2.50 as pint, where you will usually pay around 6, this is the place to have a few cheeky ones, before you move on to the next thing on your agenda. Don’t believe me? Look for yourself. 

• Putt in the Park: In the Park (next to Acton central railway station) is mini golf where you can get cold beers at the bar while you play. It looks very tranquil, with small streams running through it, and a lot of greenery. A fun activity, up to 2-4 persons per game. Consider going next door to the Station House after, (can’t miss it) for some fantastic pizzas.

Top Destinations for Nightlife

London nightlife is awash with diversity and eclecticism. No matter who you are or what your preferences are, there is a community out there that shares your values, be it top-quality claret, raucous cabaret, endless comedy or all-night clubbing. The following is a list of three neighbourhoods famed for their unique nightlife and why they need to be checked out:

1. Camden Town Camden is the kookiest, wackiest part of London, where all manner of arts are celebrated and encouraged. The markets contain bargain handmade clothes and leather goods, foods from all over the world and artwork in abundant. You’ll find the pubs and street corners buzzing with quirky characters and loud live music. Check out The Hawley Arms for rock star fame and Camden Town Brewery to see where the infamous Camden Beer is brewed. 
2. Shoreditch Shoreditch is one for late night bars and street food. There’s practically a street food festival on every street, and a new bar or restaurant at least every fortnight. Shoreditch is quite pricey, but the competition keeps the quality of food and drinks up to scratch. Check out The Blues Kitchen for hip-swinging live music every night and 8 Hoxton Square for top-quality food. 
3. Mayfair Mayfair is for those who want to splash some cash on high-end dining and classy drinking. For a genuine Mayfair experience that doesn’t break the bank head to Kitty Fisher’s, whose namesake became famous for her taste in London’s wealthy men and their lavish lifestyle. 
4. Oxford street If you love shopping for designer brands, this is certainly the place to be. It has a comprehensive high-end selection in between many coffee shops, restaurants, and bars. 

London is renowned for its national museums and art galleries, but if you want to experience something a little different it also doesn’t disappoint.

First, we have ‘Sir John Soane's Museum’, the former residence of the architect of the Bank of England. Architectural drawings, works of art and antiquities abound, including the Egyptian Sarcophagus of Seti. If social history is more your area of interest, then the ‘Geffrye Museum’ explores the English Home from 1600 to the present day. With a focus on the living room, you may even see your own home style featured.

Once you have had a cocktail or two at ‘The Savoy Hotel’s American Bar’, head next door and check out the hotel’s museum. Photos of famous guests and even vintage alcohol make an appearance. Cheers!

For those with more unusual interests, there is plenty on offer. ‘The Grant Museum of Zoology’ hosts ‘Dead Life Drawing’ where you can sketch a host of ‘still-life’ models, all with a glass of wine in hand. ‘The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities’ houses a mixture of bizarre and grim exhibits and even offers a petting evening where you can meet live millipedes. Depending whether you find old dolls creepy or fascinating ‘The Pollock Toy Museum’ might make it on to your list.

Finally, if you enjoy the macabre, ‘The Old Operating Theatre Museum’ and ‘The Museum of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’ might be to your taste. Here you can experience what it was like to undergo basic surgery plus get up close to leeches and a mummified hand.


The music hall was very much a part of London life in the last couple of centuries and ‘Wilton’s Music Hall’ in Tower Hamlet’s recreates the atmosphere with a variety of performances.

If you are a fan of Dan Brown you may want to pay a visit to the ‘Temple’ area of London. Established by the Knights Templar in the 12th Century this area has been central to the practice of law over the centuries, plus it played a pivotal role in ‘The Da Vinci Code’.

If you want to see life as it was lived in the 18th Century head to ‘Dennis Severs’ House’. This house looks as though the family who called it home have just walked away, with beds unmade and food on the table. If you enjoy National Trust properties, then surprisingly there is one right in the heart of the capital. ‘Fulham Palace’ offers art, history and a diverse range of events throughout the year.

Life in Roman times can even be glimpsed at the ‘Guildhall Art Gallery’. When the building was restored in 1988 the circular walls of an amphitheatre, with all its bloody history, came into view.

There are also plenty of places to explore in London if you enjoy a boutique shopping experience. ‘Camden Passage’ is probably the most well-known centre of independent stores, with its cluster of cafes and shops, many of which have a vintage vibe. Perhaps less well known but equally attractive to visit is ‘Little Venice’. Here is a hub of waterside cafes, shops and restaurants and you can even jump on canal boats to take you to your next destination.


As much as London is a bustling urban centre what makes it so attractive to visitors is the array of green spaces dotted around the capital.

Central to all activity in London is, of course, the Thames and you can travel along the 40 mile ‘Thames Path’ on foot or bike. Why not stop off at ‘The Prospect of Whitby’, one of Charles Dickens’ favourite pubs, for lunch.

If you need a little Zen in your life, then the ‘Japanese Roof Garden at the School of Oriental and African Studies’ might be the perfect place to relax. With the garden’s focus on forgiveness, all will seem well with the world after a visit. You can continue the Japanese theme by visiting the ‘Kyoto Japanese Garden’ in Kensington.

‘Postman’s Park’, a short distance from ‘St. Paul’s Cathedral’, is dedicated to bravery. The touching exhibits are dedicated to those who have lost their life trying to save others. Download the app related to the park if you want to learn more about each individual featured.

Exclusive Food

Before you choose which restaurant you want to head to in London decide on exactly what you want to eat as there is something to suit almost every taste.

Ice-cream is catapulted into the future at ‘Chin Chin Labs’ in Camden. A variety of frozen dairy treats are concocted by a generous application of liquid nitrogen. Next, travel from the future to the past, and visit a traditional stalwart of London culinary expertise, the ‘Pie and Mash Shop’. If you dare, you could even try the jellied eels.

In London recently there has been an upsurge in restaurants who offer seclusion. ‘Back in 5 Minutes’. ‘Four O Nine’, ‘Old Tom and English’ and ‘Freud’ are all great examples. Some of these restaurants are reservation-only, so research each one before you head out.

Cool Cocktails

Matched by this trend for exclusivity is the desire to enjoy the decadence of cocktails. ‘Callooh Callay’ in Shoreditch, ‘Happiness Forgets’, ‘Love & Liquor’, ‘The Lucky Pig’, ‘Mr. Fogg’s’ and the creatively named ‘Opium Cocktail and Dim Sum Bar’ will have you up late with not a care in the world about that early-morning alarm. In fact, the enjoyment of the night will more than make up for your heavy head in the morning.

Want to take that feeling of living in the era of prohibition to a whole other level? Then take

a look at what’s on offer at ‘The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town’. This speakeasy bar hidden within the Shoreditch branch of ‘The Breakfast Club’ can only be accessed by a Smeg Fridge. If you do gain access, remember to abide by the one rule of the establishment, never leave by the fridge door.


When in doubt, look to TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor holds more than 320 million reviews of over 6.2 million businesses and attractions worldwide, with 200 new contributions posted every minute. London has ranked highest on MasterCard’s Global Destinations Cities Index as the most visited city in the world for the past 7 years. That’s a lot of visitors, with a lot of opinions.

For local knowledge, your point of call should be Time Out London. Time Out has a large workforce that includes volunteer contributions from your everyday Joe trying to get his entertainment fix, to full-time slaves of the recreational lifestyle, who spend every waking minute sourcing the best up-and-coming and underground bars, restaurants and events, and visiting all those with undeserved hype so that you don’t have to. Independent guides are numerous too, covering lots of sectors, whether you are looking to do London on a budget, London with a team, or London as a couple, to name but three.

Social media will also be massively helpful. Good bars, restaurants, journalists and entertainment entrepreneurs are generally good friends with each other, so by following one’s Twitter or Instagram thread, a plethora of local, independent and specialised businesses will open up to you.

For gigs and music events you’re really spoilt for choice. Resident Advisor will cover all your electronic music needs, showcasing the most popular current events alongside an intricate list of clubs and live music to satisfy even the most obscure tastes. If you have particular artists in mind then track them on Bandsintown, a website with a huge database of artists that has all the information on live events, sending out notifications when new shows are announced.

We’ve delved under the skin of the big smoke to find some of the finest under the radar and alternative attractions on offer.

Eltham Palace

How under the radar can a palace be? Very, if Eltham Palace is anything to go by; residents in the area didn’t even know it existed until it opened its doors to the public 13 years ago. What has to be one of the world’s few art Deco palaces is a visual treat and likely something you’ll never forget. Once owned by a wealthy textile heir, it’s a treasure trove of unique artwork. And just when you think you couldn’t unearth more secrets it turns out its amongst the ruins of a medieval palace, complete with moat and drawbridge. La Bodega Negra You’ll have to trust us here, but to have one of the most memorable meals you’ve had you’re going to have to go through the front door of a sex shop. Or what looks like a sex shop anyway; it’s so grittily convincing you might have to steel your nerves to enter. But what you’ve actually entered is La Bodega Negra, one of the most unusual restaurants London has to offer. As you descend into this subterranean, candlelight chamber you’ll be greeted by an eatery that’s the height of battered fashion. Harsh concrete walls and an upturned piano are the unique surroundings for food that’s getting great reviews. The Comedy Store ‘Expect the unexpected’ is the tagline to this London institution and fittingly enough it was the focal point of the Alternative Comedy explosion of the 1980s and has seen some of the best comedians in the world play there, from Mike Myers to Simon Pegg. Whether you’re watching a stand up solo gig, an improving performance, or one of the comedy troupes like The Comedy Store Players or The Cutting Edge, this is the place to be for guaranteed laughter. As a late night venue situated close to so many London Hotels it’s a great place to end your day in style. The Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret If you’re after something really unusual then this is the place for you. Housed in the roof of an English Baroque church this operating theatre dates back to the early 1800s and is beautifully preserved. The informative and evocative displays mean you can practically hear the bones crack and see the gore that filled this place in its working days; all under no anesthetic. It’s not all blood and guts however, with the fascinating Herb Garret attached giving an in depth look at the life of an old apothecary in beautiful surroundings. A city like London has an exhaustive list of attractions, alternative or not, and listing them all would be nigh on impossible. The above list is our pick of the bunch and is designed to propel you into finding all the interesting and unusual nooks and crannies that the English capital has to offer.

A significant number of travelers from around the world visit the UK every year, and many of them feel they will have no problem whatsoever with the language. Millions can speak English already, of course, and many more will have studied the subject at school, so everything will be OK, right? Well, no, not all the time, because the British people, from the far north of Scotland to the deep south of England, love to use slang words. So, even if you know the difference between bubble and squeak, you may still find yourself confused sometimes. Here are ten words which can mean something different in certain parts of the United Kingdom.

Banger

While the word banger can mean a rather loud firework that you’re likely to hear in early November in particular, it’s also a common name for a sausage. The traditional dish of bangers and mash is a hearty plate of sausages and mashed potato, and is popular throughout the UK.

Bairn

In the north of England and throughout Scotland, you are likely to hear the word bairn on a number of occasions. It’s actually a term for a baby or small child. Other terms used in the UK include sprog and nipper.

Boat Race

In and around London, rhyming slang remains common, and there are a number of expressions that you’re likely to hear about your travels. They include apples and pears (stairs), plates of meat (feet) and currant bun (sun). The term Boat Race refers to the face.

Chuffed

If you hear some telling you they are chuffed, they are actually saying that they’re very pleased. The origin of this word is thought to be in relation to an animal being chuffed, or puffed out with fat.

Pissed

In the United States, someone is described as being pissed when they are extremely angry, but in the UK it means they are rather drunk. Therefore, if someone tells you they are pissed they aren’t commenting on their levels of rage.

Goggle Box

The Goggle Box may sound like something from a fantasy novel, perhaps, but it’s just an expression for the television. Other terms used to describe a TV are the telly, the idiot box and, rather mockingly, the electronic babysitter.

Bobby

If someone tells you they are a Bobby when they are at work, they’re actually telling you they are a police officer. The term is thought to have originated from the founder of the modern British police, Sir Robert Peel. For the same reason, officers are also known as Peelers.

Jam Jar

Another popular example of Cockney rhyming slang, a jam jar is another name for a motor vehicle. If you are planning to investigate any car hire deals in the UK, be sure to find a jam jar that you can afford.

Scally

A scalawag in America is a derogatory term for a Southerner who is thought to have betrayed his roots, but in the UK the word scallywag usually refers to a young person who often breaks the law. The shortened word scally is particularly common in the north-west of England.

Monkey

Several denominations of money are given slang titles in the UK, so if someone offers you a monkey they may well be talking about a sum of £500 rather than a simian. Other terms include pony (£25), score (£20) and bulls-eye (£50).

Jamie Anderson has lived in England all his life and is fascinated by slang.

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2013