Date: Wednesday 11th June 2008 Airline: Easyjet Flight No: EZY2126 Aircraft: Boeing 737-73V Origin: Nice Côte d'Azur, Southern France Destination: London Luton, England, UK Take-off: 5:50pm CEST Landing: 7:02pm BST 0:06 - Taking off from Runway 04R at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport. 0:33 - View of Nice once airborne. 1:10 - Ascending through the clouds. 1:18 - Thick cloud below. 1:30 - Close-up of the end of the wing. 1:35 - Snow on top of the French Alps. 1:48 - Cloud beginning to disperse. 2:09 - Light turbulence with wing flex. 2:27 - Scattered light cloud below. 2:42 - Twinings Classics Traditional English Tea - served onboard Easyjet before the introduction of Starbucks. (2:56) Seat-back advertisement for cutting CO2 emissions. 3:03 - Thick cloud below. 3:10 - Ice crystals all up the window and a very close-up view of the end of the wing. 3:27 - Wing overview. 3:39 - The French coastline and the English Channel clearly visible. 4:24 - Starting our initial descent with speed brakes armed. 4:36 - Safety card. 4:41 - Descending through thick cloud. 5:11 - Emerging out of the thick cloud with a view of the Bedfordshire towns. 6:15 - Final approach. 6:49 - Hard and fast landing on Runway 08 at London Luton. 7:31 - Turning off the Runway and onto the taxiway. Includes PA welcome announcement. 7:58 - Control Tower and the Easyjet Hanger whilst taxiing to the Terminal. Filmed using the Sony HDR-HC5E HDV1080i High Definition Handycam.
Showing posts with label London. Show all posts
Showing posts with label London. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
High Tea and Tea Etiquette London Style
There is nothing more quintessentially English than a good cup of tea. In fact, along with bulldogs, bowler hats and red telephone boxes, tea drinking has come to symbolize the very essence of the British experience. When traveling to London you may want to indulge yourself in this genteel ritual, here are a few tips to ensure that you will have a memorable tea drinking experience.
First a bit of history about the English Tea trade:
Tea came to Britain in the 16th century when Dutch merchants first imported this Asian beverage from China. The Chinese had been drinking tea for centuries (with limited supplies of clean water, boiling it with aromatic leaves was a good way to ensure a safe and tasty drink).
By the 17th century, tea drinking was in fashion throughout Europe and British entrepreneurs were quick to capitalize on the trend. The famous Twinings company established a warehouse in London in 1706 and is still in business today.
Twinings: London's oldest Tea shop
The distinctive clipper ships are a product of the British tea trade. Built for speed, these sailing vessels would stock up on Chinese tea and race home to be the first with the new harvest.
The most famous clipper of all, the Cutty Sark, has been preserved and can be visited in Greenwich just east of London.
Fortnum and Mason is another institution which opened just a year after Twinings, in 1707, selling to the royal household and the local gentry. When in London, visit "Fortnums", as they are known, and see the liveried shop assistants.
In fact, one of London's best-loved institutions also has it roots in the tea trade. In 1834, Henry Charles Harrod opened a tea wholesaler in the East End. Today Harrod's in London's Knightsbridge is one of the world's most famous department stores.
The world's taste for tea made many men rich and helped establish Britain as an international commercial powerhouse. And, of course, where there is money to be made there is money to be taxed: it was Britain's taxation of tea in the 1700's that helped fuel the American independence movement!
English tea times:
In Britain there are different tea drinking occasions associated with different times of day.
For instance, elevenses is a morning tea comparable to a coffee break. Low tea is an afternoon meal that may include sandwiches and scones (the name originates from the habit of enjoying the meal in low armchairs!) The famous English cream tea may feature scones and clotted cream, marmalade and lemon curd. Royale Tea is a social occasion that includes champagne or sherry served before the tea. Perhaps the most well known tea drinking occasion High Tea. It started as an evening meal for laborers and typically might include meat and potatoes (really more of a dinner than tea). These days, you may enjoy High Tea at two in the afternoon. It is a fairly elaborate meal with cake, biscuits and pastries.
Tea etiquette:
Mostly followed during Victorian days, it still has its importance in some Etiquette and English Schools and circles, here are a few light hearted tips.
London's Ritz serves one of the best London Afternoon tea
When sitting down to tea, place your purse on your lap or behind you on the back of your chair. Unfold your napkin and place it in your lap (should you need to leave the table, place your napkin on your chair). Put sugar in your cup first, then a lemon slice if you wish. Milk goes in after the tea is poured. Lemon and milk are never used together and cream is never added to tea. Do not stir in a circular motion - gently move the tea back and forth with your spoon. Never leave your spoon in your teacup - leave it on the saucer behind the cup. Split scones horizontally with your knife and add cream and lemon curds to you plate. Spread the cream and curds on your scone before each bite.
It is a misconception that polite tea drinkers extend their little fingers when holding a cup (although it is a good practice to handle food with only three fingers).
Enjoying tea in London
First be aware that no self-respecting tearoom will use tea bags, always loose leaves.
When in London you may want to indulge in the tradition of tea at the Ritz - the world famous hotel that overlooks Green Park and Buckingham Palace in the distance. It gained popularity in English society in the early 20th century as a place where ladies could enjoy a meal without a chaperon. These days the Ritz welcomes everybody. The tea sandwiches and cakes are world famous!
Served in the spectacular Palm Court, Ritz Traditional Afternoon Tea offers a choice of several varieties of tea, finely cut sandwiches, freshly baked scones, jam and clotted cream and a range of delicate pastries, combine to make for an unforgettable afternoon. Although there are five sittings every day, booking at least twelve weeks in advance is absolutely essential, especially for weekend bookings. There is a formal dress code in its public areas. Ritz London
The English Tea Room of Brown's Hotel in Albemarle Street, Mayfair serves an excellent Afternoon tea. This fine, traditional hotel was founded in 1837 by James Brown, butler to Lord Byron and his wife, who was Lady Byron's maid. Their hotel quickly became a meeting place for the local nobility and today is frequented by a wide clientele carrying on the tradition of enjoying English afternoon tea.
Curious about tea?
When in London visit the Bramah Museum of Tea and Coffee, 1 Maguire Street, Butler's Wharf
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Wednesday, November 9, 2011
London - Tea Capital Of The World
The British have long been known for their love of tea -- a custom acquired from the Chinese back in the 16th Century, when British entrepreneurs discovered this most refreshing of beverages and started to bring it to England, turning London into the tea capital of the west.
This started the tradition of the clippers: swift, square-rigged sailing vessels, which would race each other round the Cape of Good Hope in an effort to be first to dock in London with the new harvest of tea from China. One such tea clipper, The Cutty Sark, is preserved and is moored on the Thames at Greenwich, to the east of London.
The oldest tea merchant in the world is Twinings, who opened their tea warehouse in London in 1706. Today they are still very much in business, still selling tea and still run by the Twining family.
Two other tea merchants followed Twinings, eventually diversifying into selling more general goods. The oldest of the two is Fortnum and Mason, the world famous food store in Piccadilly. This was started by William Fortnum -- a retired footman, who used to work in nearby St James's Palace, serving the then monarch, Queen Anne. He was already in partnership with Hugh Mason, as he was allowed to keep the burnt down stubs of the candles that lit the royal palace, which Mason melted down to make new candles for sale.
Fortnum and Mason opened just a year after Twinings, in 1707, and immediately started to sell a wide range of high quality food -- including tea -- to the royal household and the local gentry. They also shipped tea to Florence Nightingale, when she was nursing in The Crimea. They are still going strong today and, when you visit London, you must visit "Fortnums", as they are known, and see the liveried shop assistants. And, if you are seeking that special Christmas gift, Fortnum and Mason gift hampers, presented in monogrammed wicker baskets are the epitome of fine food for the festive season.
In 1834, Henry Charles Harrod opened a wholesale grocery, specializing in tea, in Stepney in the east end of London. In 1849, he shrewdly moved to the new district of Knightsbridge, then in the countryside west of London. This lay just south of the original royal hunting area of Hyde Park, which was due to be the location of the Great Exhibition of 1851.
This relocation paid off handsomely for Harrod and his store grew and grew into the world famous Harrods, now occupying an impressive site in the same location as the original shop. They still sell tea today -- and a lot more besides. In fact their proud boast is they sell anything you might want. To reinforce this, their telegraphic address is: "Everything, London".
Taking afternoon tea in London has become something of a tradition. One of the most desirable locations for this is just along Piccadilly from Fortnum and Masons, at the Ritz Hotel, overlooking Green Park.
"Tea at the Ritz" became particularly popular in the early twentieth century, because it was the only place young ladies could visit unchaperoned. Today, it is a delight to be savored, with or without your chaperon! The standard of the tea, sandwiches (another famous dish invented in London by The Earl of Sandwich) and the cakes is impeccable.
Another excellent location for afternoon tea, when in London, is the English Tea Room of Brown's Hotel in Albemarle Street, Mayfair. This fine, traditional hotel was founded in 1837 by James Brown, butler to Lord Byron and his wife, who was Lady Byron's maid. Their hotel quickly became a meeting place for the local nobility and today is frequented by a wide clientele carrying on the tradition of enjoying English afternoon tea.
Copyright 2006 Jon Michael and LondonVacationSecrets.com
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