Samuel Johnson said two centuries ago, "He who is tired of London, is tied of life." London has everything you could possibly want out of life ... if you plan it well. Which means exploring further than the square kilometre that most tourists see. London is one of Europe's largest capitals, and the further you get away from Buckingham Palace, the better. Remember, not all of London's history revolves around the Royal family soap operas. The priceless jewels of London are the people, not those trinkets locked in the Tower. One of London's most interesting and undiscovered areas is the East End. In the 1880s, Jack the Ripper stalked these tiny backstreets — at the same time William Booth, "the East End Saint" set up the Salvation Army. America's Libery Bell was made in the still-existing 16th-century bell foundry. It's also where London's "East End Mafia" operated in the 1960s. The East End is a slice of "real" London and represents our culture as it is, today. I'm a born-and-bred Londoner and yet still get a thrill every time I see Big Ben. Wonderful though it is, it's no comparison to sitting in a pub in the East End, listening to someone tell you incredible stories which will inform your heart. (from London's East End by J. Payne)
