LONDON

London – excellent city of opportunities. There, the development of culture, society and industry. I would like live here, because here everyone can find something for themselves.

London is the capital of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It was founded by the Romans in about 43. One of its previous names is Londinium. London is divided into the City (financial and historical centre) and 32 districts. London's population is 8.6 million people (2015), making it the second largest city in Europe.

C LIMATE OF G REAT B RITAIN Great Britain is situated on the islands. It is washed by seas from all the sides. Thats why the climate and the nature of Great Britain are very specific. It is not very cold in winter and never very hot in summer. There is no ice on the lakes and rivers in winter. It seldom snows. It rains very often in all the seasons. The weather changes very often. All this is due to the influence of the Gulf Stream.

The river Thames flows across London. It is a navigable river, which flows into the North Sea. London area is about 1580 square meters. It is an interesting fact that the city is located on the prime meridian, which is often called Greenwich.

Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of the Sovereign. The daily ceremony of the Changing of the Guards takes place in its courtyard. The palace was built in 1703 by the Duke of Buckingham.

L ONDON E YE. It is one of the biggest observation wheels in the world. Its height is 135 meters. It has 32 cabins which symbolize 32 districts of London. It takes 30 minutes to make a full circle. But it is the view you will never forget. The cost is about £20.

T HE B IG B EN. The world-known clock. Everyday about 500 tourists come to London to see the Big Ben. Built in 1858, it was named after an architect whose name was Ben (Benjamin). The interesting fact is that you are not allowed to get inside the Big Ben if you arent an Englishman. No tourists allowed.

S PORTS IN G REAT B RITAIN The British are known to be great sports-lovers, so when they are neither playing, nor watching games, they like to talk about them. Many of the games we play now have come from Britain. One of the most British games is cricket. It is often played in schools, colleges, universities and by club teams all over the country. Summer isn't summer without cricket. To many Englishmen cricket is both a game and a standard of behaviour. When they consider anything unfair, they sometimes say: "That isn't cricket."