FIRE IN THE SKIES IS MY POST OF LIES, LIKE A FRIENDS
IN THE LIES, WHAT I FEEL I CAN SAY, IT'S MY PART, I'LL MAKE LATER THAN I'VE
JUST BELIEVE IT'S NOT TWICE
DON'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT ALL THE THING I KNOW I CAN'T COMPLAIN
IT'S A RELIGIOUS BELL CHEAPER IT'S EVERY DAY MY RIDERS SHOULD BELL BELL
Hello, going on a trip? Got your plane ticket? Did you bring your passport? Do you have a guidebook? Great, have a good time!
The joy of travel, no matter how much you prepare, something someone somewhere will always catch you by surprise.
But when it comes to the place we sleep, most of us don't want to take any chance, which is why we turn to advice websites for recommendations and assurance.
But long, long time ago, before there was the internet, before the invention of the airplane, even before the arrival of plumbing and electricity, finding overnight accommodation on a journey was quite a different experience.
For example, here in Britain, the most common way to travel long distance up until the 19th century was by stagecoach, a horse-drawn wagon that made regular trips between stations across the country.
The average speed of the coach was between 5 to 7 miles per hour, making it almost a necessity to spend one or more nights on the road, hence the creation of the coaching yens.
Coaching yens has several important functions. They provided stabling for horses and replaced tire mounts with fresh ones.
They also provided food and drinks and overnight accommodation for wary coach travelers.
Today, we're going to check out London's last remaining gallery coaching yens.
Located south of the River Thames near London Bridge, the George Yen was rebuilt in 1676 after major fire and was one of the many coaching yens in Suddeck,
serving as a meeting point for stagecoaches and also for pilgrims making the journey to Canterbury Cathedral in southeast England.
The yen used to extend around three sides of a courtyard, but two-thirds of it was demolished to make way for the construction of railway over a century ago.
Luckily, the south front was saved and today is home to a beautifully restored and very popular pub, owned and protected by the National Trust.
The ground floor of the George Yen is adorned with the lattice windows and oak beams and has several connecting bars.
The parliament bar used to be the waiting room for coachmen and passengers and houses a rare parliament clock.
This was the coffee room Charles Dickens used to visit and here is a random surprise.
A copy of Dickens life insurance policy is framed on the wall.
The guest bed chambers were upstairs in the gallery section which fronts the George Yen, a common feature on coaching yens back in the days to ensure that veterans had windows despite being backed onto other buildings.
Now this area is a restaurant serving traditional British pub food.
As railway transport gained popularity, coaching yens saw a decline in business and many eventually fell into disuse.
The expansion of the railroads and improved comfort in train journeys offered people the unprecedented opportunity to travel for pleasure.
Numerous hotels popped up near train stations but very few could compare with the grandeur of railway hotels in London.
As the number of leisure travellers grew, railway companies competed to attract passengers with unique and upscale accommodations.
They built lavish hotels next to their own terminals, often as a status symbol.
And the most magnificent example was the Midland Grand Hotel at St. Panker Station.
Opening to the public in 1873, the Scothick masterpiece had hydraulic lifts, revolving doors and a stunning grand staircase standing three stories high under a lavishly decorated vaulted ceiling.
A backdrop adored by Hollywood and has appeared in movies like Batman, Harry Potter and this music video.
I'll tell you what I want but I really really want. No, tell me what you want but I really really want. I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it, I really really really want. If you want to be my...
Okay, back to the past.
Railway travel for the wealthy was most definitely a glamorous occasion, maybe with one exception.
The hotel guests had to share bathrooms.
It may sound inconvenient to us now, but in those days it was quite normal for hotel guests
to share bathing and toilet facilities.
At the Midland Grand, there were 300 rooms and just 5 bathrooms, and a lot of chamber pots.
Then came the Savoy.
Opened in 1889, this new hotel offered unsweet bathroom to almost every room,
along with modern conveniences such as constant running hot and cold water,
electric lights and 24-hour room service.
It was quickly hailed as Britain's first luxury hotel and set the standards for comfort, service and cuisine.
Over the next century, London saw a continuous development of hotels,
even through the World Wars and economic downturns.
Hotels of different sizes, budgets and concepts thrived and co-existed,
but it would take a boat on the edge to fully embody the romantic essence of the city.
Perched high above the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank,
this boat appears to have been grounded from the retreating waters of the Thames below.
It's called A Room for London, an art installation created as part of the Cultural Olympia,
a government-sponsored program to showcase British arts and culture in the lead-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games.
It also doubles as a hotel room, offering a priceless panorama that stretches from Big Ben to St Paul's Cathedral.
Inside the small living space, you can find all the amenities of a modern hotel with an enviable touch of exclusivity.
There's a bathroom, bedroom, library and, of course, the most desired viewing deck in town.
For 12 months, the boat will stay in this enviable position and be rented out to the public for night long stays.
In addition, artists and writers are invited to spend a night here to reflect on London's place in the world.
We're also encouraged to pay tribute to Joseph Conrad, whose classic novella, Heart of Darkness, helped guide the design of this enchanting room.
A tiny space with a big impact, a fitting description for the boat and the city that inspires it.
Thank you for watching!
