London black cab drivers must first pass The Knowledge, a multi-sequence oral exam requiring memorization of all 25,000 street names, landmarks, and points-of-interest in a 6 mile radius from London center. 00
A “London Fog” was yellow smog so thick you couldn’t…
A “London Fog” was yellow smog so thick you couldn’t see the ground. These “pea soupers” often carried toxic chemicals and one in 1952 killed 4,000 people in five days. Due to the Clean Air Act the last London Fog was in 1962. 00
London is still paying rent to the Queen…
London is still paying rent to the Queen on a property leased in 1211 and the rent consists of 2 knives, 6 horseshoes and 61 nails.
Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) in London is leaning over…
Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower) in London is leaning over so much it can now be seen with the naked eye. In 4000 years it will be at the same angle as the tower in Pisa is now.
Rather than building up, millionaires in central London are building down…
Rather than building up, millionaires in central London are building down, creating mega-basements. Nicknamed “iceberg homes” because there’s more square footage under the ground than above.
Mail was delivered 12 times a day in Victorian London, with immediate responses often expected….
Mail was delivered 12 times a day in Victorian London, with immediate responses often expected, and people got upset if letters weren’t received within a couple of hours.
Traffic in central London moves at the same speed…
Traffic in central London moves at the same speed as horse-drawn carriages a century ago.