The Best Historic Experiences in London

Meeting the Heroes and Villains of the City's History: The greats and not-so-greats of English history show their faces at the National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin's Place, WC2 (tel. 020/7306-0055; www.npg.org.uk), often "warts and all." The gang's all here, from Dr. (Samuel) Johnson to Princess Diana, and even a Holbein cartoon of Henry VIII.

Taking a Tour of Royal London: From palaces and parks to the royal art collections, much of London's history, geography, and culture has been shaped by centuries of aristocratic rule. You can see the best of it in a day -- including the Queen's favorite grocer, Fortnum & Mason -- if you plot your itinerary carefully. Come during July or August and you can also view inside Buckingham Palace (tel. 020/7766-

HISTORY

The insignificant Viking kingdoms of Norway were united in 872 AD by Harald Fairhair. In the going hand in hand with period, Norwegians settled in various spots, for instance, [[iceland]], the [[faroe Islands]] and parts of [[scotland]] and [[ireland]], where they secured [[dublin]]. To begin with of the fourteenth century, Norway and [[sweden]] were united as the Norwegian ruler was also picked master of Sweden.

The Best Historic Experiences in London

Walking in the Footsteps of Sir Christopher Wren: The architect who rebuilt so much of London after the Great Fire of 1666 is best known for his churches. Walk from St. Bride's, on Fleet Street, past his icon, St. Paul's Cathedral, to St. Mary-le-Bow and beyond to appreciate his genius.

Shopping in the Grandest Department Store of Them All: And, no, it isn't Harrods. Liberty of London, 210-220 Regent St., W1 (tel. 020/7734-1234), was founded in 1875 and moved to its current half-timbered, mock-Tudor home in 1924. London's rediscovered hunger for classic fabrics and vintage style has seen Liberty catapulted right back to the forefront of cool. It's the West End's best shopping spot, but you'll need to pack the credit card.

Imagining Domestic Life Through the Ages: At the Geffrye Museum, 136 Kingsland Rd., E2 (tel. 020/7739-9893; www.geffrye-museum.org.uk), period re-creations of interiors from the spartan 1630s to the flashy 1990s allow visitors to understand how home life has changed. Travel 500 years in an hour on an absorbing visual and personal retelling of the history of middle-class London.

Staying at a Classic Mayfair Hotel: From the Art Deco interiors of Claridge's, Brook St., W1 (tel. 020/7629-8860; www.claridges.co.uk), to the liveried door attendants of the Connaught, Carlos Place, W1 (tel. 020/7499-7070; www.the-connaught.co.uk), nothing screams historic London quite like the city's most upscale hotel area. Comfort has never gone out of style here, so start saving right away.

The Best Local Experiences

North London on a Lazy Sunday: Head for Hampstead Heath off Well Walk and take the right fork, which leads to an open field with a panoramic view across London. Backtrack for lunch at Wells, 30 Well Walk, NW3 (tel. 020/7794-3785), before a visit to Hampstead's Freud Museum or Keats House, both of which are open on Sunday until 5pm. Cap it all off with a pint in the Holly Bush, 22 Holly Mount, NW3 (tel. 020/7435-2892).

A Bargain at London's Best Street Market: A jumble of open-air stalls and warrens of indoor arcades combine to make Portobello Road the quintessential West London market. Haggle hard and you'll likely get 10% to 15% off the asking price. Saturday's the best day to come, when even the crowds won't ruin your fun.

A Night on the Tiles South of the River: Young revelers pour into buzzing Brixton after dark, despite the area's historical rep for edginess. Try Dogstar, 389 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 (tel. 020/7733-7515), for everything from house DJs to cabaret, or the O2 Academy Brixton, 211 Stockwell Rd., SW9 (tel. 020/7771-3000; 

We will rock you: climbing in Boulder, Colorado

need to think about "climbing season", because in Boulder you can climb all year round.

I've spent cold winter mornings slogging through snow and ice on the one-hour approach to the Industrial Wall near Eldorado Canyon, only to find myself comfortably basking in a sun trap at the base of the crag, wearing just a T-shirt. But beware, even in winter the rays are strong and the price most outdoor enthusiasts pay is well-weathered skin – we like to think of those wrinkles as a logbook of life's extracurricular activity.

But what truly makes the Front Range the epicentre of rock climbing is the community. Never again will you have to search for a partner who shares your goals for the day. Never again will you spend a lonely evening in the gym trying to motivate yourself with just an iPod. And never again will you wish for a crew to jaw with over a few beers about that epic day you blew your shoulder out on the crux move of your bouldering project.

And if your 'ceps are starting to feel a little overdeveloped and you are starting to adopt that characteristic climber hunchback, there are numerous other athletic communities you can join. Pick up a mountain bike, train for a marathon, navigate rapids in a kayak – Colorado's got it all, and we can quickly help you balance out those muscle groups.

Norway is skiing secrets

After trying her hand at dog sledding, Mariella takes a break. Photograph: Observer

The only sound as I slide along is the whoosh of metal blades on ice and the panting of the huskies. In every direction stretches a dazzling canvas of snow and pine with not a sign of habitation. We are intruders in this winterscape. Johan, the owner of the dog-sledding outfit, is our outrider, leading the way, surefooted as a deer as he careers ahead. Negotiating the bends between tree trunks at breakneck speed without the sleigh toppling brings shrieks of delight from the children. Three hours' flight away to the south the slopes of the Alps are crawling with humanity, but here in my native Norway we're far from that madding crowd.

 

I gave up trying to find our destination, Hemsedal, in the Lonely Planet guide. As far as I was aware it had been one of the country's most popular downhill ski resorts since the early 60s. Geilo has made a slightly bigger name for itself on the cross-country circuit, but that still didn't explain why a forensic search yielded nothing. But, though this area is renowned locally as the "Scandinavian Alps", such reticence to boast about their assets is typical of the Norwegian approach to life.

 

The pared-back nature of daily life in a country boasting the third-largest sovereign wealth fund is quite a surprise. A predilection for bling in similarly oil-rich nations from Saudi Arabia to Iraq has kept London's Park Lane car dealers in business through three recessions. Not so the Norwegians, who favour a Volvo from neighbouring Sweden. Instead of squandering their North Sea bonanza they've invested it, ensuring future generations enjoy the high standards of free education and healthcare that are the envy of the world. There are few countries where adults still favour "family bunks" and standard bath towels are the size of dishcloths.

 

Thankfully there's a newfound thaw in my countrymen's icy resolve. Where once pine-clad apartments with strip lighting were the order of the day, our accommodation in the hamlet of Totteskogen offered luxury. Five minutes from the children's slopes and set among a cluster of cabins, our home for the week, called Dinabu, was a medley of stone and wood, with floor-to-ceiling glass framing the mountain view, underfloor heating and not one but two log fires along with a small sauna and a huge boot room to put wet ski gear in to dry. Privately owned mountain retreats like ours are let by their owners only for a proportion of the year, so personal touches are everywhere.

People

Norway is one of Europe's most insufficiently populated countries. With a masses of only 5 million people and a territory scope of 385,802 km2, the people thickness is only 16 occupants for each km2. A vast part of the people are Norwegians. The indigenous Sami people by and large have the northern bit of Norway, that nearby parts of Sweden, Finland and Russia follows a region known as ""Sapmi"" (or "Sameland"). Other saw minorities are the Kven people, Jews, Forest Finns, and Norwegian Romani Travelers.

WHAT'S NEW? MORE TRAVEL NEWS

An atmospheric railway scene made from salvaged film sets is the backdrop for a pop-up restaurant at Kilver Court (pictured above), the designer shopping village near Shepton Mallet in Somerset. Stage 1 features original props from British films, including a 19th-century-style platform and coach. Seasonal dishes include treacle-cured venison with sour cherry and apple salad.

• Call 07768 930380 or email stage1@kilvercourt.com. Open until early 2013

 

Tour

According to the ancient Mayas, time runs in 394.23-year cycles known as Bak'tuns. The current cycle ends on 21 December. To mark this, Guatemala Tourist Board has launched the Bak'tun Route, linking 11 Mayan cities. Join a tour or download a map to follow independently the route, which takes in highlands, rainforest and volcanoes. 

• visitguatemala.com/2012

NORWAY TRAVEL GUIDE

taichigch busguin ochil from Naabaa Naku on Vimeo.
From sudden frosty masses to douse sided ravines and crystalline fjords, Norway's standard fabulousness is hard to overstate. The unspoilt wild of the Arctic north is one of the few spots where the sun shines at midnight in the midst of the mid year and where the stupendous Northern Lights light up the skies in the midst of the long winter faint. Further to the south, the excellent urban groups of Oslo, Trondheim and Bergen are brimful of structures displaying Scandinavia's age-old vitality for setup in cosmopolitan surroundings.

The Gig Venue Guide: Koko, LonDon

Who plays there: Koko’s big on the rock and indie circuit – it’s the venue bands play when they’re too big for the clubs and not big enough for Brixton Academy. You get hip-hop here, too, plus occasional special shows from star acts – including Prince, Madonna and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Regular club nights include Club NME every Friday night and Guilty Pleasures on the last Saturday of each month. The presence of Club NME means Friday night headliners have to be on by 8pm, to give the venue time to clear before the indie drinkers come in.

 

Cloakroom: Yes.

 

Admission: Generally around £20, increasing for bigger names (or infrequent tourers) and diminishing for those less well-known or nearer the start of their careers. Also, be aware that Koko is an over-18s venue unless otherwise stated for specific gigs.

 

Bar: There’s no trouble with the number of bars at Koko. What can be less easy is getting served in a timely fashion, especially at the main downstairs bar, where staff seem to divide the bar into sections: God help you if you end up standing right on the dividing line, where you could end up waiting all night. Drinks themselves are the usual cans of beer or generic wines and spirits. Cans are decanted into plastic glasses. Prices, as is the way of major London venues, are just the wrong side of reasonable.

 

Food: No.

 

Toilets: Plenty of them, upstairs and downstairs. Though you wouldn’t call them a treat to visit, especially at the end of the night.

 

Disabled access: There is ramp access into the building, put in place by security when needed, with an accessible viewing area beneath the royal box at Balcony level (which is the level you enter at). Tickets are sold through normal agents, and are not marked as “accessible viewing area”, but the space is allocated. Those with accessibility needs should contact the venue on 0870 432 5527 to arrange entrance and viewing area allocation. Those needing a personal assistance should contact the venue direct – it offers a two-for-one ticket deal for personal assistants. There is an accessible toilet next to the accessible viewing area.

 

Sound: Generally OK, with one or two warnings. Don’t get trapped underneath the balcony, unless you can position yourself near one of the suspended speakers. As is so often the case, those underneath the overhang get muddy sound.

 

Where to stand: Well, as we’ve just explained: not underneath the overhang of the balcony. So if you’re going for the stalls, get there early enough to get further forward. Be careful if you’re standing at the sides: the emergency exit doors either side of the dancefloor are reached via a couple of steps, which are easy to overlook in the dark of a gig, and you might find yourself with a turned ankle. Upstairs, you need to get in early enough to get to the front of one of the viewing areas. A top tip that I only discovered this year, after literally decades of going to this venue: if you head to the very top viewing area, there’s a row of sofas at the front, which provide perhaps the most comfortable viewing experience in London live music.

Avocado Oil: Chinese fried rice

Ingredients 1 1/3 cups of water 3/4 cups of rice (white or brown) 3 tablespoons of Avocado Oil 4 green onions with tops, chopped 1/4 teaspoon of salt 2 carrots, finely chopped 1/2 cup of finely chopped green bell pepper 1/2 cup of frozen peas 1 egg 2 tablespoons of soy sauce 1 tablespoon of sesame oil 1/4 cup of chopped parsley Preparation In a sauce pan, bring the water and rice to a boil, STIR frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice is tender and has absorbed all the water, about 20 minutes. In a large heavy skillet or wok, heat the avocado oil over medium-high heat. Add the cooked rice and sauce until lightly golden. Add the green onions, salt, carrots, peppers and peas (cooked meat if desired). Stir-fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp (about 5 minutes). Hollow out a circle in the center of the skillet by pushing the vegetables and rice to the sides. Break an egg into the hollow area and cook, lightly scrambling the egg as it cooks. Stir the scrambled egg into the rice mixture. Sprinkle with soy sauce, sesame oil and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Top museums in London

Housed in a bright white former banana warehouse by the river, the Design Museum was once the city's foremost showcase of modern design. It had on display a permanent collection of more than 2,000 everyday objects, such as telephones, vacuum cleaners, furniture, ceramics, and the like, the aim being to explain why mass-produced objects look the way they do, and how design contributes to the quality of our lives. Unfortunately, the collection was put into storage a few years ago when the museum decided to focus on temporary exhibitions of contemporary designers instead -- consult the website for details of the latest shows. There are plans to bring the permanent collection out of the vaults at some unspecified point in the future.

Travel tips: London\'s Hotel Café Royal, winter gardens and the week\'s best deals

From 3 December the Café Royal will reinvent itself as London’s newest five-star hotel. Photograph: Amit Geron

Take me there: Café Royal, London

 

It's been a high-society café and a decadent nightclub, playing host to everyone from Oscar Wilde to David Bowie, but from 3 December the Café Royal will reinvent itself as London's newest five-star hotel. David Chipperfield Architects is behind the upgrade of the 19th-century Grade I-listed building on Regent Street, which has been closed for five years. The hotel will have 159 rooms with a midcentury-modern flavour, plus several restaurants and a spa. Rooms will cost from £450, but until March 2013 a special introductory rate of £350 is available, including a bottle of champagne and late checkout. (hotelcaferoyal.com)

The latest iteration of Valve's Steam Controller goes back to basics

We're probably still a little while off seeing the final product, but a new image of Valve's Steam Machine controller has surfaced in the latest Steam client beta - and it's undergone a few changes. While the overall shape remains mostly intact, the pad looks a tad narrower and now has a four-point directional guide on the left trackpad. How this will work in practice, we're not certain, but perhaps Valve thinks the world isn't ready for two fully unguided trackpads just yet. Also of note is the analog stick that was added back in July, but with no other significant tweaks we'd guess that Valve is almost at the finish line. Expect to hear more at GDC 2015

Active Directory Management

http://tsuwral-kino.blogspot.com/2014/12/erotic-hairiin-ezen.html

ADManager Plus is a comprehensive web-based Microsoft Windows Active Directory Management software that simplifies User provisioning and Active Directory administration with complete security and authentication to allow only authorized users to perform management actions. It provides a complete set of Active Directory management tools to administrators and AD managers for efficient management of their Active Directory. This solution features a single console from which IT management can view and manage Active Directory users, computers, contacts, groups, provision users in Google Apps and generate reports for all the domains, servers or any specific domain in Active Directory environment from a central location. ADManager Plus also enables the administrator to delegate repetitive, simple, time consuming tasks to non-administrative users / helpdesk in a completely secure manner and also allows for controlled automation of Active Directory. ADManager Plus avoids manual, error prone administrative activities on Active Directory and saves time and cost. And you can do all these right from this software's web interface. IT administrators can now perform the following list of activities on their Active Directory using ADManager Plus.

The Best Historic Experiences in London

Meeting the Heroes and Villains of the City's History: The greats and not-so-greats of English history show their faces at the National Portrait Gallery, St. Martin's Place, WC2 (tel. 020/7306-0055; www.npg.org.uk), often "warts and all." The gang's all here, from Dr. (Samuel) Johnson to Princess Diana, and even a Holbein cartoon of Henry VIII. Taking a Tour of Royal London: From palaces and parks to the royal art collections, much of London's history, geography, and culture has been shaped by centuries of aristocratic rule. You can see the best of it in a day -- including the Queen's favorite grocer, Fortnum & Mason -- if you plot your itinerary carefully. Come during July or August and you can also view inside Buckingham Palace (tel. 020/7766-7300; www.royalcollection.org.uk).

Win a fantastic dinner cruise on the Thames

London Eye and County Hall are two of many iconic landmarks alongside the Thames. Photograph: Mike Matthews/Getty Images Writer Iain Sinclair's podcast on this website reveals the rich and varied history of London's most famous river. As well as a major highway for international trade, the Thames is an inspiration for artists and a place for hiding dark secrets. Now, you can trace London's colourful past for yourself by following Iain's route along the Thames. The Guardian has teamed up with Visit London to offer you the chance to win a leisurely evening cruise for two through the heart of London, from Westminster pier to the Thames Barrier and back again. There is no finer way to see London at night than from the river. When famous landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament and Tower Bridge are illuminated against the dark waters of the Thames, it offers a whole new perspective on the city. But this isn't just a chance to sightsee. You'll be on board the Showboat, run by City Cruises. During the three-and-a-half hour cruise you'll receive a welcome drink and a four-course meal with wine. There will also be live entertainment from a singer performing songs from West End shows and dancing to round off the evening. Along the way, you'll glide past some of the capital's most iconic sights, including the Merlin Entertainments London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral, the Millennium Dome and the Meridian laser at Greenwich. The prize also includes a one-night stay and buffet breakfast at the four-star Pestana Chelsea Bridge hotel on the south bank of the Thames, opposite Battersea Park. The flagship hotel of the Pestana Hotels and Resorts group, the Chelsea Bridge is well-placed for central London, being walking distance from Sloane Street and Victoria station. To be in with a chance of winning, simply enter your details below. Good luck. Terms and conditions 1. The Visit London Thames prize draw (the "Prize Draw") is open to residents of the UK aged 18 and over. 2. The Prize Draw is not open to employees or agencies of Guardian News & Media Limited ("GNM"), their group companies or family members or anyone else connected to the Prize Draw. 3. Entry into the Prize Draw is acceptance of these Terms and Conditions. 4. To enter the Prize Draw you must enter your details below If you have any questions about how to enter or in connection with the Prize Draw, please e-mail gill.dalton@guardian.co.uk with "Visit London Thames" in the subject line. 5. Only one entry per person. Entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted and joint submissions are not allowed. You are responsible for the cost (if any) of sending your Prize Draw entry to us. 6. No responsibility is taken for entries that are lost, delayed, misdirected or incomplete or cannot be delivered or entered for any technical or other reason. Proof of delivery of the entry is not proof of receipt. 7. The Prize Draw closes at 23.59pm on 14 November 2010. Entries received after that date and time will not be considered. 8. The winner will be chosen from a random draw of entries. 9. One winner will receive a River Thames evening cruise for two on board the London Showboat, including live entertainment from a singer performing songs from West End shows, a welcome drink and a four-course meal with wine. The winner will also receive a one-night stay and buffet breakfast for two at the four-star Pestana Chelsea Bridge hotel. The prize may be redeemed subject to availability. GNM accepts no responsibility for any costs associated with the prize and not specifically included in the prize. 10. The winner will be notified by phone or email on or before 21 November 2010 and given details of how to claim their prize. If a winner does not respond to GNM within 7 days of being notified by GNM, then the winner's prize will be forfeited and GNM shall be entitled to select another winner (and that winner will have to respond to the phone call or email from GNM within 7 days or else they will also forfeit their prize). If a winner rejects their prize, then the winner's prize will be forfeited and GNM shall be entitled to select another winner. 11. Details of the winners can be obtained by sending a stamped addressed envelope to the following address: Creative Department, Guardian News & Media Limited, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU. 12. The prize is non-exchangeable, non-transferable, and is not redeemable for cash or other prizes. 13. GNM retains the right to substitute the prize with another prize of similar value in the event the original prize offered is not available. 14. The winner may be required for promotional activity. 15. No purchase necessary. 16. Nothing in these terms and conditions shall exclude the liability of GNM for death, personal injury, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation as a result of its negligence. 17. GNM accepts no responsibility for any damage, loss, liabilities, injury or disappointment incurred or suffered by you as a result of entering the Prize Draw or accepting the prize. GNM further disclaims liability for any injury or damage to your or any other person's computer relating to or resulting from participation in or downloading any materials in connection with the Prize Draw. 18. GNM reserves the right at any time and from time to time to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, this Prize Draw with or without prior notice due to reasons outside its control (including, without limitation, in the case of anticipated, suspected or actual fraud). The decision of GNM in all matters under its control is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into. 19. GNM shall not be liable for any failure to comply with its obligations where the failure is caused by something outside its reasonable control. Such circumstances shall include, but not be limited to, weather conditions, fire, flood, hurricane, strike, industrial dispute, war, hostilities, political unrest, riots, civil commotion, inevitable accidents, supervening legislation or any other circumstances amounting to force majeure. 20. The Prize Draw will be governed by English law. 21. Promoter: Guardian News & Media Limited, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9GU.

Iphone 6 review

Why do we have the Apple iPhone 6? Well, despite record sales, the Cupertino brand was heading for a fall. Not this year, or the next. But the brand had been trading on the same phone for four years and something big was needed to keep it current.

So with that, the iPhone 6, and its bigger brother, theiPhone 6 Plus, were born to keep Apple at the sharp end of a market that was starting to lust after powerful, big screen smartphones with clever and premium design.

• Buy your iPhone 6 today

The iPhone 6 certainly addresses a number of the problems Apple had developed, coming with a much larger screen (although not dramatically increasing the size of the phone) a boosted processor, better camera, improved battery and crucially: overhauled design.

This is the sixth iPhone I've reviewed now, and there's a real sense that this one is really rather different.

I wrote last year that Apple was becoming more aware that the time when it could define what consumers would buy in the smartphone is ending – and with the 4.7-inch screen, it's clearly had to admit defeat in the smaller screen market.

There will be some that will miss that screen size, maintaining that they don'twant a bigger display on their phone – but nearly all of those people won't have spent any appreciable time with a larger device, and I believe that a good portion of you thinking you need a smaller phone will quickly come to appreciate the power a bigger handset brings without hurting quality.

Leaning tower of Pisa basic tour guide

Even during construction, it has been discovered towers prone. Currently geoengineering measures are being taken to ensure the stability of the tower. The beauty of the tower with its tilt attract tourists annually to Pisa. Recently, two churches German competition is the name of the building tilted tower in the world: in Suurhusen square tower, from the 13th century, and the bell tower in Bad Frankenhausen past century stand 14Thap 3, 97 tilt, which means that if the tower upright, will tower above the ceiling of 3.9 m. Guinness Book of Records to Pisa and Suurhusen and measured the tilt of the tower of Pisa is 3.97 degrees. Nothing says Pisa more than its Leaning Tower, keystone of the Romanesque Campo dei Miracoli, but this city of ancient architectural wonders goes against type with its young and upbeat feel. Native son Galileo may be long gone but students still come here to study at the prestigious university where he taught and enjoy the city's vibrant vibe. Things to See & Do Seeing the Leaning Tower's lopsided beauty may satisfy, but to do it justice you can climb the 294 steps at a five-degree angle to the top for views over the Campo's other spectacular Romanesque monuments: the Duomo, Baptistery, and Camposanto. The underrated collection at the Museo Nazionale di San Matteo is another essential stop. Relaxation For a relaxing break from the Campo's bustle, roam the streets around arcaded Borgo Stretto as they burst into life every morning during the market, then head for the Orto Botanico, one of the oldest botanical gardens in Italy. Regular boat trips also depart from the center, cruising the Arno as far as the empty Tenuta di San Rossore, wedged between the city and the sea. Restaurants & Dining In Pisa's medieval center, plenty of simple trattorie keep the locals well fed. Pisa's maritime history means that a traditional menu here specializes in fishy delights such as baccalà alla pisana, salt cod stewed in tomato sauce. La Mescita, in the heart of the produce market, serves the freshest ingredients. Nightlife & Entertainment Pisa is probably Tuscany's liveliest city when night falls. Locals and students while away their evenings in the bars and nightclubs around Piazza Garibaldi, and along Borgo Stretto and the banks of the River Arno. On a warm evening here you'll find groups gathering outside to sip beer and aperitivi from chic bars, then heading to laidback haunts with live music or DJ sets.

Westminster Abbey occupied in protest against cuts to disability care funding

The group has urged the church not to forcibly remove them from its grounds. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA Demonstrators have set up a camp in the grounds of Westminster Abbey to protest against cuts to financial support for disabled people. Members of disabled people against the cuts (Dpac) pitched tents and said they intended to occupy the green outside the doors of one of Westminster's most recognisable landmarks until 22 July. The protest is reminiscent of the occupation that sprang up at St Paul's Cathedral in 2011. The dean of Westminster is expected to negotiate with the protesters on Saturday evening, after they claimed that he initially refused their request for permission to stay. The group also sent a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, urging the church not to forcibly remove them from its grounds. Around 100 protesters began the demonstration, but a heavy police presence meant their number dwindled to around 50 people. The Metropolitan police said that one person was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer as protesters sought to establish a camp and officers resolved to stop them. Police stood on top of tents in a bid to prevent the demonstrators from pitching them. Some protesters in wheelchairs locked themselves to fences at the site. They were supported by Labour backbench MP John McDonnell, who said that the government's cuts to welfare were making people "desperate".

A trip to see London Bridge … in Arizona

Lake Havasu City lies by the Colorado River on a 45-mile stretch of clear water amid the desert peaks of western Arizona. It is about 150 miles from Las Vegas and a seven-hour drive from Los Angeles. In summer the temperature has been known to reach 50C. The landscape is characterised by arid expanses of loamy sand, bare red rock and eroded sediment, while the local flora – cat claws, bursage and mesquite – pokes out of the dusty ground like bristles on a hog. A more unlikely setting for a 19th-century British architectural landmark can't really be imagined. And yet John Rennie's London Bridge has called Lake Havasu City home since 1971, the year of my own birth. Captivated since childhood by the story of its transplantation, I vowed to visit it.

 

Preparing for the trip, I was excited to read about the so-called "English Village", a mini London theme park beside the bridge. And on arriving at its south bank, bridge seekers are greeted by silver City of London griffins, a diminutive Trafalgar Square fountain attended by Lilliputian Landseer lions and a red phone box. Sadly, a British pub, once famed for serving imported Watneys Red Barrel in tankards, was boarded up and awaiting demolition, while a Routemaster bus that had long stood at the foot of the bridge, serving as an ice cream van, has been banished to a dusty breakers' yard.

 

If the English Village was severely depleted, London Bridge, by contrast, looked surprisingly well. Studying old postcards, it had always appeared rather dowdy to me. But freed from the confines of a smoky hugger-mugger cityscape, Rennie's neoclassical crossing seemed regal, majestic even, under a blazing midday Arizona sun. Compellingly, the stonework still bears smudges of soot and patches of graffiti – some legibly dating from the time of the Blitz. All of which rather poignantly attests to the bridge's distinguished service in the smoke. And in such intense heat, there's pleasing surreality to spying a manufacturer's casting mark at the base of a lamp that reads: "T Potter & Sons, South Moulton St W".

SPAIN TRAVEL GUIDE

Spain conjures images of flamenco dancers, café-lined plazas, white hillside villages, and soaring cathedrals. Beyond these traditional associations, this modern country offers top-notch art museums, inventive cuisine, and exciting nightlife. From the Pyrenees to the coast, its landscapes and varied cultures are worth exploring. Especially enticing is the national insistence on enjoying everyday pleasures. The Spanish live life to its fullest whether they are strolling in the park, pausing for a siesta, lingering over lunch, or dancing until dawn.

The Bali Dream Villa Seminyak

Bali is one of more than 17,000 islands in the Indonesian archipelago and is located just over 2 kilometres (almost 1.5 miles) from the eastern tip of the island of Java and west of the island of Lombok. The island, home to about 4 million people, is approximately 144 kilometres (90 mi.) from east to west and 80 kilometres (50 mi.) north to south.

The word "paradise" is used a lot in Bali and not without reason. The combination of friendly, hospitable people, a magnificently visual culture infused with spirituality and (not least) spectacular beaches with great surfing and diving have made Bali Indonesia's unrivaled number one tourist attraction. Eighty percent of international visitors to Indonesia visit Bali and Bali alone.

The popularity is not without its flip sides— like many places in the island's South, once paradisiacal Kuta has degenerated into a congested warren of concrete, touts and scammers extracting a living by overcharging tourists. The island's visibility has also drawn the unwanted attention of terrorists in 2002 and 2005; however Bali has managed to retain its magic. Bali is a wonderful destination with something for everyone, and though heavily travelled, it is still easy to find some peace and quiet, if you like. Avoid the South of the island if you want a more traditional and genuine Balinese experience.

A consideration is the tourist season and Bali can get very crowded in August and September and again at Christmas and New Year. Australians also visit during school holidays in early April, late June and late September, while domestic tourists from elsewhere in Indonesia visit during national holidays. Outside these peak seasons, Bali can be surprisingly quiet and good discounts on accommodation are often available.

History[edit]

 first Hindus arrived in Bali as early as 100 BC, but the unique culture which is so apparent to any current day visitor to Bali hails largely from neighbouringJava, with some influence from Bali's distant animist past. The Javanese Majapahit Empire's rule over Bali became complete in the 14th century when Gajah Mada, Prime Minister of the Javanese king, defeated the Balinese king at Bedulu.

The rule of the Majapahit Empire resulted in the initial influx of Javanese culture, most of all in architecture, dance, painting, sculpture and the wayang puppet theatre. All of this is still very apparent today. The very few Balinese who did not adopt this Javanese Hindu culture are known today as the Bali Aga("original Balinese") and still live in the isolated villages of Tenganan nearCandidasa and Trunyan on the remote eastern shore of Lake Batur atKintamani.

With the rise of Islam in the Indonesian archipelago, the Majapahit Empire in Java fell and Bali became independent near the turn of the 16th century. The Javanese aristocracy found refuge in Bali, bringing an even stronger influx of Hindu arts, literature and religion.

Divided among a number of ruling rajas, occasionally battling off invaders from now Islamic Java to the west and making forays to conquerLombok to the east, the north of the island was finally captured by the Dutch colonialists in a series of brutal wars from 1846 to 1849. Southern Bali was not conquered until 1906, and eastern Bali did not surrender until 1908. In both 1906 and 1908, many Balinese chose death over disgrace and fought en-masse until the bitter end, often walking straight into Dutch cannons and gunfire. This manner of suicidal fighting to the death is known as puputan. Victory was bittersweet, as the images of the puputan highly tarnished the Dutch in the international community. Perhaps to make up for this, the Dutch did not make the Balinese enter into a forced cultivation system, as had happened in Java, and instead tried to promote Balinese culture through their policy of Baliseering or the "Balinisation of Bali".

Bali became part of the newly independent Republic of Indonesia in 1945. In 1965, after the failed coup d'etat which was allegedly backed by the Communist Party (PKI), state-instigated, anti-communist violence spread across Indonesia. In Bali, it has been said that the rivers ran red with the reprisal killings of suspected communists—most estimates of the death toll say 80,000, or about five percent of the population of Bali at the time.

The current chapter in Bali's history began in the seventies when intrepid hippies and surfers discovered Bali's beaches and waves, andtourism soon became the biggest income earner. Despite the shocks of the terrorist attacks in 2002 and 2005, the magical island continues to draw crowds, and Bali's culture remains as spectacular as ever.