London Marathon 2015

More than 38,000 people have taken part in the London Marathon last Sunday. Since the first time that it took place, on 29 March 1981, around £716 million have been collected.

From Greenwich to Buckingham Palace, the runners went over 26.2 mile (42.2km). This event was instituted to commemorate the Greek soldier Pheidippides who, in 490 BC, run 25 miles (40 km) from the battlefield near Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia. In the present, this would be the same distance as the length of the Victoria line, twice.

And this year runners not only participated in the race to raise money. Some of them also made of it the most important day of their lifes.

The Spanish frigate Méndez Núñez

Everybody who visits London this weekend have the opportunity to walk on Spanish ground without leaving the country. How is that possible?

The Spanish Navy frigate Méndez Núñez is mooring on the West India Dock. The ship dropped anchor the past Friday and it will be in London until tomorrow. The ship is open to the public on Sunday (10:30-12:30 and 16:30-19:30) and Monday (10:30-12:30). The crew is organising a very interesting tour in which you can know everything you want about this ship and the Navy. 

The Méndez Núñez has returned from Scotland, where the ship participated in a NATO joint training exercise. The Joint Warrior was the largest military exercise in Europe with numerous warships, aircraft, marines and troops involved. In total, around 13,000 personnel participated in the practice.

London’s most common second languages tube map

If diversity is wealth these are the ten richest cities in the world: Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Sydney, Paris, Los Angeles, Manchester, London and New York, the city with the largest immigrant population in the world.

Everyone says that London is a multicultural city. But, why? The English capital have 8.308 million residents. In 2011, the 44.9% of the population were White British while the 37% were born outside United Kingdom. For that reason, in the capital it is possible to hear more than 300 different languages.

The traditional fish and chips shares customers with the Bhapaa Aloo, Tandoori chicken, Crepes, Pizza, Paella or Dumplings. In London it is possible to eat and drink anything that you want without the need to travel.

But also, London allows the possibility to get in touch with a big variety of dresses, religions, fashion trends and cultural offers.

If you had the chance to live or visit London during the Olympic Games 2012, you probably noticed that every single one of the competing countries had some representatives communities in the city. 

Indigenous Australia

Simon Hogan, Ian Rictor, Roy Underwood and Lennard Walker.
Spinifex people. Pukara, 2013

The sixth largest country in the world, with 7,617,930 square kilometres, is also a big unknown. Besides having the Great Barrier Reef, Australia is one of the most developed and wealthy countries (in terms of wealth, in 2013 Australia took up the second place in the world ranking after Switzerland). Its quality of life and its health and education systems make this nation one of the most perfect places to live.

The best known part of the Australian history better known started in 1788, when the British colony was established. The first of January, 1901, the six states (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia) along with the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory formed the Commonwealth of Australia.

Shakespeare in love

Shakespeare in love, a 1998 film, was directed by John Madden and starred by Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth Paltrow. It was one of the most successful English films of all times. The movie is placed in 1593, a period in which William Shakespeare was suffering from writer's block. It is a story about true love and love about theatre, so bringing it on the stage seemed like a natural fit. 

Last year, it was the 450th anniversary of the birth of the English author, so it was the perfect moment to perform this adaptation. The chosen theatre to bring Shakespeare back to the West End was the Noël Coward. This stage was only about one mile away from where the playwright worked so, probably, he walked pass this theatre many times in his life to get to the Globe Theatre, in Southbank. 

The premier was the 23rd of July of 2014 and today, 18th of April, the curtain dropped for the last time. The play was really fun, from the beginning to the end, with some romance, tears and love. And all of this is possible thank to the work of one of the largest companies ever seen on a play on the West End with 30 performers and a dog.

Harley Street, circa 1890

Harley Street, circa 1890.
Photo by Hulton Archive/ Getty Images

Cheapside, 1890

Cheapside, 1890

Shaun in the city

Everything is possible in London's Spring, even if the weather is a little bit cold. The stress, tourists and pedestrians have to share the city now with the sheeps that came back to the capital for graze. 

From the 28th of March until the 25th of May, London is being taken by 50 giant sculptures of Shaun the Sheep. The animated character, created by Nick Park, is the protagonist of the main public art trail, taking place this year, and all the statues are grazing in green parks and important landmarks. 

Unfortunately, he came alone and his friends Bitzer, the Flock, the Farmer, the Naughty Pigs, Pidsley and Timmy and his mother couldn't walk with him.

Greek art at the British Museum

The ancient Greece spanned from the 9th Century BC until the end of Antiquity, around 600 AD. It was one of the most incredible and prolific civilizations in the History. Greece was the language of Homer, the sculpture of Phidias, the philosophy of Plato and the oratory of Pericles. 

There are just a few preserved artworks from this period. The paintings had weak support and the sculptures, despite they were made with durable materials, were destroyed and the stone and bronze were "recycled" in the Middle Ages.

Perfection, beauty, balance, harmony and technique were their goals and the main themes were gods and mythology, heroes and battles and athletes.