Full text of "The Satanic Verses" In Victorian times the Cutty Sark was the fastest ship carrying goods from the Far East to London – a tea clipper of great repute. Hence its prime location in retirement: in a dry dock at Greenwich, overlooking the Thames. In recent years it’s had a massive refurbishment and now you can explore the decks, clamber into a sailor’s bunk (don’t worry, the sailor’s long gone) and hear talks by costumed characters explaining what life was like onboard. Moored close to Tower Bridge, this grey warship with its guns tilted high might look a little out of place, but these days it’s a museum. Open daily, with scenes set to show you what life was like on board a working WWII warship, HMS Belfast is a lively visitor space where you can scoot around the lower levels, exploring the engine room, the kitchens, the dentist’s office and the action stations up on deck. Much more than a day out for keen gardeners, Kew’s meadows, treetop walkway and hothouses offer colourful wonder for anyone interested in the natural world.

The landscape is dotted with sculptures, too, and there’s a play area designed with oversized, plant-shaped, wooden climbing-frames so kids can wriggle around like bugs inside them. You don’t have to be a local to know that Londoners are obsessed with travel. At the LTM happily, there’s always a bus or a train to hop on, in a vast museum full of real relics of the bygone ages of London transport. Find out why tube stations were used as wartime shelters, see decades of beautiful poster artwork and find out how the latest technology will run our services in the future. This Regent’s Park landmark has come a long way since the days when zoos were full of homesick wildlife. ZSL does a lot of world-class animal welfare work and the carefully designed settings in which beautiful creatures from gorillas to lizards, penguins to tigers now reside give you a chance to experience nature on a happier day trip. There’s a dedicated area for small kids and daily shows for the curious of all ages.

From pop stars to politicians, sporting heroes to great painters, this gallery of wax figures never fails to impress visitors with each model’s lifelike attention to detail and the attraction’s keen eye for featuring the latest hot celebs. Taking selfies with Kanye or Chewbacca is still a big draw, but there are interactive experiences too, like the Spirit of London ride, a 4D cinema and a fashion catwalk.blackout winnie the pooh curtains The Making of Harry Potter Studio Tourblinds and curtains haywards heath Also known as the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, this is a short trek north of London, but it’s worth the trip to set foot inside the Great Hall at Hogwarts. carmen ruffled shower curtain white

See film sets, costumes, props and exhibits that take you behind the scenes of the Harry Potter films. Changing exhibitions are included in the ticket and you get the chance to discover the secrets of the movies’ special effects. Ripley's Believe It or Not! Perfect for rainy days, Ripley’s is a lot like an old-fashioned fairground sideshow.  Gallery displays and interactive exhibits introduce you to the mind-blowingly odd. the tortilla curtain meaning of titleMeet fascinating outsiders from history (the hairiest man, the tallest, the Cuban eye popper), see weird art (Michelle Obama made from bottle caps, Michael Jackson made from sweets, you get the idea) and lose yourself in the mirror maze. tuscan blackout curtain panel pair For centuries, Greenwich has been the location for the scientific study of the stars and of timekeeping – originally for the benefit of efficient and safer sea navigation. mciver curtains

As a result, this is where you’ll see the Greenwich Meridian line marked out, from which point the world’s time zones are measured. You can also see the incredible instruments with which astronomers made significant discoveries about our universe, long before the digital age. Don’t miss: The dazzling shows at the Peter Harrison Planetarium, where you can discover more about the sky at night.tuscan blackout curtain panel pair SEA LIFE London Aquarium You don’t have to be by the seaside to immerse yourself in the life aquatic. The London Aquarium is home to sea creatures from all over the world, from Pacific nurse sharks to Antarctic penguins (with a glimpse of what’s swimming past you in the Thames, too). It can get busy, but go off peak and meet the crocs. Give the whole family a giggle on a whirlwind trip to Far, Far Away. This interactive tour starts with a breathtaking 4D ride through the sky before you crash-land near a certain ogre’s swamp and find yourself having to flee from the wicked Rumpelstiltskin.

You’ll encounter a few favourite Shrek characters as you rush from place to place on your mission, including a baffling maze and some scary spills along the way. Once upon a time, London turned its back on the stinky river Thames. Nowadays the South Bank is a buzzing open space lined with some of the city’s most exciting galleries, theatres and attractions. Start at the Southbank Centre, for free art and live shows, lunch at one of the many restaurants and to watch the skateboarders. Then wander east past the artists’ enclave at Gabriel’s Wharf, and onto Tate Modern and the Globe, just beyond Blackfriars Bridge. No ghosts or ghouls, just gory stories retold with humour, gooey props and gruesomely costumed actors as you tour through London’s nastiest historical moments. From boarding a traitor’s boat ride to the Tower of London, to a dash through the recreated streets of Whitechapel in pursuit of Jack the Ripper, to a glimpse at stinking Plague London, it’s a romp and a scream, but definitely not for the fainthearted.