“Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life! For there is in London all that life can afford”,  – Samuel Johnson (1709-1784)

Having lived in London for a very large part of my life, I find myself more than agreeing with the wisdom of Dr. Johnson. London in the 21st century is a mesmerizingly magical metropolis.

When I first arrived here, whilst there was the excitement of youth, I found it to be quite a hard, rubbish strewn and unforgiving city to exist in. It wasn’t just me. People from around the world also had very little to say that was favourable about this sprawling city. It was dirty, often threatening and lacked a pulse.

However, much has changed and I firmly believe that London is now one of the most captivating, almost intoxicating cities on the entire globe. As far as any place on the planet can accommodate the daily trudge of 21 million inhabitants, London does it all pretty well. There will be numerous tales of woe from passengers about public transport, but in my experience, no delays have been career threatening!

Then there is the contrast between new and old. Of course, London has a long history and buildings still stand that show off the grandeur and elegance of the architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries. Indeed, for more than 1,400 years, a cathedral dedicated to St. Paul has stood on the highest point of the City.

And nowadays, that City is the showcase for all styles of modern architecture, from the Shard, the Walkie-Talkie, the Gherkin, through to the Cheese Grater!

In today’s video, we are taking a brief look at the Houses of Parliament, the home of government. This is particularly relevant, with a general election just four weeks away!

The first royal palace was built on the site in the eleventh century, and Westminster was the primary residence of the Kings of England until a fire destroyed much of the complex in 1512. The buildings we see today are from 1840 to 1870.

At the start of next week, a further exercise download with video performance and instruction will be on the site. Have a wonderful weekend!