Here Banksy rather humorously juxtaposes the cliché artist, with moustache, beret and palette,…read moreworking on a decidedly less high brow art work depicting a scribble of a huge male member. The artist is also wearing a ball and chain, with a dollar sign on the ball. I'm not sure what conclusion I'd want to draw, but I guess the piece certainly summarises the debates about Banksy himself. Art or just daubs? Pretensions of grandeur? Destroyed by money, or elevated beyond his natural position by the hype? A couple of changes have been made. The council (apparently) have partially obscured the male member, though it's still pretty clear what it's meant to represent. As for the person who's added their opinion that Banksy is a **, I don't think they've given much thought to what they are doing. Their banal addition rather demonstrates they are the one with pretensions of grandeur if they think they can comment! This is on the side of a restaurant on the junction of Shafton Road and Victoria Park Road.

I've found this piece of art yesterday night (Feb 21st 2012) by accident as I was surfing Hackney…read moreby car in search of graffiti. When I saw it I almost had no doubt it was made by Banksy, and as it took me a good hour to find this first and only painting in Hackney, I interpreted it not only as the sign of the end of free art this would be no news! but also as the end of street art. All in all this classic looking artist is not trying to paint a beauty on a canvas, but a rebel sign on a public wall, while his leg is locked with this ball with the money sign. So when I associate all this with the fact that all Hackney walls are now purified from graffiti, I'm just left with the impression that art was finally killed, both indoor and in the streets. Ciao, Nicola Principato

This place is like something I have never seen before. With so many shop and food places, it just…read morekeeps going and going. So many different things to see, but and eat. In a cool area of London as well. It's a must stop!

We were so excited to revisit Camden Market. But as a Brit making my return to the UK I found this…read moreplagued by the same issue I saw across London - the loss of the unique culture and lines blurred between this and any other similar place. Gone was the mix of locals and tourists, cool music playing, great shopping and tasty food! The place was full of shops loaded with cheap, generic junk! It makes Times Square or Pier 39 look eclectic! Want a cheaply printed tee or bag you can also buy on Amazon - check! Want a 'vintage' Amy Whitehouse vinyl for 80 pounds that you can buy on eBay for $5 - check! What about a 'French taco ' aka a tortilla filled with French fries ( seriously) check!! Want to walk shoulder to shoulder to shoulder with unsuspecting tourists buying all of the above - yep they have that too!! We ended up escaping the main drag and finding a local brewery - and even that was empty and devoid of culture! The cool market; with unique finds and great street food has been replaced with a generic experience that you could find at any tourist trap and it makes me sad that areas like this are losing the very identity that set them apart !

The view from the Royal Observatory made it worth climbing the hill. The Prime Meridian is a brass…read moreband in the pavement showing the divider between the eastern and western hemispheres. To see the line up close requires paying an admission fee of about 20 pounds to get into the observatory. We didn't pay the 20 pounds and didn't get our photos taken with one foot in each hemisphere. But the view from just outside the observatory was amazing.

This is where the world gets the correct time from, everywhere sets their time from this post!…read moreThe prime meridian is a line of longitude defined a 0 . You can literally be standing in two different hemispheres, East and west. Definitely a tourist stop, great for photos. It was so much fun,

In a square off Brick Lane, around Dray Walk, The Old Truman Brewery is an old Triumph GT6 that's…read morebeen given the Banksy treatment - painted pink with a ghost driver at the wheel. Now covered in persplex, it's looking a bit tatty but worthwhile having a look over if you're in the area for the markets etc. Edit: Recently passed by this to notice unfortunately that the ghost driver seems to have vanished & a wooden board is in his place at the drivers window...shame it's come down to that :(

As purchaser said, it is covered in plastic and looking pretty tatty, nearly hidden behind a red…read moredouble decker "rootmaster" veggie bus. There is another red car on the ground nearby, that was on a recent qype does London newsletter http://www.qype.co.uk/newsletters/649 . Not much to write home about.

What a bloody amazing spot! Any fan of graffiti, hip hop, or art in general must make a stop here…read moreto soak in the absolutely stunning pieces of work. Despite not having a single artistic bone in my body, I've been a lifelong graffiti fan ever since the heyday in the 90s when subways and freeway signs back home in the States were all bombed out. I just happened to stumble upon this magical place as I was exploring the area near where I am staying in Southwark. I originally noticed it through a gated fence, and assumed it was some abandoned, desolate spot that artists have taken over. Little did I know that upon further inspection, Leake Street Arches (Tunnel) is simply massive, and extends as far as the eye can see with some of the most stunning artwork you will ever come across, and it is all perfectly legal! It totally reminds me of one of my favorite spot back in the day, the eternal, legendary 5 Pointz in Long Island City, New York (check my profile photo)! That place will forever have a special place in my heart, and thankfully, I have found its heir apparent! This 100% legal wall was made famous by a nameless world famous artist you may have heard of, and has an agreed upon paint over policy. Every time you visit, you may see something new, and at any given time, you will likely find groups of artists working on their next big piece. Of course being publicly sanctioned, they don't tolerate any tomfoolery, so there is a mutual level of respect amongst the artists. You may also witness rap battles, poetry slams, and dance offs, as if you were in the middle of filming for You Got Served or Beat Street! Built into the tunnel itself is a plethora of bars and restaurants, so you can enjoy the art and entertainment while imbibing on your favorite lager and downing some munchies. Best of all, the environment is mostly family friendly. Graffiti may have a negative reputation amongst some uninformed individuals, but a quick visit down here with little Sally and Billy in tow can change your whole perspective of it. Travel guides will rarely if ever mention Leake Street Arches as a must see attraction, but in my book, it would be a big mistake if you miss out. It is unequivocably the highlight of my stay in London.

A great place to escape the sun. New views everyday. A place to get coffee and maybe souvenirs but…read moreit was a nice reprice for our teenagers as we waited for a ur ride out of the city. If you need a cute photo for your London experience this is it

There was once a lonely bench, where I go when I'm sad…read moreand my fists I clench. I look at its bright colors and illustrations and forget about my past frustrations. The drawings seem to tell Shakespeare's story, but I'm not a poet, forgive me, I'm sorry.

Probably one of the cutest benches in London (or...the world?!)…read more This amazing little bench is to be found along the promenade by the water on Bankside, just outside Shakespeare's Globe. Sit there, have your tourist photo taken there or just have a look at this nice little detail as you walk along the water. To walk here is one of my favorite things to do in London - and this neat little bench makes me like it even more.

Iconic landmark which continues to be maintained…read more Surprisingly the car drivers are super patient with the droves of religious fanatics coming to the shrine on pilgrimage. We came to worship and were pleased with our religious experience :)

Five stars! It was…read moreabsolutely brilliant to have walked in the footsteps of the legendary Beatles at this crossing in the UK! Just approaching the area I was already awestruck that I was going to see this historic place of interest. I didn't realize that there's a monument slightly offset from the crossing at almost the perfect location to film. However, I do feel for the residents having to endure numerous tourists affecting traffic in the area, but hey, coming from Hawai'i, I'm for certain they are somewhat used to it. Coming from me, I do appreciate their patience for allowing me to cross twice for a nice shot recreating the cover. Thank you very much!!

Tip: I recommend riding the tube to get here. Piccadilly Circus tube station is conveniently…read moreunderground and it's affordable. Piccadilly Circus was an area that I frequented a lot during my visit to London in December 2013. It is a touristy place. I liked it for a number of reasons. Piccadilly Circus tub station is under Piccadilly Circus. I took the underground to get to this touristy site. It was a cheap, efficient means to get to and from the area. The area feels like Times Square (New York), or Yonge and Dundas (Toronto) with brightly lit screens and signs. You then realize that Piccadilly Circus established illuminated, giant advertisements since the early 20th century. What's special about Piccadilly Circus is that it's a junction where Piccadilly, Regent Street, Shaftesbury Avenue, the Haymarket, Coventry Street, and Glasshouse Street meet. Circus in the name doesn't mean seeing clowns and acrobats. Rather, it means a circle or roundabout. It makes sense when you see the statue of Anteros, which is also known as Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain. It gives you a good look at how the streets comprise this junction. Piccadilly Circus is close to these touristy spots: - M&M's World - Chinatown - Soho - Theatre district - Oxford Street (shopping) - Hop-on, hop-off stops Gone are these places that I enjoyed visiting: - Ripley's Believe It or Not - Angus Steak House I'm an M&M's fan, so I visited this place three times. I loved it so much! Shopping was great. You can find everything from phone accessories (I still travel with a USB cable with three different charging tips that I bought in London) to weed edibles. I liked the eclectic variety that was eye-opening at the time. I remember that there was a small winter fair at a park that I had visited nearby. I don't remember the name of the park or the fair. What I do remember is enjoying banoffee fudge for the first time. So good! It was fun being in this area. I'd love to go back and see how things have changed. If you've never been to Piccadilly Circus before, I recommend going at least once. (44)

Right in the hub of the city where you're pretty much close to everything. There's a tub station…read morethat has a stop. Right when you walk up, it's like coming out to time square but instead you're in London. The lights and shops make the experiences more fun. You're pretty much near Chinatown, theatre district, Oxford Street, new bond street where amazing shopping is. Also the hop on hop off bus stop here. As it's one of the tourist spot, you have your usual tourist places for food and shopping. Loads of souvenirs stalls everywhere. It was nice to be here for the holidays as the places tends to be covered in holidays lights and decorations. When they say it gets busy, they were not lying. It was beautiful walking around and just taking it in. Compared to the last time I was here, the holidays just makes it more cozy but freezing for an Angeleno. Traffic is busy so be cautious when you're crossing the street. Cars were pretty much all over the place. We tended to just followed everyone whenever we crossed the road. You can't come to London and not check this place out. Even though I've been loads of times, it's still always a must stop for me.

Around 1876, locals had petitioned for a new crossing east of the Tower of London to ease traffic…read morecongestion. With political support in the legislative process, the Corporation of London Act was passed in 1885 and authorized Tower Bridge's construction. It took about eight years to build the bridge (from 1886 to 1894). Tower Bridge is maintained by the City Bridge Foundation (established in 1282). Today, many tourists, commuters, bicyclists, and runners cross Tower Bridge on a daily basis. At times, it gets very crowded with not a lot of room to walk briskly. This also applies to cobblestone pathways by the Tower of London due to large tourist groups. There is a lot of space on both sides of the Thames to take pictures and gaze at the bridge. While running along the Thames, I saw a man painting Tower Bridge and surrounding skyline. This was near London Bridge, so it's nice to look at Tower Bridge from more afar.

Special Neurodivergent Hours and days…read more If you go on their website there are special neurodivergent hours and days. The Tower Bridge is a must see on trip to London. If you wait long enough they will raise the bridge for a ship.