London, England

There's a line in the movie "Fail Safe" that has always stayed with me. An American and Soviet general are talking on the phone. They are talking about London, where they were both stationed during World War II. The American general asks his counterpart if he liked London.

"Very much," the Soviet replies. ""The great cities are those where one can walk; I would walk all the time in London. Wherever you turn, there's history."

That's London, New York's economic vitality mixed with Washington's history and government structures. It's tough not to bump into something familiar while visiting. Go to one area, and it is the inspiration for some of Charles Dickens' novels. Go somewhere else, and it's where Jack the Ripper hung out. And walk down Whitehall, and see a string of buildings that are familiar to even American tourists.

Maybe the greatest person in British history was Winston Churchill, who at one point in 1940 was the one last, loud, lonely voice for freedom in a world in which tyranny seemed to be winning. He is remembered in a place of honor in Parliament Square, overlooking his old stomping grounds at the Houses of Parliament. Both places can be inspirational, and Churchill's war room isn't far away.

I've hit a few high points on a blog here, but I must come back someday and look at this great city in detail. Here is a video look at some popular highlights:



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