Where in the World is London?

This is another post in my “Where in the World Is” series.

I’ve never been to London– never been to the UK, for that matter– but I have a great interest in the British history. You probably know of London as Britain’s largest city, the financial and political capital of the United Kingdom. It just bubbles over with rich history, ancient history. And ancient history is my speciality. I hope that someday I will be able to wander the city, searching for historical sites. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

London is an ancient city, older than originally assumed. There is very little solid documentation before Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae, but some traditional stories claim that London and areas of the British Isles were settled by the ancient tribe called Brythons (some even say the Brythons were the Picts). Their leader was Brytus, whose father was a Trojan who had escaped the burning ruins of the city (and settled by the banks of the Italian river Tiber, from which sprang the city of Rome). Brytus grew up in Rome amongst the noble British families, but when he accidentally killed his father while hunting, he was exiled from the city. Brytus traveled to Greece to discover his ancient roots, but found many of his people in captivity.

Brytus fought the captors, and his band escaped. They eventually came to what we know now as Britain (so named after him, tradition says). Brytus founded the city of Trinovantum, or New Troy. This was to become the city of London. This is said to have occurred about the time 1100 B.C.

The Romans invaded Britain and established London as a Roman city in 43 B.C. It was a divided city– divided between people who wanted the luxuries and power that Rome brought, and others, like Boudicca, who wanted freedom and a return to native autonomy. We all know who eventually won this war…

Today, London is a sophisticated but extremely practical city. When I think of London, I think of cobblestone streets, red telephone booths, men with very pale faces, black coats, and cloudy weather. It sounds like my version of London has been heavily influenced by the movies, doesn’t it? I love travel blogs for this reason– travelers give a keener, clearer picture of a city more then a Hollywood production would. Plus, travel bloggers are full of tips about great local restaurants and recommended cheap hotels. I’m the kind of person who likes to avoid the “Mickey Mouse” parade of tourist sites. I like to wander, and discover the unusual and the quirky things of the location. I’m sure I’d not be disappointed in a city like London! Where in the world would you like to go?

The Telectroscope from NY to London

It’s the stuff movies are made of: a young man stumbles upon his great-grandfather’s old papers and discovers a plan for the wildest and most ingenious invention of Victorian-era engineering.

It’s the Telectroscope, and it’s a “tunnel” that runs from London, England to New York City, New York. But is it for real? Could a tunnel possibly exist beneath the Atlantic Ocean? The story certainly runs like a science-fiction film.

By 1894, Alexander’s diaries had become more and more erratic and it was clear that he was suffering great mental torment. Eventually, the workforce, fearing for their lives, mutinied and forced Alexander to abandon the project and arrange passage back to England. The tunnel and shaft were hastily covered up.

Alexander never recovered from his deep disappointment and the shame of failure. His mental health continued to deteriorate until in 1917 he died, insane, in an asylum in Bethnal Green. His papers remained with his family who spent the next century denying their existence…

…until Paul St George, who clearly shares his great-grandfather’s drive and determination, discovered the plans and set out to complete both the tunnel and the Telectroscope and open this astonishing “device for the suppression of absence” to the general public.

I first heard about it when blogger Lady Banana said she saw New Yorkers in a tunnel, from her London street. I was quite intrigued and did a little researching. My husband was convinced that the Telectroscope is not a tunnel– not a true tunnel– but merely a fiber optic cable at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Mirrors are set in key areas and therefore New Yorkers can view the streets of Londoners, and vice versa. Hmmm. The BBC Online has a brief story filled with skepticism and a short video. Is it real?