Welcoming French au pair girls into my home I was always amazed that they found corners of London which were special to them, honouring their national heroes who I had never heard of. Looking at London, you might be interested in these sites, which could be on the itinerary of a tour. Whether you are a foreigner visiting London, or a resident entertaining overseas visitors, look at these and compile a handy list in your own diary. (I used to have a diary with a map of London at the back.
When I got a new diary without a map, I thought it was a pity that my new diary had no map and the old one was not transferable. I carefully cut out the map out of the old diary and sellotaped it into the new one. You can do the same with any map of the right size. Some diaries and travel notebooks have a space or flap on the back cover to hold a map or printed pages of addresses.
I also photocopy pages from my diary if I want to take just the holiday date pages, and not risk losing my diary. Alternatively take the diary, but leave the photocopy of addresses behind.
List of foreigners visiting the UK and/or with memorials, monuments, place names and burials
Australia - state of Victoria, city of Melbourne named after her minister. In UK memorial to Monash, WWI leader.
Corsica - I remember a Corsican au pair girl who went to visit the memorial in Westminster Abbey to see the memorial to Corsica's national hero Pasquale di Paoli. He died in England, although his remains were sent back to Corsica and buried there. Corsica is now French, and many people speak French although others speak Italian.
When I got a new diary without a map, I thought it was a pity that my new diary had no map and the old one was not transferable. I carefully cut out the map out of the old diary and sellotaped it into the new one. You can do the same with any map of the right size. Some diaries and travel notebooks have a space or flap on the back cover to hold a map or printed pages of addresses.
I also photocopy pages from my diary if I want to take just the holiday date pages, and not risk losing my diary. Alternatively take the diary, but leave the photocopy of addresses behind.
List of foreigners visiting the UK and/or with memorials, monuments, place names and burials
Australia - state of Victoria, city of Melbourne named after her minister. In UK memorial to Monash, WWI leader.
Corsica - I remember a Corsican au pair girl who went to visit the memorial in Westminster Abbey to see the memorial to Corsica's national hero Pasquale di Paoli. He died in England, although his remains were sent back to Corsica and buried there. Corsica is now French, and many people speak French although others speak Italian.
French - Charles Peguy Centre.
India - Mahatma Gandhi in Parliament Square and Tavistock Square.
Malta - Maltese opera star currently in London. Queen Victoria statue in Malta.
New Zealand - Captain Cook and Victoria.
Poland - Polish memorial.
Singapore - Raffles, founder of Singapore, buried in a church in Hendon. In Singapore visit Raffles hotel and see Queen Victoria statue.
South Africa - bust of Mandela on South Bank in London.
Venezuela/ South America : a Venezuelan member of Toastmasters International told that Bolivar visited London. You could trace Bolivar's steps.
You could also do a trace of religious leaders or characters identified with a particular religion from history: eg Anne Frank (UK, Netherlands; Poland; Germany; and Schindler in Poland and Israel;
You could also do a trace of religious leaders or characters identified with a particular religion from history: eg Anne Frank (UK, Netherlands; Poland; Germany; and Schindler in Poland and Israel;
Methodists Wesley and the church and cemetery and statue in the East End of London, England - more on Methodists in the USA; Mosques in the UK and overseas; Rothschilds in the UK and Europe; Sassoons in the UK, India and Shanghai, China (plus the HSBC Hong Kong and China Bank); Greek churches in London; Catholic Churches and saints.
Musicians have memorials and statues: George Friderick (spelling is German) Handel (of Germany) came to London - see his statue in Vauxhall Gardens, plaques and the organ he played in a church. His Handel's Messiah is a popular piece.
Another route to follow would be authors or characters from books you have read: eg authors (several books on authors and author trails in the UK); Anne Frank, Robert Louis Stevenson; Dickens; Jane Austen; Mollie Brown (Titanic, USA).
You can do the reverse in another country you are visiting, looking for statues and history relating to your homeland. For example, statues of Queen Victoria in other countries can serve as landmarks and help you remember squares. These are just the obvious ones. You will find many more.
Musicians have memorials and statues: George Friderick (spelling is German) Handel (of Germany) came to London - see his statue in Vauxhall Gardens, plaques and the organ he played in a church. His Handel's Messiah is a popular piece.
Another route to follow would be authors or characters from books you have read: eg authors (several books on authors and author trails in the UK); Anne Frank, Robert Louis Stevenson; Dickens; Jane Austen; Mollie Brown (Titanic, USA).
You can do the reverse in another country you are visiting, looking for statues and history relating to your homeland. For example, statues of Queen Victoria in other countries can serve as landmarks and help you remember squares. These are just the obvious ones. You will find many more.
