The Houses of Parliament and the top 5 things to know about London

London 07
Originally uploaded by trudeau

If your teacher had to encapsulate the best of London, here's the top 5 sites he would recommend:

1. The River Thames (pronounced timz). Almost all great cities are on a river or bay.
2. The Tower of London. A great tourist center on the edge of the Thames, this is the earliest seat of power for the British. A castle and fortress from which William the Conqueror ruled, it would later be a place where English kings imprisoned fellow nobles.
3. The London Eye ferris wheel is on the Thames and is one of the world's largest.
4. The Globe Theater. William Shakespeare was one of the owners as well as contributing playwrights to the plays presented in this 3-story, open-air amphitheater.
5. The Houses of Parliament, aka the Westminster Palace. Built as a palace for the kings of England, the Parliament - House of Lords & House of Commons - has been meeting there since the 13th century. The US democracy is modeled on the British institution.