London When the lights change city

C ‘is the recession at the gates? It does not matter. March against the conservative mayor Boris Johnson, who next year will play against the reappointment Labour Ken Livingstone (good fight between two eccentric and a bit ‘out of the rigid patterns and party): If things go wrong you do not need bluntly put it, or break down and self-flagellation. “Let us behind the bad thoughts.” Forget for a moment the crisis. Will be. From the Latin lover fanatic and Hotel Economici Londra (would that the ‘ancient and noble language to be taught right from the primary because he is convinced that the Latin rigor and logic help use your brain and out of the mire statement), he explains this theory in a simple non-conventional of ‘excess, the rest is a Tory maverick. So Boris is the verb: “Carpe diem.” That is, we take flight to the ‘occasion. We take the flight on Christmas to give a nice stroke to inflate in London and vivacity, than the lines, beyond the concerns of the moment, to tease the imagination and above (without hiding) to give oxygen consumption, to soothe and tickle the British to open the wallet with some gift or something to satisfy a whim, told they for tourists. The message is: you thought that London was dead? We were told that London has gone out of fashion? Not a joke: “I will prove it.” So, here is the gray (so to speak) the capital of global finance, perhaps crippled, regains the shopping cycle, the theatrically lavish, and the careful shopping (department stores, there are already “balances” masked), however, shopping ‘enlightened’ to capture the rich client and the client depleted. Orgy of colors, lights and decorations: perfect, exaggerated, unusual (given the ‘austerity which, by the admission of the government, will drag on until 2015) commercial marketing strategy. Provocation study. Temptations desired. They started the party early and facelift: from the beginning of November London has pressed on ‘switch. As if nothing had happened, as if the wind of ‘economy in red, here, had never unleashed and downcast. A magic where they pulled out the money? Click and lights along the Thames and the Ferris wheel (waiting for the fireworks show from New Year’s), lights in Trafalgar (in front of the National Gallery, where the craze-Leonardo da Vinci’s obsession with fantastic shows with tickets sold by touts to 200 pounds), lights in Regent Street (in the Apple megastore and Ferrari), Bond Street, in the horrible, polluted and chaotic, Oxford Street. It lights Knigthsbridge or Covent Garden and in the mega amusement park of Hyde Park or in the nine ice rinks set up in every area of ​​London, in front of the museum of natural history or Canary Wharf, or at Hampton Court Palace or the Tower. The infection reaches even Electric Avenue, the market for Afro-Caribbean (the first ever London-powered current) to a neighborhood of the Brixton riots in August, then the computer superstore and sport attacked and looted, now shining. Normal? Not so. The public coffers are empty. The luxury doubles. Via the monotony, Boris orders. Allegria. We adapt the “arcade” of luxury (the Burlington small jewelry and cashmere next to the Royal Academy or the Piccadilly leading to Jermyn Street, the English shoes and clothing, behind Fortnum & Mason, the Temple of sweet and savory delights official supplier of tea to Buckingham Palace). The shops ‘normal’ (or almost) have the same length d ‘wave, Chelsea King’ s Road or Kensington. And the sparkle bars: c ‘is who (the’ good and collected Phillies in Phillmore Gardens, Holland Park road on the side of the film celebrated the Fourth Protocol, in front of the local ex-bassist Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones), suggests the classic artisan panettone Milan (and true) as a gift under the ‘tree. And nearby c ‘is also a lovely small hotel (17 rooms) on’ Seraphine ‘in Abingdon Road, dressed properly. The pub chef Gordon Ramsey, also TV star, (the Narrow River Thames in a Narrow Street and Warrington, Warrington Crescent a short walk from the channels of “Little Venice”) for dinner in English acceptable price and quality to ‘teach of the holidays alive. The ‘eco-shopping and spending is running at maximum. The windows sparkle, flatter, instigate. Perfect seduction. Prelude of the ‘Economic Armageddon? O symbol of unbridled optimism and unjustifiable? Hatch bad signals, unemployment rises and consumption fall, minus 2 percent. What happens when you turn off the lights? Two thousand shops have closed in a year, struck down by debt. But London does not want to stop giving spells. Dream big does not cost. Fabio Cavalera PLAY RESERVED **** LONDON / 1 The best way to celebrate midnight in London’s Trafalgar Square 4 If you are the ideal solution is an apartment a stone’s throw from Tower Bridge, from 329 euros per night (www. wimdu.it / offers/C480JNOX) LONDON / 2 New Year’s Eve with the spectacle of fireworks ‘All fireworks on the Thames’ Best Western Burns, in a Victorian mansion in Kensington, three nights b & b with scheduled flights to / from 376 euros to r person. From December 30 to January 2 www.kingholidays.it LONDON / 3 Flight to / r Milan / London stay for two nights (starting on 16/12 back on 18/12) at the Ramada London Ealing hotel, three star hotel in twenty minutes from Piccadilly Circus. From 218 euros per person, including airport taxes info: www.eDreams.it BARCELONA / 1 Bridge of ‘Immaculate for the Fira de Santa Llúcia, dedicated to the cribs. Flight from Turin from 147 euros, or flight + hotel package three stars (Le Meridien Barcelona, ​​the Barrio del Eixample) from Milan to 241 Euros Info: govolo.it BARCELONA / 2 In Barcelona fashionable. To sleep in the ‘Ayre Hotel Caspe 4-star hotel, 71 euros per room, or flight + hotel package (the TRYP Condal Mar Barcelona) from 126 per person for three nights (15-18 December). Departure from Orio al Serio. Info: doveviaggi.it BARCELONA / 3 The Confortel Bel Art in Barcelona is a 4 star hotel in the Eixample, the modernist triangle. Package of 4 nights + flight from Milan to 320 euros per person is part of December 7 and part of the ’11. Info: lastminute.com **** PARIS / 1 B & b and rooms for rent in foreign capitals A good proposal is to Paris on the rue de Buci, in the sixth arrondissement, on the fourth floor of a building of the twentieth century. It can accommodate up to three people, 173 euros per night Info: dovedormo.it / PARIS PARIS / 2 a stone’s throw from the Eiffel Tower, super-equipped for 4 people 750 euros per week, reference number 99749. More classic, between the Louvre and the Pompidou Centre (reference number 345511) from 700 euros per week Info: www.homelidays.it PARIS / 3 Two nights b & b Pavilion Republique Les Halle (3 stars in classic style) near Place de la Republique and flight / r from Milan, Rome, Venice and Naples from December to March € 193 per person sharing www.kingholidays.it BERLIN / 1 Kurfürstendamm shopping street: here ‘s Hotel Berlin, Berlin (praised by Tripadvisor for location) offers the package of 4 nights from 462 euros per head. With scheduled flights to / r from 29/12 to 2 / 1 Info: www.hotelplan.it BERLIN / 2 Four days but only pay for three nights’ s initiative Hostelsclub.com, a portal that brings together thousands of hostels: the Plus Berlin, in Friedrichshain, swimming pool and sauna, 18 euros, 12 euros for the ’3×2 offer until February 29 BERLIN / Anna Louisa Karsch 3 House Strass, near the’ Altes Museum. ‘S announcement is the No 287130 of Homelidays.it: apartment for 4 (two bedrooms), from 770 euros per week between 16 and 28/12