The punk subculture is centered around listening to recordings or live concerts of a loud, aggressive genre of rock music called punk rock, usually shortened to punk
Punk-related ideologies are mostly concerned with individual freedom and anti-establishment (view or belief is one which stands in opposition to the conventional social, political, and economic principles of a society). Other notable trends in punk politics include anti-militarism, anti-capitalism, anti-racism, anti-sexism, anti-nationalism, anti-homophobia, vegetarianism.
The goth subculture Its imagery and cultural proclivities indicate influences from the 19th century Gothic literature along with horror films and to a lesser extent the BDSM culture.
The goth subculture has associated tastes in music, aesthetics, and fashion. Gothic music encompasses a number of different styles including Gothic rock, Darkwave, Deathrock, Ethereal, Neo-Medieval and Neoclassical. Styles of dress within the subculture range from deathrock, punk and Victorian style attire, or combinations of the above, most often with dark attire, makeup and hair.
Influence: gothic novel, Ozzy Ozborne
Royal Palaces. Traditions and popular ceremonies
The word palace comes from Old French palais (imperial residence), from Latin Palātium, the name of one of the seven hills of Rome.
The official London residences of the English Sovereigns, from Henry VIII to the present day, have been:
*The Palace of Whitehall (to 1699),
*St James's Palace (to 1837) and
*Buckingham Palace (1837 +), originally known as Buckingham House.
But today we will talk about 3 the most interesting palaces in England:
* Buckingham Palace
* St. James Palace
* Kensington Palace
1. Buckingham Palace
The history of Buckingham Palace began in 1702 when the Duke of Buckingham had it built as his London home. The Duke´s son sold the house in1761 to GeorgeIII., it was renamed “Queen´s House“ in 1774 as Queen Charlotte resided there. Queen Victoria was the first monarch to take up residence in Buckingham palace in 1837.
World-famous Buckingham Palace is the official London residence of Queen - Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. But it's not just the main palace of the country. First of all - a place of residence of the British Queen and her family.
The palace was closed to the public for the first time and the museum doors was opened to visitors in the summer of 1993.
Buckingham Palace has 775 rooms. These include 19 State rooms, 52 Royal and guest bedrooms, 188 staff bedrooms, 92 offices and 78 bathrooms. In measurements, the building is 108 metres long across the front, 120 metres deep (including the central quadrangle) and 24 metres high.
Buckingham palace is not only home of the Queen Elizabeth II. But also the London residence of her son Charles with his wife and his sons Harry and William. The Queen has other homes- Windsor castle(last set Queen) and Barmoral in Scotland.The monarch´s thrones are localed in the scarlet and gold. Throne Room used for formal photograps. From Buckingham Palace you can easily walk other great London sights including; Hauses of Parliament, Big Ben, Piccadely Circus, St. Jame´s Palace, 10 Downing Street, The Tames, Trafalgar Square and even Hard rock Cafe.
The gardens of Buckingham Palace - the largest private gardens in London, originally created by Lancelot «Capability» Brown and later by William redistribution Aylton and John Nash. A large artificial pond was completed in 1828.Currently, the palace occupies 20 hectares, of which 17 hectares - the garden.
In the palace there is a huge art gallery with works by Rembrandt, Rubens and others. In the collection there are also French Sevres porcelain, French and English furniture. The Palace has a swimming pool, post office and own cinema. At the two summer months (August and September) Queen leaves Buckingham Palace. In those months, state rooms of the palace open to visitors. When the Queen is here, the royal standard flutters over the palace. The Queen's Gallery, also in Buckingham Palace Road has especial exhibitions from the Royal collection and may be visited every day except Monday.
2. St. James Palace
St James's Palace is one of London's oldest palaces. It is situated in Pall Mall, just north of St James's Park. Although no sovereign has resided there for almost two centuries, it has remained the official residence of the Sovereign[1][2] and the most senior royal palace in the UK. For this reason it gives its name to the Royal Court (the "Court of St James's")
St. James's Palace - the main residence of Queen Elizabeth I Tudor. Built by Henry VIII Tudor in 1530-ies. In this palace of his first speech from the throne said Queen Elizabeth II
St. James's Palace is the senior Palace of the Sovereign, with a long history as a Royal residence. As the home of several members of the Royal Family and their household offices, it is often in use for official functions and is not open to the public.
St James's Palace is still a working palace, and the Royal Court is still formally based there – foreign ambassadors are still accredited to the Court of St James's, even though they are received by the monarch at Buckingham Palace
The Queen's Chapel, built by Inigo Jones, adjoins St James's Palace. While the Chapel is open to the public at selected times, the palace is not accessible to the public. St James's Palace is one of the four buildings in London where guards from the Household Division can be seen (the other three are Buckingham Palace, Clarence House and Horse Guards).
Since the beginning of the 2000s, the Royal Philatelic Collection has been housed at St James's Palace, after spending the entire 20th century at Buckingham Palace.
From October 2008 onwards, and officially from 6 January 2009, the staff of Princes William and Harry moved into their own rooms in St James's Palace and began reporting directly to the royal princes for the first time. Until recently the brothers' duties were looked after by Prince Charles's office at Clarence House.
3. Kensington Palace
This is a small and modest Palace in west London. William III, Mary Stewart, George II, Princess Margaret, Prince Charles, Lady Diana - a few from a long line of famous names associated with Kensington Palace in London. After a long time here was situated the city a royal residence, where they lived, many members of the royal family and British aristocracy higher.
Kensington Palace is well known worldwide as the London residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana before their divorce in 1991, and later as the residence of Diana. After her death in 1997, the palace became a sort of mausoleum princess: the gates are often piles of flowers. In the years 1689-1696. mansion was rebuilt under the direction of Christopher Wren's palace, since he was 300 years belongs to the royal family.
Staterooms with excellent murals, painted by William Kent, a gallery of royal portraits and beautiful furniture in classic style, this is only a small part of what might be said about Kensington Palace
On the first floor there is a collection of clothing of the royal court from 1750 until the present time. On the second floor there are the royal apartments, including the royal gallery with a collection of paintings by artists of 17 century
On birthday of Queen Mother accepts congratulations at this palace, and welcomes the crowd of people. Beloved grandmother of England lives in the palace of Clarence, which was built in 1825 by architect Nash for William IV, who was then the Duke Klaresenskim.
CEREMONIES
* Opening of Parliament
* The Changing of the Guard
* Ceremony of the Keys
Opening of Parliament
The countries of old Europe are famous for their traditions. For example, in Germany to this day vividly celebrated Oktoberfest, born in the early 19 th century, in France, with 19 centuries celebrate young wines of Beaujolais Nouveau, and, of course, England, with its long tradition does not stand aside. For several centuries in a row from one year to the monarch personally conducts the opening ceremony of the parliament. This event, though a political nature, but the spirit of celebration and festivity it remains to this day
Opening of Parliament is traditionally held in autumn in the Palace of Westminster, the House of Lords, as the monarch is forbidden to enter the House of Commons. None of the monarch did not attend the ward to 1642, when Charles I attempted to arrest several members of the chamber.
The event truly festive and colorful. The monarch, in modern England is the Queen, comes from Buckingham Palace in a carriage drawn by horses, accompanied by the Horse Guards. At the ceremony there are lords and bishops in traditional robes and wigs. Once the Queen arrives at Parliament, the state flag is changed to the Royal Standard. Queen met Lord Great Chamberlain and the Black Rod and solemnly carried through the corridors of the House of Lords. Then the King of Arms is sent to the House of Commons, to invite members to attend the reading of the royal speech. Upon arrival at their destination, the door slams in front of him, symbolizing freedom and independence of members of the House of royal power. King of Arms must knock three times to enter and is officially known that the Monarch awaits them.
The Changing of the Guard.
Perhaps the most beautiful traditions in England is "The Changing Of The Guard" ceremony. Royal guard usually carries Guards infantry full dress which consists of a red suit and cap of bearskin. At the ceremony, the new guard replaces the old guard replaced the orchestra. Music varies and can be a military march or tunes from musicals, West End, and even well-known contemporary songs. This ceremony takes place daily at 11:30 from April to August and lasts approximately 45 minutes, at other times of the year - at the same time, but every other day. Practical benefits of changing of the guard, of course not, but this tradition - one of the most beautiful in London. However, the changing of the guard may be canceled at any time, especially due to bad weather.
Ceremony of the Keys
Also in London there is one that is not directly related to the queen, but a very attractive tourist tradition - Ceremony of the Keys. For the past 700 years in a row, each night the chief jailer of the Tower of London, better known as Beefeater doing rite door latching Tower. All doors should be locked at exactly 21 hours 53 minutes. After that, regular trumpeter trumpeting Tower lights out and the ceremony ends. To see this ceremony is to advance, 6-8 weeks, sign up, because number of participants is limited.
Humour
Comedy acts and television programmes typical of British humour include Monty Python, Benny Hill, and Keeping Up Appearances to name a few that have become quite popular outside of the United Kingdom. At times, however, such humour can seem puzzling to non-British speakers of English (for example, references to British slang terms or people who are not internationally known), while certain Commonwealth nations (such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa) tend to find it more familiar. Many UK comedy TV shows typical of British humour have been internationally popular, and have been a strong avenue for the export and representation of British culture to an international audience.
2 Charles Chaplin, Peter Sellers, Benny Hill, John Cleese and Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean are examples of famous international comedians -and all of them are British. But why has British comedy been so
successful? One answer may be that humour and laughter are very important to the British. The traditional image of a British person for many foreigners is a conventional and reserved person who doesn't show any emotion. However, perhaps because they are generally reserved people, they use humour to deal with life and all its problems .Everybody in Britain is expected to have a sense of humour. And the British use humour and irony in situations which might seem very strange, almost frivolous, for other cultures. Professors giving serious lectures at university often start off with a joke to get people relaxed and interested. Business people mix humour and statistics when making important presentations. Some doctors try to get a laugh to relax their patients. Even priests tell jokes in church!
Shopping
Top 5 British Fashion Brands
If you know anything about looking good, you probably know about the top 5 British fashion brands. These label-makers and trend-setters from across "The Pond" have been featured on some of the most exclusive runways in the entire world. Revamp your entire wardrobe with these famous British fashion brands. When you want to look your best, you cannot go wrong with these top British fashion brands. These well-known names are some of the finest collections you'll find in your search for high-quality couture. If you want to dress to impress every single day of the week, you're going to need at least a few pieces from these British fashion brands.
Ben Sherman. Known for carrying a more casual style than anything else, Ben Sherman has everything you need when you want to look amazing while walking down the street. The specialized Beatles Collection is perfect for anyone who wants to channel their inner John, Paul, George, or Ringo, and their iconic Union Jack shirts are great for showcasing national pride without looking gauche.
Burberry. One of the more high-class British fashion brands, Burberry is the de facto clothing choice for the rich and famous. Their eponymous bags and scarves are known for their subdued style, while the women's coats can be described as nothing less than luxurious.
French Connection. This British fashion brand is known for its eye-catching logo of FCUK. The collections here display a sort of subtle elegance with their darker tones, vintage-inspired designs, and body-complimenting construction.
London Fog. If you're looking for clothes to wear to the office, then this is your British fashion brand of choice. Their trousers and collared shirts all scream sophistication, while the women's skirts and suits give off a vibe of having control without seeming domineering.
Dr. Marten's. From sandals to boots, this British fashion brand is great for all of your footwear needs. Their boots are sturdy yet stylish, combining the best features of comfort and usability for men, women, and children of all ages.
Burberry Group is a British luxury fashion house, manufacturing clothing, fragrance, and fashion accessories. Its distinctive tartan pattern has become one of its most widely copied trademarks. Burberry is most famous for its iconic trench coat, which was invented by founder Thomas Burberry. The company has branded stores and franchises around the world, and also sells through concessions in third-party stores.
London Fog is a large manufacturer of coats and other clothes.The company was founded in 1923 as the Londontown clothing company by Israel Myers. During World War II, the company was known for making waterproof clothing for the United States Navy.Following the war, the company partnered with DuPont to make material for use in raincoats. These coats, which were the first to have a patented removable liner, were sold in Philadelphia, where they were a big hit.The company went public in the 1960s. By the 1970s, the company had its own stores, and was manufacturing not only raincoats, but also other types of clothes and accessories. At the time, two-thirds of all raincoats sold in the United States were London Fog.London Fog expanded internationally during the 1990s, selling in places like the United Kingdom and China.The original location of the London Fog Factory was in the Meadow Mills area of Baltimore, Maryland. The factory was then moved to Eldersburg, Maryland on Londontown Boulevard. In 1994, the company left their 465,000 square feet (43,200 m2) of building space in Eldersburg for Darien, Connecticut.Iconix Brand Group bought London Fog in 2006.
Selfridges celebrates 100 years of shopping: The first ever mall
On its first day of business, 100 years ago this month, customers queued round the block to enter a brand new shoppers' paradise in the heart of London. Harry Gordon Selfridge's Oxford Street department store created quite a sensation. More than a million people visited in the first week, and no wonder - they had never seen anything quite like it before. Selfridges was the first of its kind. A vast expanse of consumer heaven, everyone was welcome - even those who'd only come to window shop. Customers were welcomed by smiling staff who'd undergone three months of training in the "Selfridges Way". Previously, stores were austere places. Shoppers would be escorted in simply to buy. Browsing was forbidden. Selfridge changed all that. For the first time shopping became a pleasure and not a chore. The American entrepreneur stumbled on his concept accidentally on his first visit to London. Walking into a shop, he was confronted by an assistant. "Is sir intending to buy something?" the young man asked. "No, I'm just looking," replied Selfridge - only to be told: "Then 'op it, mate." So Selfridge planned his perfect emporium. It was to have everything under one roof - including the kitchen sink. He even coined a phrase for his new venture: "The customer is always right." So March 15, 1909, was a red letter day for shopping. The parfumerie was put at the front - a forerunner of today's store layouts - and customers were welcomed with music and encouraged to spend the whole day at the cosmetic counters, hairdressers and restaurants. Women, who were only just beginning to enjoy walking alone without gentleman escorts, wanted something more - and Selfridges became the perfect day out. Selfridge invented January Sales and the Bargain Basement.