If it is summer in London, then it must be the cricket and tennis season. These two sports are inextricably linked with London, which houses some of the most well known venues for these sports. They are also sports that have become part of the summer social season and have their own, very distinct, characteristics. Visitors traveling to London during this time period often seek Aparthotels in Kensington to avoid travel heck.
White is the colour that dominates both sports, as all players have to wear white. At Wimbledon, players cannot even wear off white or cream – even underwear has to be white. Players who turn up in colour have to get changed, or are not allowed to play. In 2002, Anna Kournikova had to replace her black shorts with white ones borrowed from her coach. Even coloured trims are not allowed to be wider than a centimetre.
Eating strawberries and cream while at Wimbledon is a long established tradition – as is the fact that players have to courtesy or bow in the direction of the royal box if the Queen or Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales, is present.
Book well in advance for tickets for the Centre Court games as these are very popular. All the games are played on grass courts and local children act as ball boys and girls, collecting the balls when necessary on the courts. Also, for travelers, there is large selection to choose from cheap to luxury Holiday Apartments London .
Just as Wimbledon is very much the home of lawn tennis, so Lord’s Cricket Ground in North London is very much the home of cricket. If there are no games being played, you can book guided tours of the site following in the footsteps of cricket heroes through the Long Room, see the Ashes Urn in the MCC Museum, try out players seats in the Dressing rooms and discover the stories of cricketing heroes past and present.
Like Wimbledon, Lords has its own special traditions. Take a look up above the ground to see a very special weather vane nicknamed Old Father Time. This hunched figure is shown removing the bails from a wicket. The Ashes Urn is an unusual trophy as it stands only 15 cms tall and is believed to contain the ashes of a cricket ball. Regardless of whether England or Australia are the current holders, the original urn is kept permanently in the Museum.
So, if you are coming to London this summer then make sure to book a stay with Presidential Apartments Kensington for excellent facilities at reasonable prices.
