From the modern London Eye to the historic Tower of London, below are London's most visited tourist attractions. Many of London's top attractions are free, making them affordable places to learn about some culture. Whether you prefer history or modern art, you'll find it at one of these must-visit spots.

British Museum

    The world-famous British Museum exhibits the works of man from prehistoric to modern times, from around the world. The most interesting and exciting parts include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures (雕塑) and the mummies in the Ancient Egypt collection. Some exhibitions require tickets.

National Gallery

    The greatest and most beautiful building of Trafalgar Square, London's National Gallery is a vast space filled with Western European paintings from the 13th to the 19th centuries. In this impressive art gallery you can find works by masters such as Van Gogh, da Vinci, Botticelli, Constable, Renoir, Titian and Stubbs. Some exhibitions require tickets.

Tate Modern

    Sitting on the banks of the Thames is the Tate Modern, Britain's national museum of modern and contemporary (当代的) art. Its unique shape is due to it being a power station before. The gallery's restaurants offer wonderful views across the city. Some exhibitions require tickets.

Coca-Cola London Eye

    The Coca-Cola London Eye is a major feature of London's skyline. It has some of London's best views from its 32 capsules, each weighing 10 tonnes and holding up to 25 people. Climb aboard for a breathtaking experience, with an unforgettable view of more than 55 of London's most famous landmarks — all in just 30 minutes!

Madame Tussauds

    At Madame Tussauds, you'll come face-to-face with some of the world's most famous faces. From Shakespeare to Lady Gaga you'll meet influential figures from show business, sport, politics and even royalty. Strike a pose with Usain Bolt, get close to One Direction or receive a once-in-a-lifetime audience with Her Majesty the Queen.

    The similarities between elephant and human behavior has been a curiosity to scientists worldwide. These huge beasts are not so different from us. Their devotion to their family is just as powerful as the friendships between humans. In order to prevent future elephant attacks, people must first understand the similarities between elephants and themselves.

    Because deaths are felt so deeply in elephants, memories of people harming or killing other members are not forgotten. Due to the Uganda-Tanzania War in Africa, poaching (偷猎) elephant increased during the 1970's and continued, despite government restrictions. However, ecologists like Eve Abe did not see this as simple poaching; they saw it as a “mass destruction. “Elephants that have witnessed the murder of a matriarch, are more likely to become violent and attack humans. Many aggressive elephants do not act without reason; they are suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). At a young age, humans invade their life, kill their parents, and ultimately destroy their peaceful environment. More and more calves live neglected lives without a mother figure, and have to become a parent early for survival. Humans that had a difficult childhood or early family life also suffer from aggression and pain. Young elephants have been known to have “nightmares,” waking up suddenly and screaming. These are clearly signs of stress, as males grow up to be increasingly hostile (敌对的) humans and target certain villages where painful experiences had occurred.

    Although many see elephants as massive, violent, and simple-minded animals, their social structure is not unlike many human societies. Humans and elephants have been on parallel paths. However, if people continue practicing ignorance over the cruel treatment of these creatures, then collision will become inevitable. Cruel treatment of elephants still goes on, but by understanding the similarities between us, it can be stopped.

    Your mobile phone vibrates in your pocket. 'Need to see you,' reads the screen. Nothing new, considering that texting is currently the most common form of long-distance communication. But how were messages conveyed in the past?

    One of the first methods was the smoke signal. This practice was used by Chinese soldiers guarding the Great Wall to warn of the enemy's approach. The Greeks invented a whole alphabet of smoke signals for sending messages. But it was Native Americans who made the system mobile by carrying small bunches of dried grasses around with them. These could be lit quickly from any place at any time.

    Moving on to messages transmitted by sound, an early technique was the drum. Drums are still used today in the rainforests of Africa, Papua New Guinea and Central and South America for broadcasting news. The instrument is made from a piece of wood, which is empty inside, and this is hit with a stick. On receiving the message, each village passes it on to the next, which means that news can travel at up to 150 km an hour.

    In some parts of the world, humans are able to convey messages over long distances without using instruments. On La Gomera, one of the Canary Islands, people use Silbo, or the 'whistling language' to communicate across the valleys. The language involves the use of the tongue, lips and hands to make sounds, which can travel up to 5 km. To ensure its continuation, Silbo is currently a compulsory subject in primary and secondary schools on the island.

    A look at long-distance communication would not be complete without mentioning the art of yodelling. This is a form of singing, in which the voice changes sound levels very quickly, making it easily heard over long distances. It is believed that the technique was developed in the Swiss Alps, but it is also found in other places such as Central Africa. At one time, yodelling was popular in theatres and music halls, but this is no longer so.

    Asia is such a vast and diverse continent for anyone dreaming of an escape. Here are some best destinations to visit over the next 12 months.

    Xi'an, China

    Xi'an, China is supreme and then there's the biggie (重要的事物)-the Army of Terracotta Warriors, celebrating 30 years as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017.

    Xi'an is vast, but a relaxed way of living and recent openings have boosted an already superb accommodation market. A crop of new bars and cafes are thrown in here. There's never been a better time to visit.

    South of Tokyo, Japan

    Two cities in south of Tokyo are well worth visiting.

    Yokohama is just a 20-mixinte train journey from the capital and packs considerable appeal with its bayside location, architecture, beer and tasty cuisine.

    Less than an hour from Tokyo, fantastic seaside town Kamakura »s known for its surfing scene, but also offers an attractive selection of relaxed cafes and restaurants.

    Sri Lanka's Hill Country

    Sri Lanka may be “so hot right now”, but Lonely Planet recommends a different experience.

    Try getting ahead of (and away from) the pack by taking a scenic train to Sri Lanka's Hill Country for a wonderfully temperate escape from the nation's humid coasts.

    This island owns a mountainous interior that is every bit as scenic as the coast, blessed by pleasantly cool temperatures that rarely above 21℃.

    Raja Ampat, Indonesia

    “Raja” means “king” and this grand title is apparent. Packed with white-sand beaches, lush jungle and unusual mushroom-shaped small islands. Raja Ampat is a biological hotspot.

    Home to some of the richest, most diverse coral reefs on the planet—over 200 diving spots are still in a state of nature—and this, paired with a growing ecotourism (生态旅游) offering, means Raja Ampat will no doubt remain king of the islands.

    Many of us love July because it's the month when nature's berries and stone fruits are in abundance. These colourful and sweet jewels form British Columbia's fields are little powerhouses of nutritional protection.

    Of the common berries, strawberries are highest in vitamin C, although, because of their seeds, raspberries contain a little more protein (蛋白质), iron and zinc (not that fruits have much protein). Blueberries are particularly high in antioxidants (抗氧化物质). The yellow and orange stone fruits such as peaches are high in the carotenoids we turn into vitamin A and which are antioxidants. As for cherries (樱桃), they are so delicious who cares? However, they are rich in vitamin C.

    When combined with berries of slices of other fruits, frozen bananas make an excellent base for thick, cooling fruit shakes and low fat "ice cream". For this purpose, select ripe bananas for freezing as they are much sweeter. Remove the skin and place them in plastic bags or containers and freeze. If you like, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on the bananas will prevent them turning brown. Frozen bananas will last several weeks, depending on their ripeness and the temperature of the freezer.

    If you have a juicer, you can simply feed in frozen bananas and some berries or sliced fruit. Out comes a "soft-serve" creamy dessert, to be eaten right away. This makes a fun activity for a children's party; they love feeding the fruit and frozen bananas into the top of the machine and watching the ice cream come out below.

    Many people criticize today's newspapers as sensationalist, satisfying the public's abnormal curiosity. But journalism a century ago was just as notorious (臭名昭著). Publishers at that time routinely competed with each other for wild stories that could draw in the most readers. Meanwhile, it was an ideal atmosphere for a courageous reporter like Nellie Bly to spring into fame.

    Bly, whose name was Elizabeth Corcoran, had to work to make her way in the world. Different from many women of the time, however, she refused to let the working world scare her away. Her first big opportunity as a reporter came in 1885 after she wrote an angry letter denouncing the Pittsburgh Dispatch for an article it had run criticizing women forced to work outside the home. The interested and excited editor hired Bly for her "spirit," and soon she was investigating the situations of female factory workers. Bly cared less about their jobs than their lives after work  - their amusements, their motivations, their fears and ambitions. She produced an article totally different from what other reporters of the time were writing: personal, thoughtful, meaningful.

    By 1887 Bly had a job with the New York World, one of the leader papers of the day. She quickly became famous for undercover stories about women in a mental hospital. Soon she had investigated life as a maid, a chorus girl, and even a street girl. In her best - known brave deeds, in 1890, Bly beat the famous "around the world in 80 days" trip Jules Verne had described in his novel. Traveling by steamship, train, even ricksha, Bly reported from each stop. A spellbound nation hung on every word. Only 25, Bly had become internationally famous.