In the heart of London is a small ceremonial county known as The City of London Corporation. Here you find many quirks from ages long ago. The City of London Corporation is led by the Lord Mayor of London. A title that is rather cool if you ask me! Local residents are not only the only ones voting in elections, but representatives from businesses and other bodies based within the city are also given votes. This is left over from the medieval age, when livery companies, or guilds, had major influence in politics. Today, the city is a major financial and business hub with minimal residents, paving the way for the system to continue. Home of the Bank of England and the London Stock Exchange, over 300,000 people commute into the city for work. Its boundaries date back to the walls of Londinium, a settlement founded by the Romans in 47 AD. Over time, the boundaries have slightly expanded and can be seen today demarcated by statues of a silver dragon holding the city's red and white coat of arms. As you wander through London, you can find them easily if you keep a lookout. 

Just outside the City of London Corporation is the old home of the Texas Legation. In an effort to establish international relations, the Republic of Texas established a Legate, similar to a consulate, in London in 1836. The Legate would serve until 1845, when the Republic of Texas joined the United States. The Legate shared a building with a historic wine company dating all the way back to 1698. If you make your way to Pickering Place, down an alley off St. James Street, you can find a plaque commemorating the site. All throughout the city are little pieces of history easily missed by those who do not know.