The preserved village of Bukchon lies between Gyeongbok Palace to the west and Changdeok Palace to the east, where you can wander around restored timber houses and courtyards, and also grab a bite to eat in one of the area's cafes or restaurants.

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They are located to the east of the main Palace of Westminster complex, next to Portcullis House.

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Adored by such notable interior designers as Muriel Brandolini and Jacques Grange, bought by collectors from the United States to the Middle East and acquired for France's presidential palace, these precious objects will be on view in New York, when Van der Straeten's work is shown at the Ralph Pucci gallery in January.

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His partly-built house, a neo-classical mansion called Hamilton Palace, is on the estate the footpath crosses near Uckfield in East Sussex.

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But the mood was buoyant and bright at Blackheath Park in south-east London as the runners prepared to begin the long haul to the finish line near Buckingham Palace.

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