One of the smallest nations competing in London 2012, The Cook Islands in the South Pacific is named after British Royal Navy Captain and East London resident James Cook.

Originally settled in the 13th century by migrants from what is now French Polynesia and Samoa, the islands were surveyed and charted by Captain Cook in 1773 and 1777.

As well as The Cook Islands (known as the Hervey Islands until the 1820s), James Cook also charted New Zealand, Hawaii and the eastern coast of Australia.

Cook’s ship The Resolution encountered The Cook Islands archipelago in 1773 while searching for the mysterious “Terra Australis”. On his return to London, Cook was promoted to the rank of captain and offered honorary retirement from the Royal Navy as an officer in the Greenwich Hospital, sited at the Old Royal Naval College.

However, he returned to The Resolution on his third and final voyage and revisited The Cook Islands in 1777. He was murdered two years later in The Sandwich Islands, now Hawaii.

Cook has a firm place in the history of many Pacific nations, and his navigational skill and legendary voyages are marked in museums and statues across the region.

In addition to The Cook Islands, his name has been given to places in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Kiribati and most recently a crater on the moon.

In London, artefacts from Cook’s voyages can be found at the Royal Museums Greenwich, including a replica of the famous H4 Marine Chronometer and there’s a statue of Cook in the grounds of the National Maritime Museum.

You can also see blue commorative plaques at Cook’s former London homes at Shadwell (340 Highway marks the site of Cook’s house at 126 Upper Shadwell) and Mile End (89 Mile End Road marks the site of Cook’s house at 7 Assembly Row).

Do you know of any other London connections with The Cook Islands? Let us know using the comments section below.

The Scissor Sisters will perform at the BT River of Music festival in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The two-day celebration on 21 and 22 July 2012 will feature free concerts along the banks of the river Thames, starring musical talent from Olympic countries around the world.

Six stages will host music from the major continents: Asia in Battersea Park, Africa in Jubilee Gardens, Europe in Trafalgar Square and Somerset House, the Americas at the Tower of London, and Oceania at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich.

Confirmed artists include Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Naturally 7, Baaba Maal, Angelique Kidjo, Zakir Hussain and Andy Sheppard.

To find out how to get your hands on free concert tickets, sign up now at www.london2012.com/festival. Ticketing information will be released in May 2012.

Congratulations to the Old Royal Naval College: this weekend, the team in Greenwich will welcome their millionth visitor.

According to reports, the lucky visitor will be greeted by a “fanfare of crumhorns, hurdy-gurdies, lutes and harps” – probably something to do with the Greenwich International Festival of Early Music, which is taking place at the Old Royal Naval College this weekend.

This festival is just one of a whole host of initiatives produced by the Old Royal Naval College to increase visitor numbers. Others include:

• restoring the old brewery, working with the Meantime Brewing Company
• Discover Greenwich, new £6 million visitor centre and restaurant
• numerous festivals, including the Beer and Jazz Festival, the Summer Sessions music festival, and London’s biggest comedy festival

Duncan Wilson OBE, Chief Executive of the Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College, says, “We are delighted to have reached one million visits. 

“Since taking over the care of the Old Royal Naval College, we have focused on forging  commercial partnerships and developing sustainable tourism. This approach enables us to  protect and care for the Word Heritage Site while creating an international tourism destination. Combining our commercial income with Government funding has enabled us to restore the magnificent buildings of the Old Royal Naval College to their former glory and reach out to a wider audience.

“The range and depth of activities taking place at the Old Royal Naval College is also increasing.  From music festivals to theatre and film locations, we are continually enhancing our offer as an international tourism destination and a valued location for Londoners.  We look forward to 2011 and the build up to London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Entrance to Discover Greenwich, the Clore Learning Centre and the Greenwich Tourist Information Centre at the Old Royal Naval College is free. If you haven’t been down there yet, now’s a great time to join the other million people who’ve made the visit! You won’t be disappointed.

We know visitors to London have very discerning tastes when it comes to choosing accommodation. Whether it’s top-of-the-range luxury hotels or family-friendly B&Bs, there’s lots on offer.

With that in mind, we’ve decided to shake London’s hotel scene up a bit: we’re opening the world’s smallest pop-up hotel.

If you’re in London between the 15-19 March, and you would like to try this money-can’t-buy experience, enter the prize draw for a chance to win at www.visitlondon.com/popup

Lucky winners will wake up with an amazing view of some of the capital’s favourite attractions including

• ZSL London Zoo
• Alexandra Palace
• The London Eye
• Covent Garden
• The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich

Visit London has transformed a luxury American Airstream into a beautiful bedroom suite, teaming up with Radisson Edwardian Hotels to stamp their own unique style on the pop-up hotel.

The high-spec mini hotel features a dedicated concierge, check-in desk, room service, a flat-screen TV, sound system, fridge and dining-room area, double bed, en-suite facilities and all the other little touches you would expect to find in a top London hotel.

Enter now: the competition closes on 7 March