More explorations of the London sites

Zac is off to Hogwarts!

Today our "guide" was Ian (as Jeremy had to work), and we set off in the morning to complete more of the Monopoly Challenge by catching a train to Kings Cross station one of the 4 on the Monopoly board.  While we were there the kids discovered Platform 9 3/4 from Harry Potter fame!  We then exited to continue on foot and find Euston road - after a quick look at the adjacent St Pancras International Station (where we took the Eurostar to Paris), from the outside this time... a very spectacular building!  It was just down the road from the Camden Town Hall where Jeremy and Ian were married.

After seeing Euston Road, we then walked on to Pentonville Road (past a resevoir, though we are not sure that counts as a "Water Works"!) and a hotel called the Angel Islington.  It was then back on the tube for a quick trip to Liverpool Station... well at least the Bishopsgate end! Then on foot again, after a quick lunch, to the Spittlefields markets for a sticky beak before visiting Whitechapel Road and then walking down into the City of London to visit Fenchurch Street station (right next to the AIG building from Tims past).

Then we walked past the "Hung Drawn & Quartered" Pub (yes that is a real name, and Tim has had an after work drink there) and onto the Tower of London as our "Go to Jail" entry.  While we didn't have time to go in today, we have plans to have a closer look at it later in our visit.  We then walked over the Tower Bridge past Butlers Wharf to catch a bus down to Old Kent Road.  Jess LOVED the double decker bus ride.... putting herself in the front seat upstairs!

We then walked to a local pub near Borough for some refeshments, before catching the tube to Angel to meet up with Jeremy for dinner at Exmouth Markets.  Phew.. feet are a bit sore from all the miles we've covered!

The streets of Mayfair

A bit of a sleep-in this morning, and then off to do some errands... Tim got a haircut and then we did some shoping for Christmas ingredients for Christmas Cake and Christmas Chicken Pie - mmmmm.  The we were off to do some more of the Monopoly Challenge.

First stop was at Euston Square for the Tax office (actually called "Revenue & Customs" these days!), then back on the tube and off to Marylebone Station before walking past Dorset Square to Bond Street (well actually there isn't a Bond Street, but only a New Bond Street and an Old Bond Street).  Old Bond Street was very swish, with lots of designer shops to look at.  Then down Piccadilly to Vine Street, after which we walked around the local streets looking at some Christmas markets, the Ritz and some of the streets of London before arriving at Mayfair.

We then walked through a lovely park and the backstreets of Mayfair to get to Park Lane.  We had now completed nearly all of the Monopoly Challenge.... only a few to go!  We then set off for some Christmas celebrations - in the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.  Enjoying the winter cold, drinking mulled wine and watching the festive lights.  We hadn't had our fill of Christmas cheer yet, so we set off to Harrods to look at the Christmas lights and the displays in the store windows.  While we were there, Tim & Kellie decided to have some Champagne and Oysters in the food hall, while the kids spoilled themselves buying some Chocolates.

We then met Jeremy for dinner in Chinatown (no photos of Chinatown... they are all the same in just about every city around the world!), and had a look at the M&M's Store (?... just 'cause it was on the way!) and the Regent Street Christmas lights before heading home.

At the Tower

We woke this morning to a bit cooler weather, but no rain (at least in the morning!), and after breakfast set off for the Tower of London.  We spent a morning looking over the Tower, and even that was not enough time!  The Beefeaters were very entertaining, and the Tower itself was amazing.  The ecclectic collection of a variety of styles of architecture that have been built up on the site as it has been expanded over it's history was fascinating.  There was everything from the remains of the original Roman wall alongside the Thames, Norman Chapels, to Tudor and Edwardian buildings.

We saw the Crown Jewels.... very impressive!  Some were missing - obviously they are still used for state occasions - but most were on site.  We also had a look at the White Tower, which was a museum of the armour used by the Kings of England through the ages..... very interesting.  We even saw a man making a chain mail suit - he said it took 4 months of solid work to make one suit.  We lifted it up to feel its weight, and it would have been very heavy to wear.  We were told that the Knights trained from the age of 7, so by the time they became a Knight, they would be very used to wearing such a heavy garment.

We then looked through the Medieval Palace, that was restored in the style of Henry VIII.  It was fascinating to see the colours used on the walls, tiles and the fixtures & fittings.  There were even guides dressed in period costume, also very colourful.  It was not such a drab time as is often portrayed.... at least not for the Royalty!

After our (all to brief) tour of the Tower, we were off to meet Jason and Tracy - some Aussie friends who now reside and work in London (Tim used to work with Jason in Sydney).  We had lunch down on St Katherines Docks right next to the Tower, where the wealthy Londoners moor their boats.  Apparently the Queens "Barge" (the gold one used in the Jubilee celebrations) was moored there untill quite recently.

We left the restaurant to encounter some good old English RAIN.  So we decided to change our plans and visit the British Museum for a few hours before seeing a show.  We spent some time looking at the Medieval Europe and Ancient Roman, Persian and Egyptian exhibits, untill we needed to sit down!  We walked to the tube and caught a couple of trains to Victoria (LOADS of people, partly 'cause it was peak hour, partly 'cause it was the overgroung station to Gatwick) and then to the Apollo Theatre to see Wicked - a great show, and very entertaining.

It capped off a great day (and a long one!), and we returned home on the tube with very sore feet from all the walking we had done.  

London from the water

Ian had the day off today (while Jeremy had his last day at work for the year), so we decided to take a ferry along the Thames to Greenwich.  Although it was misty rain all day, we were able to get a different perspective of London from the river.  At Greenwhich, we had a look at the Cutty Sark and the Prime Meridian at the Royal Observatory.  The park in Greenwich, was being repaired and re-turfed after it hosted olympic events for Cross-Country, Modern Pentathalon and Show Jumping... it would have been a great place to see the events, a very pretty park, with a great view of Canary Wharf and the city of London.

We then headed home, as Jeremy was finishing work early and we had decided to have a family night at home before Ian headed back to Reading for the Pantomime.  We had a very festive dinner and toasted a new and exciting opportunity for Jeremy at his work.  The evening ended with most of us in our PJ's watching the Nutcracker Suite and getting into the Christmas Spirit.

The canals of Camden

Today we woke up a bit later and Jeremy and Kellie made some Christmas cakes.  After a bit of an "at home" morning we set off for the Camden Markets.  We wandered around the Camden area, taking in the unusual shops and the markets (which used to be old stables) were fantastic... a few bagains were purchased!  We had lunch at the markets befre some more exploring of the markets and then a brief look at the canals.  We walked along the "tow path" (so called because before the barges had engines, the horses used to"tow" the barges along the canal.

Then it was off to St Pauls - via a few of the remaining Monopoly streets - for a performance of Benjamin Britten's "A Ceremony of Carols".  It was very entrancing to hear this music in the magnificant acoustics of the Cathedral.  Then a few more Monopoly stops before we headed to Covent Garden for a spot of shopping and dinner at Tims friend Shane's place.  It was great to catch up with Shane, and also to see some of the Christmas lights around Covent Garden.