Over the Bridge

And so over the bridge we went.  Tower Bridge is the most fantastic structure.  Hubby was interested to read that the average speed of vehicles over the bridge these days is 10 miles an hour - roughly the same as it would have been when it was built!  Progress hey!

We had a quick nosey int St Katherines Dock - once featured in a James Bond film

And had a quick peep over the wall of the Tower of London.

From this side of the river, you get a good view of the all the new glass buildings being built (including Boris's City Hall on the left.)

I had commented that I had forgotten just how many stunning buildings our capital has, when we discovered the City of London Port Authority building - now disused.

We read that there are plans to turn it into apartments and perhaps a hotel.

And we read that this too had been used in the recent James Bond Skyfall movie - I'll have to watch for it.

By now, it was growing dark and we were in the heart of the financial part of the city.  I managed to catch 2 London buses to photograph  in front of the Bank of England Building - The Old Lady Of Threadneedle Street.

And on - towards St Pauls Cathedral. Very very beautiful.

After a quick coffee and cake, we stopped to watch the skaters at Somerset House.

Then bobbed up to Covent Garden for a look around and admire the tree.

We cut through Leicester Square ...

And ended up in the National Gallery (which is free, and open until 9pm on Friday evenings) to have a look at one special painting.

The painting of Racehorse Whistlejacket by George Stubbs was comissioned by the Fitzwilliams at Wentworth Woodhouse, and a copy of it still hangs in the house.  I believe they sold it for death duties (it was sold for over 11 million pounds).  It is a huge painting as it is a life size portrait.  Hubby was delighted to find it hung next but one to "The HayWain" - his favourite painting.  It was a great way to finish our day.

One Man in My Heart

I have to say that last nights concert by the Human League at Sheffield City Hall was utterly fantastic.  They all still look and sound as amazing as ever.  The music does not sound dated, it still sounds very very current.

The audience loved it - for a while, it was the late 1970's and we danced like we had no cares, worries or responsibilities and had a ball.  And I have to say that Mr Oakey may have lost his trade mark fringe, but he is still a very trim, uber fashionable tasty geezer (who can still  be spotted shopping around Sheffield if you know where to look!!).  And the girls, who must be 50 by now, looked exactly the same as they did back in the day!

The South Bank

On our 2nd day, we decided that we would walk along the South Bank of the river Thames - a walk that we have not done before.  They had a great Christmas Market here which was lovely to wander around.  (Too busy stuffing my face with a Bratwurst breakfast to photograph it!).

 It was here that I was able to tick one of my "things" off "my list". Something I have wanted to do for a long time. Can you see what I see?  A beach!
I have watched lots of programes on TV where "Mudlarking"  can reap great rewards on the Thames.

 After only a few minutes, we had collected some lovely old pieces of pottery and some pieces of clay pipe - which I read are from the 1600's.   We would have loved to spend more time doing this.  I have to say that we both thought this was one of the best bits of our break in the city!

 Onwards, passed the Tate Modern - fabulous building.

 And also passed the Millenium Bridge with views across to St Pauls Cathedral.

 And the Globe Theatre

 To the 2nd place on my list - Borough Market.

 We were in heaven wandering around and deciding what to eat for lunch.  So many lovely smells and gorgeous food and interesting stall holders to talk to.

 And great food stories!  We decided that we could live near Borough Market.

 Onwards, spying the Shard (I shall never be going to the top of here!!)

 HMS Belfast

 And finally to Tower Bridge.

 There are so many wonderful things to see and investigate on the Southbank these days.  I highly recommend this walk.

On to Piccadilly

And so it was on to Piccadilly, where the windows were dressed fabulously with a Dick Whittington theme.

 Fabulous

 And so was the store itself.  I reminded hubby that this was where Her Majesty did her food shopping - he looked for "whoopsed" items, but didn't find any!

 After we had hob nobbed with the toffs, we rubbed shoulders with the brash on Piccadilly Circus

 Very exciting.

 There are many really beautiful arcades around here.  London was dressed superbly for the festive season.

 Then we wandered up Old Bond Street - where the windows were equally spectacular.

 A quick shuffty around Liberty - just looking, not spending!

 And then on to Carnaby Street - where I think the decs were at their best.

 We found somewhere lovely to eat which was really buzzing (and our waiter looked exactly like Johnny Depp!)

 And after drooling at the luscious cakes in Choccawaddydoodah, it was back to our hotel for a soak in the bath and collapse on the bed!!

We packed a lot into our first day - I really have only posted half of what we did and saw!

Rough Guide to London

For several reasons, we didn't get to partake in our "mini prix" holiday to Paris this year, so hubby and I planned a similar "cheap as chips " journey to London instead.  We stayed in a Premier Inn which was  at the end of the London Underground which meant that we paid £150 for 3 nights instead of £150 for 1 night in the centre, plus we took the car instead of paying for the train.  So on Thursday, we arrived at our hotel at noon, dropped off the bag and hopped onto the tube straight  into the city centre.

The train dropped us off on the Embankement (photo of Buck House in the Gloaming totally in the wrong place, but it will not budge!!)  The view of the city of London was fantastic.

We walked on the Embankment.

We've not been to London for a fair few years and noticed lots of things that are brand new.  We loved the new monument commemorating The Battle of Britain.

We milled around Westminster and got right in on the action at the Levenson enquiry!  You might have seen us on TV!

Dave was out.

The Women of World War 11 monument was new to us too.

It started to come dark, and so we thought we would have a quick look around Piccadilly.

London

Hubby and I have just returned from a few days in London.  We had arranged to go a while back, but then he was ill, so we had to cancel.  Its a good job he is now back to almost full strength as I made him walk and walk and walk! 

 The weather was amazing, but so very very cold!

 I'll show you what we got up to later, but now I have children to feed(and the house to tidy!!)

 We had a great time and saw lots of "new" and lovely things. And I managed to tick a few things off the "list" as we went along too.