02/12/2013

The Big Smoke

Well I was soooo excited about this weekend. Me, the other half and two friends headed down to London for a stopover and a show.

This is what we went to see

No, not me but Les Miserables!

Oh boy, I was totally knocked off my feet with this one. I was absolutely speechless at the end, which is amazing in iteself, but oh the sounds, the voices and the emotion, oh my goodness I was so emotional I couldn't breath! Get a grip I hear some of you say, and I have been banging on about it to anyone that wants to listen since we got back yesterday but unless you have actually seen the West End show you'll really struggle to understand where I'm coming from. Our friends, who have already seen in said we would love it, and they were not wrong.

All of us love going to the theatre, mostly our local theatres really and have seen some superb shows but Les Mis tops the lot. Gonna download the soundtrack for my car and at the weekend am watching the movie with a huge bucket of popcorn.We really are and we can't wait to see it again!

This will be a long post as thanks to Mr C this time I have loads of pics for you to see, so off we go.

We had tickets booked for the matinee performance and got to the city early on Saturday around 9am. We dropped our bags at the hotel then headed out to explore, well find alcohol really, Ssshhh......

We walked along the South Bank where all the little market stalls were calling out to me along the way to buy something but Mr C kindly made sure I resisted!!






Past Somerset House where people young and old were whizzing around on ice skates, ok so maybe not whizzing exactly , more stumbling and holding on for dear life but they looked like they were having fun. I want to skate here, but gotta be the night time disco skate!




On to Covent Garden and look who was there to greet us!

We left Rudolph outside but then we had no one incharge of our sleigh!
Ooohh....rather large baubles!












Stroll through Soho, made sure Mr C and Mr B walked in front so we didn't loose them! Very interesting...
On to Picadilly and I have to say at this point that the Christmas lights of London actually disappointed me. I think I just expected the lights of our capital city to blow me away but sadly they didn't, just my opinion!
Great snow globe though!
Trafalgar Square's water feature at night
We actually booked our hotel quite late and did it on the internet. I'm always get a little apprehensive doing it this way because everyone has different needs from their hotel and sometimes the reviews worry me. We plumped for the Haverstock Hotel, Haverstock Hill, Camden. The booking site said it was a renovated public house and there were no reviews yet as it was only completed at the beginning of November. The pictures made it look great, a lovely little boutique hotel it said! So we took the plunge and booked it, I say we, our friends hadn't even seen any info so I booked it but said they trusted me! Eeek.......a tad nervous that it would be ok. Although it did look really modern and minimalist, right up my street! 

I did not need to worry at all, it was great, apart from a few minor things that could be tweeked it was a great place to stay and I would certainly recommend it. It is on a main road but the noise is not too bad at all, well apart from the group of young girls that rolled in at 6am with a plan to shout as loud as they possibly could, thanks ladies!!! Here's the snapshots.

Unfortunately Mr C didn't get a photo of the front of the hotel with the large imposing black front door but this is the fab restaurant attached to hotel, where breakfast was served.

Incase of emergenices this was outside the front door!
Two lovely rooms with bathrobes and slippers 


                                  


Oh it's me!

After we'd rested our weary feet, just for 5 minutes mind you, we headed out in search of food and we came across this place. Belgo.

Between us we went for Lobster bisque, confit duck salad, and Croquettes for starters

Followed by fish & chips, and pork belly and the men had the kilo of mussels, YUK!

All this yummy food was washed down with lots of fizz and laughter. 

Day Two

After a delicious continental breakfast (huge selection including tonnes of fresh fruit) we hurried off to Camden market where the boys wished they hadn't eaten so much cereal, ham, cheese, croissants, fruit, panettone and toast as they were much too stuffed to sample the wonderful array of foods on offer.



Sooo many other tempting goodies to buy, we just didn't know where to start!


The Camden Town Cryer, what a jolly fellow

We wandered happily around the market for some time, bought a couple of gifts, then Mrs B suggested we go to Winter Wonderland in Hyde park for the afternoon, what a great idea. They went last year so we wanted to go too and see what all the fuss was about.

Its free to get in, which is fantastic these days so you can choose to just wander around  or you have the option of paying for ice skating, the ice kingdom, the circus, the ferris wheel or the fair rides, there's so much on offer. There was a huge Bavarian Christmas market which was very impressive, masses of place to eat and warming fire pits dotted here and there....
We didn't pay out for anything apart from some beverages of the alcoholic kind, it would be rude not too, sat and people watched for some time and generally soaked up the festive atmosphere. Infact I loved it, and it got me right in the mood for Christmas. Yey!!!

Mr C found a new friend along the way


This place is well worth a visit, its open from 10am-10pm but if you don't like crowds avoid like the plague.
Our last stroll over the bridge and along the South Bank to the car and sadly home.

We all had THE most amazing weekend in the big smoke and didn't want it to end, I actually want to move there (my budget won't stretch) but my absolute highlight has to be Les Miserables and I am booking to go and see it again as soon as I can.

I hope you've enjoyed my little snapshots of London at this special time of year and if you keep saying it's place you must visit, then do it now, you'll love it.

And if you've been let me know what you got up to!

Oh and if you've also seen Les Mis in the West End please message me to tell me you were an emotional wreck just like me!!

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