London Belongs To Me

It was going to be just Michael and I for Christmas this year and, as James and Amber were heading to Australia for Christmas, they very kindly agreed that we could stay in their apartment while they were away.

The National Gallery was one of our first stops upon our arrival in London, as I had read that the famous painting, Monarch of the Glen by Sir Edwin Landseer was on loan from the Scottish National Gallery.  The painting was every bit as impressive as I had expected it to be and it was a thrill to see it close up.  There were also other paintings and drawings by Landseer of Highland scenes on display. Fun fact – Landseer was also the sculptor of the famous Trafalgar Square lions.  There was also a separate exhibition of Lorenzo Lotto Portraits, which was very interesting and has now firmly placed Bergamo on my wish list of Italian cities to visit so that I can see his altarpiece at Santi Bartolomeo e Stefano.

Possibly the best things about this time of year in London are the Christmas decorations.  London really goes all out to light up the dreary nights with twinkling lights as far as the eye can see and stores seem to try to outdo each other with window displays.  The absolute best display was Regent Street, which was lit by a multitude of angels strung across the road.  It was absolutely magical and I made sure that we walked down the street several times over our stay.  The other outstanding display was in Carnaby Street, which was lit by numerous neon signs quoting lines from the Queen hit Bohemian Rhapsody.  It was so colourful and you couldn’t help but sing along to the lyrics.  

We also took a trip out to the Churchill Arms in Kensington, which claims the title of most Christmassy pub in London with 97 Christmas trees and 21,000 lights.  Our visit took place in the daytime, however we were still able to appreciate the festive spirit.  It was also an interesting pub to visit anyway, as it was crammed with Churchill memorabilia.  

Christmas Day was absolutely lovely.  Michael had secured a last minute booking at Galley in Islington so we were able to simply stroll to lunch.  The four-course meal was superb, with each dish being a gourmet delight.  The service was friendly and attentive, making sure that Michael and I were well looked after.  A stroll along the canal after lunch was much needed, before heading back to the apartment.  

One of the things that I love to do when we are in London is to simply walk the streets.  It doesn’t matter how many times we have walked a certain route, there is always something different to see.  One thing that I had wanted to do for some time was to explore London by gaslight. 


It was a good time of year to do such a walk, as while it is cold, it gets dark at around 4.00pm so you can complete the walk before dinner.  Michael downloaded a map and we set off from Buckingham Palace and walked along The Mall, down Horse Guards Parade to Whitehall and then wended our way up to Covent Garden, checking out the gaslights along the way.  It was an atmospheric way to view the city and it wasn’t hard to imagine Londoners in Victorian times walking the same route.  

Michael and I journeyed out to Twickenham to visit Strawberry Hill House, the summer villa built between 1740 and 1790 by Horace Walpole, son of the first Prime Minister of Britain and author of the first Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto.  We had chosen an excellent time to visit, as there was currently an exhibition, Lost Treasures of Strawberry Hill. Horace Walpole spent a lifetime collecting art, antiquities, curiosities and decorative arts, which he displayed throughout the house.  In 1842 the collection was dispersed and the exhibition brings back many items.  The house itself is very elaborate, with rooms built on in all directions and interesting interior design with gilded windows and oddly shaped rooms.  Among the artworks were pieces by Sir Joshua Reynolds, William Hogarth, Frans Hals, Anthony van Dyck and Hans Holbein the Younger.  There was even a red hat of Cardinal Wolsey on display along with the hair of Mary Tudor encased in a locket and a pair of gauntlet gloves worn by King James the 1^st.  The house and contents were fascinating and well worth the trip out to Twickenham.

We did our usual walks to the Broadway Market, Victoria Park and Columbia Road and along Brick Lane. It was while we were walking along Brick Lane that a German lady stopped Michael outside a clothing store and asked if he would come into the shop with her as she wanted to purchase a jacket for her brother in law and she felt that Michael would be about the same size as him. Michael affably agreed, entered the store and tried on a leather jacket.  The German lady was most grateful and explained that Michael was the same height as her brother in law and he had the same shoulder width as well as the same belly.  Luckily Michael isn’t overly sensitive!

Michael and I were lucky enough to stumble upon the London Mithraeum on one of our walks.  This temple to the god Mithras was built in the 3^rdcentury AD and was discovered on a bomb site in 1954.  The temple was dismantled and rebuilt 100 metres from its original position to make way for a new building.  Bloomberg acquired the site in 2010 and decided to dismantle the temple once more and return it to its original site.  The display is very well done and you descend 7 metres below the pavement level to the ruins, which are cleverly lit and special effects recreate a convincing atmosphere.    There are also many artefacts on display making it one of the best historical museums I have visited.

Our New Year’s Eve dinner was at Smokehouse, a restaurant that we have visited on previous occasions. The restaurant, as expected, was packed to the rafters, and we were seated smack in the middle.  The lights were very dim and not located near our table, so Michael and I had to read our menu by the light of the table candle, which was rather romantic.  We made our choices and enjoyed our wine whilst we waited.  We ordered bread with beef fat butter thinking that it sounded interesting for our entrée.  The bread arrived and we smeared on the butter and quickly realised that the butter was in fact dripping.  All I could think of was that my mother would have roared with laughter at the thought of us paying for bread and dripping!  Nonetheless it was delicious.  The wait staff were rushing back and forth in the dim restaurant and unfortunately, Michael stuck his elbow out just at the waitress was passing, which knocked her into our table, sending our candle flying and narrowly missing a diner at the next table.  The waitress was most apologetic however she didn’t replace the candle so Michael and I had to eat the rest of our meal in almost total darkness.  

On New Year’s Day we walked into London to view the spectacular parade.  The weather was kind and streets were crowded with people watching the dancers, acrobats, cheerleaders and marching bands. 

There were more than 10,000 performers in a riot of colour and noise who made their way through the streets.  It was all good fun and went for so long we were able to go off and have a pub lunch and when we returned the parade was still in progress.

Greenwich was the destination for another walk that I wanted to do – the Advent Windows.  Each year, people decorate various windows around Greenwich, which are then unveiled each evening in the lead up to Christmas.  The theme for 2018 was Field of Dreams and we followed the trail of a living Advent calendar.  Many of the displays had been created by local school children and it was fun just walking the back streets of Greenwich to discover them.

Our final day in London was spent visiting the Imperial War Museum.  We have visited this museum previously, however this time we were able to visit the Holocaust Exhibition, which tells the story of the Nazi persecution of the Jews and other groups before and during the Second World War.  There were many photographs, documents and artefacts and films on display.  There were also a number of personal stories detailed and the entire exhibition made compelling and unsettling viewing.  

          

  

Memories of Prague

Michael and I decided to revisit one of our favourite cities in Europe – Prague.  It had been more than 6 years since we were last there and we were eager to see if the city had changed much in that period.  Last time we arrived by overnight train from Krakow, this time we arrived after a two and a half hour flight from Dublin.  I know which journey I preferred!  A driver collected us from the airport and it was only a half hour drive to our hotel – Miss Sophie’s.  This was to be another trip down memory lane, as we had stayed there on our first trip and thoroughly enjoyed it.  We discovered that the hotel had changed somewhat since our last stay, however the hospitality shown to us remained the same and our room was very nice.

We had arrived right on dinnertime and Michael was keen to revisit a pub (U Hospudka U Vocka) that we remembered.  Now this establishment hadn’t changed a bit.  We were ushered upstairs where the waiter turned the lights on for us in the dining area and we were soon enjoying a traditional, 3 course meal, all washed down with Becherovka.   We finished the evening with a walk around the local area and a visit to the Christmas Market at Wenceslas Square. It was a good start to our trip.

The next morning we  had a good coffee at Kavarna Prazirna and then took a tram ride up the hill to the Strahov Monastery to see the library.  The library is held in two stunning baroque halls with magnificent frescoes.  The public are not allowed enter the rooms unless on a pre-booked guided tour so as to preserve the fragile books and murals. You can peek into the rooms from the doorways and they really are lovely.  The corridor is lined with cases filled with preserved sea creatures and chain mail armour and some beautiful bibles.  It was all very interesting and well worth the visit.

It was only a very short walk from the library to the Strahov Monastic Brewery (St Norbert). The brewery was first constructed in the 14^thcentury, with the new brewery constructed in 1628 which was in operation until it closed in 1907.  The building was restored and the brewery reopened in 2000.  It was a lovely spot to relax and Michael enjoyed sampling a few of the beers on offer.

The rest of the day was spent walking down the hill to the Old Town, past Prague Castle where we paused to watch the changing of the guard, before wandering the winding, cobbled streets until we crossed the Vitava River via the Charles Bridge.


 

 The city was just as magical as I had remembered. We even visited a Nativity scenes exhibition held at the Church of Our Lady of the Snows.  There must have been at least 200 nativity scenes made of many different materials and some were even mechanised.  They were very beautiful and it was especially nice to see the children mesmerised by what they were seeing.  We also visited a number of Christmas Markets along the way, some big, some small.

Michael chose another traditional Czech restaurant Hostinec U Kalicha for our evening meal.  The restaurant was large and it soon became apparent that there was only one waiter, a man well into his sixties. This didn’t bother Michael and I as we were in no particular hurry.  He eventually took our orders and then returned with Michael’s beer, which he banged down on the table with such force that I physically jumped.  We watched with amusement as he delivered the beer to other tables in the same manner, startling all and sundry.  Our meals arrived at the same time as the entertainment – a bassoonist and an accordion player.  A very odd combination in anyone’s book!  It was hard to keep a straight face when they placed themselves next to our table and proceeded to serenade us.  Thankfully they moved on after one song.  The meal itself was absolutely delicious and it was the first time that I had tried goose.

I was very excited the next morning as James and Amber had flown into Prague late the night before, as they were to celebrate an early Christmas with us.  They joined us for breakfast and we did our usual swapping of stories about what we had been up to.  It was to be James’ first visit to Prague whilst Amber had visited a number of years previously.

James, being James, had already researched a good coffee place EMA Expressso Bar, so we made that our first port of call.  The café was in a part of the city which we hadn’t visited before, so it was an interesting walk.  The coffee was terrific and well worth the journey.  Then it was onto a tram to take him up to Prague Castle so that he could get a good view over the city.  It was a great idea but a pity that everyone else had the same thought!  I have to say that Prague has become a very popular tourist destination, perhaps a little too popular.  I had hoped that being winter, the tourist numbers would have dropped, however it was crowded wherever we went.  We joined the tourist shuffle around the castle, down the hill and then reached peak crush on the Charles Bridge.  We didn’t let it spoil our fun but it does make you wonder what summer in Prague would be like. 

We eventually arrived in the Old Town Square and spent some time looking at the Christmas Market there.

Next, it was back to Miss Sophie’s where we really got into the Christmas spirit.  Michael and I joined James and Amber in their room and opened our presents over a glass (or two) of sparkling wine.  It was all good fun and set the mood for the main event of our weekend – dinner at U Modre Kachnicky. 

Amber had spent a long time researching the best place for our Christmas meal and we were soon to discover what a sterling job she had done.  A short tram ride took us to the restaurant and it was magical from the minute we walked in the door.  The décor was fabulous and we were led up the stairs to where a pianist was playing quietly.  We were given our menus and quickly decided on the duck degustation with paired wines.  Thereafter followed a superb meal where every course was better than the last and the wines were exquisite.  It really was a night to remember and the service was terrific.  We enjoyed ourselves so much that it took us a while to realise that we were the last remaining customers in the restaurant. Then it was back to the hotel, where, although it was late, the fun continued as we played a number of games in James and Amber’s room.  It really was a perfect end to a perfect evening – thank you Amber!

It was a bit of a slow start the next day as we were all a little tired from the previous evening. James found yet another fabulous café  and it suited us to linger over the caffeine.  Suitably refreshed, we made our way to the Museum of Communism.  We spent a considerable amount of time at this very well laid out museum, which traces the dark history of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia.  The exhibits were informative, if a little depressing, as they detailed the reality of life under communism and the propaganda against capitalism.  It was a fascinating glimpse into the not so distant past.

We decided to have an early dinner, as James and Amber were due to fly out that evening.  Michael managed to locate my favourite restaurant from our previous visit U Parlametu and it was nice to see that it hadn’t changed a bit.  I enjoyed a goulash (just as I had previously) and I persuaded James and Amber to try a Becherovka, which they politely did.  All too soon it was time for them to return to the hotel, collect their bags and fly off into the night.  I hope that they enjoyed their “Christmas in Prague” – I know that Michael and I certainly did!

Later that evening, Michael and I took a final walk to the Christmas Market at Wenceslas Square, shared a trdelnik and said goodbye to beautiful Prague.  

  

Hells Bells

James and Amber invited Michael and I to visit them in London and we were both really looking forward to the trip.  Unfortunately, the night before we flew out, Michael came home from work with the tummy bug from hell.  He was no better in the morning but he bravely soldiered on and we finally arrived at thir apartment in the late afternoon.  Michael headed straight to bed and that was the last that we saw of him that day.  James and Amber had arranged for dinner at Ottolenghi Islington and we had a lovely evening catching up on each other’s news.  I can honestly say that I have never had such a variety of tasty dishes made with unusual flavours and textures.  I can see why this restaurant has become one of James and Amber’s favourites. We also had a stroke of luck both on the way to and from the restaurant – we saw foxes!  The first fox just strolled nonchalantly out of a driveway in front of us and crossed the road without worrying about us at all.  The second fox was inside the gate of their apartment complex and took a quick jog through the yard and leapt over the fence. They really are very bold.  

The next morning we prepared for the event, which was the main purpose of our trip to London. James had arranged a special tour for us to see the Lutine Bell!  I was most excited, as I had longed to see the bell however it can only be seen by invitation.  We had been informed of the strict Lloyd’s dress code – suits and ties for men, smart business style for women.  Michael had purchased a new suit and I had bought a new dress and blazer.  James met us in the foyer of his workplace, Willis Towers Watson (right next door to the brand new Scalpel building) and we were joined by one of the Managing Directors at WTW, John Muir who led our tour.  John led us over to the Lloyd’s building where we were issued with our visitor badges, and then guided us through the fascinating history of Lloyd’s of London.  We rode the impressive escalators, which took us first to the vast underwriting room where the Lutine Bell is housed in the Rostrum.


 I remembered learning about the bell when I was I was in primary school and how the bell was rung once if a ship was lost.  It seemed an incredibly sad thing to do and I naively thought the company was mourning the loss of life at sea.  Of course, John confirmed what I had come to realise, that the only thing being mourned was the loss of cargo.  We also saw log books, which are still kept to this day, beautifully inscribed with an ink pen.  The bell itself has developed a crack so is only now rung on ceremonial occasions. John then showed us the Committee Room, the 18^thcentury dining room, which was transferred piece by piece from the previous Lloyd’s building.


There were also a number of artefacts on display relating to Admiral Lord Nelson.  We were then taken to the very top of the building where we could look down on the atrium.  It truly was a magnificent sight and I have changed my opinion on the Lloyd’s building. Previously I had thought it to be the most ugly building in London however, having seen it from the inside, I realise what an innovative, practical and impressive structure it is. I feel very privileged to have been afforded the opportunity to see not only the Lutine Bell but also the magnificent edifice, which houses it.  John was an erudite and gracious guide and we thanked him for his time in showing us a glimpse of such a great institution.

James had arranged lunch for us at The Counting House, a beautiful former bank built in 1893.  The pub’s specialty is home made pies so it wasn’t long before we were dining and discussing all that we had seen in the morning. We had all thoroughly enjoyed our tour and had all learned something.

James had to return to work so Michael and I took a short walk to the Royal Exchange.  I have walked past this magnificent building many times, mostly on the weekend, without realising that there was a very upmarket shopping gallery there.  I wanted to visit there whilst Michael and I were suitably attired and it was a bit of fun to walk around as though we could actually afford to buy anything.  The courtyard within the building is absolutely beautiful and is surrounded by shops such as Tiffany & Co, Georg Jensen and Fortnum and Mason.  

James and Amber had booked dinner for us at Ceru in Soho.  The meal was a mix of beautiful Levantine cuisine, each dish tastier than the last.  After our dinner we walked to our next activity – the London Necrobus!  We boarded an old Routemaster bus and were led upstairs, ready to learn about the haunted history of London.  It was billed as a comedy horror tour and I was really looking forward to it and I was not disappointed.  I think that I laughed from start to finish as our female conductor regaled us with her wit and silliness.  We even paused for a séance, drawing the velvet curtains and joining hands. That really gave me the giggles and I think that I embarrassed James a little as I was laughing so much.  It really was a fabulous night of entertainment.

The next morning we had a slow start, before making our way along Regent’s Canal to Draughts, a board game café in Hackney.  I had never been to a board game café before and I can tell you, it won’t be the last time that I go to one.  There was an extensive collection of board games and Michael was given the task of choosing one for us to play.  He selected Timeline British History, where each player is dealt a number of cards with facts from British history and you take turns in trying to place them in the correct order along the timeline.  Some were very easy whilst others were fiendishly hard and it is amazing to discover what people know.  I am certain that my sister would love this game, as she is the “history queen” but I am not sure that anyone would want to play against her!  Anyway, we had a great couple of hours playing away and sipping coffee.

It wouldn’t be a visit to London without a trip to the Broadway Market and that was where we headed to lunch.  It is always enjoyable to wander the stalls and the food is reliably good, especially the cakes.  Then we set off for our next destination – Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & Natural History.  The museum is actually a museum and bar in Hackney and is without doubt, the strangest place that I have ever visited.  You are encouraged to buy a drink at the bar to take with you, down the winding staircase into the darkened museum below.  I soon discovered why – a stiff drink is needed as you look at some of the weird exhibits, including two headed lambs and shrunken heads.  There was also celebrity faecal matter (Kylie Minogue’s poo anyone?), medical instruments and many other grotesqueries. It was equal parts fascinating and repulsive and I would love to go there again.

We walked around the local area some more before heading back along the canal before dinner at Oldroyd in Islington.  Once again we were treated to an array of tasty dishes, my favourite being the lamb sweetbreads.  James and Amber seem to have made it their mission to seek out every fabulous restaurant in London.  Next stop was the King’s Head to watch a gender swapped parody of Beauty and the Beast. It was a really fun evening and the small cast (only 5 people) put on a hilarious musical.  They were all accomplished singers and actors and the entire audience were treated to a high quality performance.

Sunday began with brunch at Brunswick East, a café in Dalston.  A bus ride to Kings Cross followed, as I was keen to check out the newly developed precinct behind the station.  I only expected to have a quick walk around but we ended up spending a good couple of hours there.  The development at the Coal Drops Yard is outstanding with Victorian architecture and open public squares.  There are cobbled streets and arches and the shops themselves are a mix of interesting independent stores and well-known brands.  It is the perfect mix of the old with the new and I will definitely return, as it was just such a lovely experience.

We finished the day with a walk along the canal back to Islington via the “singing grave”, to give Michael a chance to dance up and down to make some music (of sorts).  Then it was home where James cooked a wonderful roast chicken with all the trimmings.  This was a perfect end to a perfect weekend.

James and Amber had work on Monday and kindly gave Michael and I tickets to see the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at the Natural History Museum.  There were many beautiful and haunting photographs on display and once again I was left wondering how the judges were able to choose a winner.  My favourite photos were of the bears, seals and a mother fox with her two cubs.  Some of the photos were heartbreaking, showing the cruelty of mankind and others were uplifting in their portrayal of the beauty of nature.  The patience and skill of the photographers is awesome.

We had time for a quick lunch and then it was over to the Postal Museum where James had arranged tickets for us to ride the train and see the museum.  I had visited there earlier in the year but I was keen for Michael to share the experience.  Michael thoroughly enjoyed himself and was just as fascinated as I was by the network of tunnels running beneath London.  I enjoyed myself just as much as my previous visit as you always see something that you missed the first time around.

James and Amber arranged to meet us for dinner at The Quality Chop House in Clerkenwell.  I was really looking forward to our meal however, in the spirit of sharing everything in our marriage, Michael had passed on his tummy bug to me, and I quickly went downhill.  I had ordered a beautiful veal rump for my meal, however I was unable to eat a bite.  Luckily the restaurant kindly placed in a takeaway container so at least James was able to enjoy it for lunch the following day.  It was a shame to end our London trip in such a fashion, especially after James and Amber had made our time so enjoyable.  At least I know that we will see them again next month.   

Toasting Tim and Jess' engagement