So DH and I were in London the weekend of November 26th until the 30th, bit of business and a bit of Christmas!  However we did find the same things as Jayne and I found in Nottingham.  The big stores had decorated and the roads were all bright and sparkly but a lot of other shops had not even got any twinkly lights, they were very Scrooge!!! 

Warning Photo Heavy Post!!!!

The Christmas Trees at our Hotel.  Normally I only like the traditional red/green themes but I do like these Blue and SIlver ones with the cream decor!

I have a think about fireplaces.  We have one but it has an electric fire in and I would love a real one eventually!

We went to Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar which is part of the London Marriott Hotel at County Hall.  It used to be the old Westminster Council offices but been transformed into a hotel.  It is on the bank of the Thames and next door to The London Eye.  The steaks are amazing but not for vegetarians!!!!  The Crown above is in the entrance court to the hotel.

The tree in Reception.

The trees next to the main entrance.

One of the Lions in Trafalgar Square

Next day we went to Covent Garden, the decorations were good here.

These are the old buildings which surround one side of the entrance.

These are the decorations in the halls.

These are the trees outside another side more traditional with reds and greens.

A wonderful red wreath.

Had to go to a Bookstore of course, this is Foyles but again not many decorations!

Buckingham Palace through the trees.

The lights above the Stage at The Old Vic.

On the Monday evening we went to The Old Vic to see “A Christmas Carol” Staring Owen Teale as Scrooge.  It was a really lovely evening and the play was great with quite a small company but it did not detract from the story.

Owen Teale as Scrooge.  He was also in Game of Thrones as Alliser Thorne of The Night’s Watch.  (©Picture from The Old Vic Website)

We also went to The Sherlock Holmes Museum which is at 221B Baker Street, Marylebone, London.  It is a lovely Georgian House from 1815 and is decked out with Sherlock’s rooms on the first floor and Mrs Hudson’s rooms on the second floor.  They had really done well creating the sort of things that Holmes would have used from the Books.  The laugh was that the Guides were talking as if Sherlock Holmes was a real person rather than a character from a book!  Some of the other people who were there with us truly believed that he was a real person!  Of course it is probably a fault of all the films and plays where Holmes has been linked to Jack The Ripper, who of course was a real person, and some people don’t read books!

On Tuesday we did a little bit of Christmas shopping.  Our favourite store, Fortnum & Mason was all decorated.  This was the down the staircase.

Their Windows are always a treat to see and have a theme.

Below are some of the Lights along the streets.

Tower Bridge all lit up, sorry it is a bit of a blur!

The Lights on Regent Street.

Again a blur sorry, but this is the monument to The Great Fire of London in Monument Street and Fish Hill Street which is not far from Pudding Lane where The Great Fire of London began in 1666

This was on loan to the Hotel and is the Girls of Great Britain & Ireland Tiara made for Queen Mary in 1893, worn frequently by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Finally we went for dinner on the Tuesday evening to The Brunswick House In Vauxhall which was built for The Duke of Bruswick in 1758.  It is a fascinating building and also a fascinating menu! 

It was a very busy few days but nice to have a break and see London at Christmas.  I have more Christmas things to show you over the next few days and yes today should have been Book Club Friday which I will get done over the weekend.  I hope you lovely lot have a wonderful weekend. 

Hugs & Love, Susie & Coco xx