Tag Archives: London

Christmas 2014 trip to London

Sanna and I spent nearly 3 days in Christmassy London during our England Christmas 2014 break. Here are some of the best photos. They might be in a bit of a random order.

We are happy to visit London at Christmas time Smile20141215_154833

Here is a nice angle of 2 of the most famous landmarks of modern London, the London eye and Big Ben, lovely winters sky too.20141215_163435_LLS

Sanna and I with the famous Big Ben and the houses of parliament.20141215_172212

We visited the annual Winter Wonderland which is every Christmas in London’s Hyde Park. Its a German style outside winter market with food, drink, live music gifts and rides.20141215_182916_Richtone(HDR)

Sanna enjoying a nice German sussage Smile20141215_184432

Inside German traditional a style drinking hall, its quite amazing this is all temporary and is taken away at the end of Christmas.20141215_190002Outside drinking with live music was fun.20141215_190010

Salmon being smoked on a open wood fire.20141215_190214

A crazy but impressive looking themed ride.20141215_191913

My date for the night Smile

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Ice skating on a temporary outside ice skate rink.20141215_200017Sanna booked us to stay at London’s famous Dorchester hotel, one of the most exclusive where the wealthy and famous stay. I don’t want to know how much it cost for the room for 2 nights but for room service a Chicken club sandwich cost £25 $50 crazy!20141215_202341St James park the one right out the front of Buckingham Palace has lots of swans, but Sanna was a bit scared to put her fingers out.20141216_094318_Richtone(HDR)We made a very interesting trip to the famous ‘Tower of London’ The beefeater who gave the tour was very good and slipped in a lot of jokes.20141216_104734_Richtone(HDR)

Map of the tower of London from 1597. There is actually not one tower but 22 on the whole site.20141216_115041_Richtone(HDR)

Old armour looks so heavy to wear.20141216_120458

In the armoury there were lots of very old weapons.20141216_123012_Richtone(HDR)

Hundreds of old rifles.20141216_123033_Richtone(HDR)

and hundreds of swords to project the tower of London.Famous tower bridge.20141216_123106_Richtone(HDR)

Famous tower bridge.20141216_125430_Richtone(HDR)The home of Twinning’s tea, this is where it originally came from. It is now a small museum and shop.20141216_153750_Richtone(HDR)

Lotus London’s showroom in Piccadilly circus has to be the most posh Lotus dealership ever.20141216_174734_Richtone(HDR)

The hotel Dorchester’s corridors to the room were very plush with thick carpets, padded soft walls and antique vases lining the halls.20141216_183625_Richtone(HDR)

We visited the famous Winston Churchill’s underground bunker war rooms from where Winston Churchill and his stall ran England’s efforts during the 2nd world war against Nazi Germany.20141217_112123_Richtone(HDR)20141217_112828_Richtone(HDR)20141217_112847_Richtone(HDR)

This room and BBC outside broadcast equipment was used by Churchill to deliver his famous wartime speeches to the people of England all to the troops all over Europe. 20141217_120303_Richtone(HDR)

The main control room with telephones linking to head generals of the armed forces all over Europe.20141217_122359_Richtone(HDR)

For lunch I had Christmas Ale, it was strong and tasted great, I wish we got beers like this in Australia.20141217_133437_Richtone(HDR)

Lunch was very good with some of the best scotch eggs and caramelised onion relish i’ve ever had.20141217_134217_Richtone(HDR)

We visited the famous Natural History museum. Such a massive museum and all totally free paid for by the government (our tax). It is a  great educational museum to take children.20141217_160139_Richtone(HDR)Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar A T-rex head!20141217_162807_Richtone(HDR)

The museums building has the most beautiful architecture.20141217_173704_Richtone(HDR)The famous and poor Dodo bird is now extinct20141217_175017_Richtone(HDR)

Famous Harrods, all lit up and Christmassy.20141217_180955_Richtone(HDR)

Scones with clotted cream and Jam and a good cup of Tea, how English and yummy.IMG_20141217_141056

Back in the Dorchester hotel, the main reception area felt very Christmassy.20141215_125320_Richtone(HDR)

The large Christmas tree in the foyer of our hotel.20141215_125940_Richtone(HDR)

Sanna wanted to visit Jamie Oliver’s American style Diner in Piccadilly Circus, it was good but not excellent, but wasn’t overpriced anyhow.20141215_134606_Richtone(HDR)

Just by chance we spotted BBC’s Top Gear being filmed in the streets, the Stig was sitting on a  motorised arm chair with two big machine guns sitting out the front being filmed from a Smart car.

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The river Thames of course.20141215_162720_LLS

A lovely Winters sky for the evening before we leave to go back to Sussex.20141215_162753_LLS