Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year...from London

It’s hard to believe that another year has passed us by. It honestly feels like just the other day that we were sitting in Holland providing our last Christmas update. Without a doubt, this year has been the fastest ever.

We have had a lovely and relaxing Christmas and New Years break. With 11 and 12 days off work respectively, we have caught up on plenty of sleep, while also making the most of being in London by busying ourselves with lots of fun activities. Upon reflection, December has been a really fun month! A few highlights include….

> Ice skating at the Tower of London…
Ice skating rinks seem to have cropped up all over London this year. The Tower of London rink was set in the old moat, which provided for quite a stunning setting. The great irony was that we were skating around what was once the biggest cesspool in Europe. 

> Carols at the Royal Albert Hall…

The Royal Albert Hall is possibly the most stunning venue we have ever been to. It really was a breath-taking atmosphere. The Kings College Choir and orchestra, combined with the setting, was quite a magical experience.

> Florence + the Machine, and Mumford & Sons…

A very different - but no less awesome - musical experience. We felt very lucky to be able to see both of these bands in December. They were very different concerts, but both most excellent.

> The Notting Hill Pantomime...

The British love a Pantomime at Christmas time, so we thought we'd visit our local Notting Hill production of 'Oliver Twisted'. It was a fascinating insight into the cliques of the Notting Hill elite. We saw more fur and diamonds that what is necessary for an amatuer production, and were left gobsmacked at some of the children's names...Binky and Bluebell are going to have a tough time growing up. It was also amusing that the production made fun of the media, bankers and chain stores, to which everyone roared with laughter....which we think is ironic considering 90% of the people in the room would have made their fortune in one of the aforementioned industries. 

> Carols at St. Pauls Cathedral...

We did this last year, but were stuck in the last seats in the very back corner of the cathedral. This year, we lined up nice and early and got seats quite close to the front. It was a great service, and surprisingly honest and relevant.

> Midnight mass at Westminster Abbey...

We hadn’t yet been to Westminster Abbey, so we thought a midnight service was a nice way to see it and to celebrate Christmas day. Unfortunately all the public transport in London had shut down by the time the service finished, so we walked halfway across London in the pouring rain before we were able to find a taxi home.

> Hyde Park Winter Wonderland…

Not a hamlet, not a village, not a town, not even a city…the collection of fair ground amusements, side shows, Bavarian beer halls, stages and ice rinks that cropped up in the middle of Hyde Park really was a winter wonderland!

> Electric Cinema – The Hobbit...

We are very fortunate to have the UK’s first electric cinema about two minutes from our house. It burnt down in February and has only just re-opened after being refurbished. It was without doubt the most amazing cinema experience that we’ve ever had, with leather couches, individual table lamps, poufs, blankets, and incredibly authentic retro setting… the perfect place to see a brilliant film.   

> Christmas...

And of course, Christmas day! While it was really hard being away from family and friends, we had a lovely Christmas Eve dinner with some friends at a pub, and then cooked up a storm on Christmas day. We ate for about 6 hours straight…which we think is pretty much the best way of imagining that we were back at home.

> Fulham vs. Swansea...Daniel headed out to see his first game of English Premier League football at the very quaint Craven Cottage. Set right in the heart of the suburbs, it is quite amazing that world-class elite sport is still played in such a local and authentic stadium.

> Jamie Oliver Roast Pork Belly course...

Monique went with her friend Sam to Jamie Oliver’s latest store – likened to the equivalent of the Genius Bar at Apple – and did a roast pork belly course. Unfortunately Jamie wasn’t there. But Daniel reaped the benefits.

> New Years Eve...

We had some friends over to our place and enjoyed the fruits of Monique and Sam’s labour by devouring the delicious pork belly. We then headed out and braved the streets of London in search of fireworks. We probably would have got a better view on TV…but it was still heaps of fun!

After such a great month, it would be easy to get down in the dumps as January gets colder, darker, and duller. But no! It’s only going to get better as we head home to Australia for three weeks. Can. Not. Wait.