As with all of our European trips, we spent a few days at each end of the trip in London with our girl Kristin. Here are a few highlights of our time there.

We visited the National Portrait Gallery one afternoon. We really enjoyed the portraits and the history presented with each.

After the gallery, we met Kristin in Trafalager Square which was busy with its annual Christmas Market.

That evening, Kristin treated us to a performance of the world’s longest running play, Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” at the St. Martin’s Theatre. It was a great play – but we can’t tell you ‘who dun it’ – we were sworn to secrecy at the end of performance.

The Battersea Power Station sits on the banks of the River Thames. The power station and surrounding area have been brought back to life as a mixed use neighbourhood – a place for locals, tourists and residents to enjoy a blend of over 140 shops, restaurants, leisure and entertainment venues, parks and historical space. The Power Station mall and surrounding area were well decorated for the Christmas season.

For 2023, the Saint Pancras International Station has a festive display that features a tree with a winding staircase and 270 shelves adorned with over 3,800 hand-painted books, including timeless classics like Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” and C.S. Lewis’ “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.” The book tree was developed in collaboration with Hatchards, which claims to be the UK’s oldest bookstore.

London was well decorated for the festive season.

The highlight of our visit was an evening at ‘Christmas at Kew’. The Kew Gardens are decorated with amazing light displays, matched with festive sounds. It was a truly magical walk through the gardens. The photos do not do justice to the spectacular display!

As always in London, we had some great food and drinks!

For a delayed birthday dinner for Kristin, we visited Le Petit Beefbar. We had a fabulous dinner at this great restaurant.

Kris also treated us to the Sunday afternoon Tea and Scone Experience at the Carlton Tower Hotel in Knightsbridge. The Scones & Tea Experience featured a selection of six scones per person, paired with Mariage Freres Tea Jelly, and a pot of each person’s preferred tea blend. It was wonderful!

We visited a few of our favourites, Cafe Laville, Warwick Castle and the Lamb and the Flag, as well as having a great pub visit with special friends at The Rose in Bermondsey.

There is always something new to see and do in London, as well as all of the old favourites. We will be back soon!

Cheers – until the next trip,

Bev & Harvey