THE BIG FREEZE

It was one week ago when the big freeze alert began in our little kingdom. First some ices appared in the fountains of London .

Then, the next night when we were having few pints in our pub, the snow covered everywhere in one hour. We saw a big fox visiting our neighbourhood. We had a little walk to Trafalgar Square, Westminister and Big Ben by night.

We woke up the next day, to a lovely white and calm London. We had a lovely walk in Regent Canal before having our breakfast .

Aaand we made our first snowcat in London. It’s still freezing out there but no more snow and snowcat. Pity...

SMELL OF THE SEA IN PORTSMOUTH

Yesterday we were in Portsmouth. It wasn’t an ideal day for being on the sea side but c’mon, is there a really ideal weather for planning something in UK? We tried our best and enjoyed the visit.

First we visited Charles Dickenson’s house where he born and died. (The museum is not open to the public till 28 January). It was a small museum and –unfortunately- except the sofa where he died and a kitchen cupbord in the souvenir shop, all in the house were replicas of the same period.

Then we walked to The Historic Dockyard of Portsmouth. Most exciting part of the visit of this big maritime museum, was the battleship H.M.S. Warrior.

Then we walked through Gunwharf Quays, Spinnaker Tower, Square Tower and Round Tower and take a break in The Still&West, a lovely, classic pub next to the sea before getting back to London. We had a toast to the honor of Mr. Dickenson’s 200th birthday in front of this stove.  

LONDON ART FAIR 2012

Today, after a good breakfast at home, we visited the London Art Fair. After a five minutes walk from home, it was a nice no rush few hours visit. Lots of lovely art pieces (some were not so our taste) by 120 art galleries.

London Art Fair is open between 18-22 January at Business Design Centre in Islington. 

LONDON ICE SCULPTING FESTIVAL

Today we joined to  London Ice Sculpting Festival at Montgomery Square in Canary Wharf. When we arrived there around 2 o’clock, the ice esculptors were giving the first forms to their ice blocks using chainsaws.

During three hours, we have been around taking photos, walking around Canary Wharf  and having a pint in The Cat and Canary. When we leaved there, they were still working to win the competition and doing the finishing touches but because of living one of the warmest winters of UK, the sculptures were  melting down by the other side unfortunately.

London Ice Sculpting Festival is taking place tomorrow also in Montgomery Square and Canada Square if you want to join.

CHESTER ON THE WAY OF MANCHESTER

Last weekend we were in Manchester and on the way through there, we visited historical Cheshire town Chester. We walked around town centre and took photos of  historical Tudor houses. We surprised about the quantity of people visiting and shopping around the town. And moved to the next destination: Manchester!

SKATE IN SOMERSET HOUSE

In winter, there are lots of ice rinks around London. Even we are not big fun of practising, as members of a generation who grown up with ice skating championships -Katarina Witt, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov,  etc.- in one channel tv at the beginning of 80’s, we like to watch it.

This year, during christmas time we visited two ice rinks in Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and Somerset House. It’s was funny and very christmassy.

If you like ice skating or watching people ice skating, Somerset House ice rink is open untill 22 January.  Don’t miss the last days.

A WALK THROUGH GREENWICH

Yesterday afternoon we went to Greenwich for a walk in a sunny London day. But the meteorology god of our little kingdom was indecisive  about what to do and sun and rain  -rain or shine-, wind and everything was together as always.

We climbed to the Royal Observatory’s hill and looked to London from there.

We checked our watches with the 24 hours clock of the Royal Observatory.

And turn back to London for a celebration dinner for our first year in this city.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy new year everyone!

WINTER WONDERLAND IN HYDE PARK

Last days of the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park for a good walk, having fun, gift shopping, skating, sniffing the Christmas spirit still going on there and tasting the mulled wine in Santa's Pub.

PETER PAN CUP 2011

What we learned this Christmas in London: English people do not eat the turkey on Christmas Eve. London is a ghost city on Christmas Eve. There is NOOO public transport, AAANY public transport on Christmas Day in London. If you are very very lucky you can find a black cab with a extra charge of £4 for Christmas Day. Lovely.

That’s why, we woke up at six o’clock this morning and had a lovely 2 hours walk from home to Serpentine in Hyde Park for watching our first Peter Pan Cup. London was asleep, streets were empty. We saw first time Oxford Street empty, without crazy shoppers.

When we arrived to Serpentine Lido, some swimmers were warming (?) up already, a Santa was  serving treats and the spectators watching the brave men and women of The Serpentine Swimming Club. At nine o’clock we heard the call of the bagpipe and the race which is taking place every year on Christmas day morning in Hyde Park Serpentine since 1804, started.

One person was counting the seconds and the bravehearts were in a challenge in the ice cold, brown (certanly not cristal clear) waters of Serpentine at Hyde Park.

The pink bodies getting out of the icy water and running through the mulled wine.