Last weekend, Lily and I went on our previously postponed trip down to London, and even though we didn't get the high temperatures that had been forecast, it was at least warm and and sunny, which made sightseeing a far more pleasant experience than it would have been a week earlier.
Once we'd arrived and dropped off our bags, our very first stop just had to be the new water park on Clapham Common. Now I realise this wouldn't rank high on most people's London itineraries, but ever since our previous visit, when it was still in it's construction stage, Lily had been desperate for it to be open. This happened officially at the end of July and it has since proved to be incredibly popular. It is a great facility and Lily had a wonderful time running in and out of the various water features and fountains, while her big sister and I spent a lovely afternoon chatting in the sun. I didn't take long before I decided that something fizzy was in order, and so we treated ourselves to some passion fruit martinis :)
The following day began with a trip on the cable cars at Greenwich. It was only a short ride, but was a lot of fun to do and gave us some amazing views across the city.
I had been a little worried in that it was rather breezy that morning, but thankfully our car remained quite steady.
Moving away from Greenwich, we enjoyed a quick walk along an unusually quiet Oxford Street, then went for a wander around Covent Garden. It had been years since my last visit, but it hadn't changed a bit, and was still just as lively and bustling as I'd remembered. There were so many people milling around here, and lots more just stood about watching the street performers. It was nice for a little while but it felt good to then make our escape to Regent's Park, where we could relax and enjoy our picnic lunch and a much needed cup of coffee, followed by a walk around the beautiful rose garden.
From there, our morning took on a more gentle pace. Away from the busy streets we walked along the canal to Little Venice. The tow path was lovely and quiet, and it certainly didn't feel like were right in the centre of such a large city. The slower pace was welcome and the brightly painted houseboats were such a delight to see.
The next morning, we walked along by the Thames. Because we couldn't visit London and not see Big Ben! Stopping off at the Jubilee Gardens near the London Eye, we walked right along South Bank towards Millennium Bridge, then across to St. Paul's Cathedral. From there we headed to The Monument (on my list to visit next time), before catching the tube to Euston, for our journey home.
Being such a contrast to the slower pace of life I'm more accustomed to, I do enjoy our trips to the city, and yet, I'm often surprised at how easily we both adjust to it when we arrive.
But for now, it's good to back home, for a short while at least :)
J. X
