Today started with the realisation that with only 2 days left in London, there was still a lot of ground to cover. Priority – Palaces, Portobello Road and Posh shops.
Again, we were lucky to have clear skies but with the threat of rain hanging over our heads we decided to catch up with Will, Kate and George at Kensington Palace.
Kensington was the home of Queen Victoria and her apartments have been beautifully restored to share the key moments of her childhood, marriage to Albert and ascension to the throne. Staff were fantastic at providing us the run down on royal lineage… complete with the details of deaths, divorces, and illegitimate children. Much like the current royals really!
Being Christmas, Kensington had created a special experience for kids (small and large) called the ‘Game of Crowns’. The girls were able to engage in all sorts of activities as we wandered the palace before selecting their royal name and enjoying the fanfare of their own coronation. We had great fun recreating paintings, playing parlour games and dancing. With plenty of fanfare we were pleased to crown Emma the All-Powerful Queen of the Clouds, and Alexandra the Clever Duchess of the World.
Next stop – Portobello Road markets at Notting Hill. Made famous by the movie of the same name, Notting Hill was a colourful and eclectic part of town – lots of antique stalls, food, christmas trees and various souvenirs and clothes (including summer dresses… huh???), and plenty of tourists mixing with the locals.
We’ve also noticed a lot of people in the original UGG boots around London – fascinating since they seem really impractical for the weather… but no, in a shop in Portobello Road we found that UGG have brought out a waterproof version. I wonder if the trend will catch on in Brisbane?
From one extreme to the other… Notting Hill to Harrods. It’s hard to know whether the insane volume of people were due to Xmas, or if it was just the usual hordes of tourists, but why anyone would shop there by choice is beyond me! We attempted to see Santa but were put off by the likelihood of a 4+ hour wait… instead, we collected a couple of bears desperate to escape the madness, so are now travelling with Ethan, Kingsley and our Aussie stowaway, Ottie.
We finished the day at a local pub, providing an opportunity to sample my childhood favourite – scampi and chips. I think scampi is like a miniscule prawn, but it’s hard to tell under the breadcrumbs!
Following on with the trip down memory lane, I snuck into the local Co-op at Earl’s Court while the others headed home. It’s the little things that really take me back… chocolate bars in packs of 4, Jaffa Cakes, Fruit Pastilles, Jamaica Ginger Cake. I think I was a bit overwhelmed by the choice of treats, and somehow walked out with only washing powder. I doubt this will last!
Love M & theBunch xx
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