hah. i realise it is christmas’ eve already. where did the last two days fly to?
anyway. this is my official blog post about my UK trip.
it was AMAZING.
i traveled with my parents from Singapore to Heathrow airport in London on the new A380 airbus via the new terminal three.
that is already two new things i saw.
for those who are interested, the airbus is quite the same as a usual plane since i am in economy and not suite or anything like that. you just know that there is two levels to it (accounting for the two airbridges.). the seats are slightly wider (but i still can’t sleep) and the flight is more stable. you hardly feel the sensation of landing and taking off. that’s the best part.
then i stayed in London for three nights, visiting the train station to get train tickets, Apollo theatre to get ‘Wicked’ musical tickets, Victoria coach station to purchase tour of Bath tickets. Went to Carnaby street in oxford circus area, went to central saint martins, serpentine gallery in hyde park, expansive district Knightsbridge (Harrods). and ate a lot of sandwiches, drank a lot of soup…
then had a day tour to stonehenge (!!). really good. and to winsor castle and Bath.
Next, took a train up to York for two nights.
York. is very quaint. filled with elderly by day and youngsters by night. and always filled with tourists. roamed the streets lined with firstly, snow and secondly, old houses made with beams of wood, the Shambles.
Then, took the train to Edinburgh. Artsy place. as we lugged our luggage along princes street to our B & B, i realise that one side is the old town (with the castle and all..) and the other is the new town (filled with shopping and modern buildings). divided by a road. stayed there for 4 nights. went on a day tour to Saint Andrews (small university town, known for golf.), and the fishing villages at the coast. did i mention edinburgh was cold? it was. sub-0 degrees. brr… and visited the Edinburgh castle, grassmarket street, City art centre, fruitmarket gallery, Water of Leith, Dean Gallery (i really enjoyed this.) and camera obscura. The camera obscura was very ingenious and made me think of artists like Vermeer. and of course walked the two big streets, Royal Mile (exactly one scottish mile in the old town) and Princes street (divides old town and new town but considered new town as it is lined with shopping. also visited the christmas fair in Princes street gardens. ice-skating and all.
After that, took another train to Penrith, Lake District. The town itself is awfully small, so we moved around the bigger region of lake district, mainly to see- you’ve guessed it- Lakes. got to take the bus to the start of Ullswater lake (longest lake in lake district), and a steamer (boat) back. i love the lake views. i only wished it was summer so i needn’t be so wraped up to enjoy the breeze. still, in winter it was quieter. more contemplative and more meditative. also took a bus to Keswick, another town of lake district to see their pencil museum and the shops.
From Penrith, took the train back to London. and experienced severe train delays due to flooding of stations.
when we finally reached london, a day was wasted. oh well. another 2 nights in london.
saw Harry Potter’s 9-and-3-quarters platform at kings cross and ate at british library and went to see Statuephilia (an exhibition of contemporary sculptures amongst old artifacts in the british museum). very very very well curated. Also went to bustling Camden market.
Next, took another train for a short stay at the Cotwolds area. Arrived in small town, Moreton-in-marsh. got to stay in our very own cottage (17th century! with the same wooden beams running across the rooms. very quaint. Branched out to Stow-on-the-wold to see the stocks (which we caught just in time) and to Chipping Camden to see the thatched roof cottages. never thought they really existed. haha. of course there was the weekly market in Moreton which has been there for 400 years.
another train back London for a stay of 4 more nights. went to south bank of river thames for the christmas atmosphere, walked the very wild Hampstead Heath in the middle of the city (inspired C.S. Lewis to write lion, witch and wardrobe! and inspired painter John Constable and poet John Keats.). it was strangely Wild and huge too. walked endlessly. and at night, watched ‘Wicked’. i would say it is one of the best NEW musicals. Visited Cambridge town and also the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. Amazing christmas atmosphere. Also saw Portobello Market a third time and walked the Covent garden, Leicester square, Charring Cross and Picadilly Circus area. for shopping.
the next morning was a taxiride to the heathrow airport for the long flight home.
and now after two days of recovering from jet lag (i hope i have recovered.). i am back and blogging and realising tomorrow is christmas.
(there is no Christmas atmosphere here if you compare it to Uk. With wreaths (all made of REAL hollyleaves, berries, dried oranges, nuts….) on every door, Real christmas trees (spruce or pine?) adorned in every hallway, lavish decorations in shop windows, christmas light-ups in the air, actual snow on streets (in some towns), having to bundle ourselves up in heaps of warm clothings, christmas fairs in every corner, mincepies+turkey+cranberry sauce+fruitcake+roast offered in every restaurant or supermart and of course the never-ending line-up of christmas songs and movies played on television. that is the Christmas spirit.)
MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone.
(i kinda edited the colourful ikea brochure a bit… haha.)
ramblings. 