London Trip Part Two

Where has the week gone?  Did last two sessions at Vintage Radio and loved, loved, loved it!  I get to play all the music I love and talk to interesting people, can't be bad.  Hopefully more in the New Year, will see.  So, back to London........(Iwish!).

If you haven't been, then please try and go to Harrods at some point.  I think it is the best shop in the world!  The first time I went there I was about 26 and felt like Alice in Wonderland, I had never seen anything like it.  It has been called many things - over the top, tacky, expensive- and yes some of that it true but it is also iconic, breathtaking (in more ways than one) and has the most beautiful architecture. I could ride on the Egyptian escalators all day, not least because we were being serenaded from one of the balconies by an opera singer! She was a gorgeous blond in a full length red gown and sang beautifully. Not sure if all the manic shoppers noticed but we did. 
In those early days, the company my husband worked for (Hambro Life) held annual conferences in London. This meant we were lucky enough to stay at a fab hotel and then with the work bit over, John and I would visit  the Harrods sales which were amazing.  I still use a dining room suite (well hammered now!) which we bought there.  What draws me still though are the food halls.  The building is pure Victorian splendor with fantastic mosiacs and tiles (beware of bumping into people as you look up!).  Whole rooms are dedicated to either meat, fish, cheese, pies, pastries, breads and (most importantly for my pal, Pauline) chocolate!

These days I don't have the cash to splash but it doesn't matter because the atmosphere and the ambience is free and I wallowed in that........oh, and bought a pork pie to try as part of http://foodandbiscuits.blogspot.com  quest to find the perfect one!  Not this one though, sorry.  This was the first time I had been to Harrods for quite a few years and not since John died.  I was going to buy a few Christmas decorations but that was a step too far, although I only shed a little tear before pulling myself together.  So, visit Harrods and prepare to be entranced or appalled, depending on how dominant your inner child is!

As some of you will know, I have quite strong views on the role of The Church of England, particularly at this time with a recession and all and I am currently holding a 'dialogue' with the Bishop of Birkenhead - for another blog, maybe.  However, I am not convinced that camping outside St Paul's indefinitely (no matter how well intentioned) serves much purpose either.  No doubt you will, quite rightly, have your own views but at some point they will have to leave and I hope it will be peacefully.  If not, then the irony is that it will cost a huge amount in policing etc to actually remove them, money the country doesn't have right now! Interesting.....................

So finally, here's a small photo collage.  I love London!