After a December spent hibernating with family in Canada, we found ourselves feeling a bit deflated in January. Coupled with a few consecutive bouts of cold and flu, we were glad to welcome in the month of February and finally feel as though we were back in the swing of things. If that wasn’t reason enough to celebrate and be excited, then our first trip of 2017 certainly was. In celebration of my not so baby sister’s 21st year on earth, we met up with my family in London for a long weekend. We arrived Thursday afternoon and met up with my parents, Niamh, and her boyfriend Zak in our flat for the weekend in Notting Hill. After ample hugs and a quick cup of tea, Niamh and Zak went off to peruse the city, while my parents, Chris, and I headed to the Royal Institute to see the Faraday museum. We saw his original lab and equipment, and spent far too long playing a periodic table themed game. The rules of which I’m still not quite clear on. Once we’d had our fill of science for the day, we waltzed back to the flat after buying out all the food in the nearest Marks and Spencer’s. We had a quiet evening catching up and introducing Zak to all the delicious picnic options on offer. The next morning we all fell into the tube and made our way to one of the best places, Borough Market. We divided and conquered and feasted until we couldn’t manage another bite. I even tried “turmeric golden milk” after I spent all of January predicting to Chris that it would be the new hipster drink of the year. I really think I’m right. And I really think it’s kind of gross. After the market we went our separate ways as no one else wanted to come to the Tate Modern. Nevertheless, Chris and I had a great time ogling the new wing and enjoying the incredible views afforded by the concrete mammoth. On our walk home we even found the First Dates restaurant, which, evidenced by Chris’ overwhelming glee, means that Chris is no longer allowed to say that he hates bad British Tv. We’ve got ourselves a super fan. After a quick outfit change we went to Covent Garden for dinner at Bills before catching our seats in the Lyceum for the Lion King. Niamh and I had seen it before but it was everyone else’s first time and they were unsurprisingly, enraptured by Julie Taymor’s incredible puppetry and choreography. I couldn’t help but watch Chris’ face every time a new animal entered the stage. At one point he even whispered, “Well this is what magic is”. Theatre enchantment at it’s finest. The next morning Chris and I woke up early to catch the start of Portobello market. We nibbled on Bath buns and listened to the plucking of a double bass busker, as we weaved our way through stalls laden with all kinds of pre and post war antiques. After a lengthy interrogation about Chris’ prospects as my husband, I bought some buttons from a perfectly eccentric collector. They’re from the old 1960s uniforms of the men responsible for tending to the banks of the Thames. Chris was then drawn into the world of old metal army men, besotted with a Mountie that was carefully wrapped up for us to take home. While Niamh and Zak went for an open-air bus tour, and my dad went off to be bored by what was, in the end, “an old house full of junk”, Mum, Chris and I walked to the recently opened Design museum. Disappointingly, although full of very interesting things, the museum itself was horribly and oh so ironically badly designed. The way the exhibits were laid out resulted in no clear flow and a constant crossing of paths. Although a bit let down as it didn’t rise to its potential, we were all glad to have seen it and the building itself is beautiful. We met up with Dad for lunch and then with Niamh and Zak for a visit to the Oxford Street Lush store. We nestled in to our flat’s local pub for dinner and spent the evening watching Zak try his first ever fish and chips, as Chris and Dad emptied a fleet of wine glasses. Armed with full stomachs, gelato from a place next door, and an arsenal of bad tv in the background, we settled in for an evening of laughing to the point of tears. Sunday saw us up and rearing to go, some feeling a bit more fragile than others. We ambled through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park until we arrived at speakers corner. I lasted around 5 minutes before the tirade of a men’s rights activist threatened to completely darken my day. We nestled into a café across from Harrods for some hot chocolate and baguettes before continuing down the street to the V and A. Chris and my Mum geeked out over the furniture exhibit, exchanging a plethora of facts and tidbits, as my Dad and watched from the nearest bench. Once they had their fill of furniture we met up with Zak and Niamh at the Science museum. It was really great and I can’t believe I’ve never been before. The maths exhibit was particularly interesting, and with an installation by Zaha Hadid and the original Enigma machine, everyone was perfectly enthralled. With not much time left before our departure, Mum, Niamh and I snuck in a quick trip to Boots before picking up some final picnic goodies. We spent our last couple of hours back in the flat, chatting and nibbling away. Chris polished off some more wine with my Dad, while I soaked in as much conversations as possible. We said our goodbyes, which remain as painful as ever despite their increasing familiarity, before heading to the airport, vowing next time to take the train instead. It was all too short a visit, but a truly wonderful few days. Regardless of how much time is spent with family it never quite seems like enough. We wait with great anticipation for the next time we can be together, whenever and wherever that may be.
1 Comment
Pernille
28/2/2017 05:26:34 pm
<3
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