Thinking on the Cold

For those of us who live in the tropics and enjoy (if you prefer, replace with a verb of choice) a whole year of warm weather, travel to colder climes is a treat.

It baffles friends why we choose to spend many a Christmas in London; after all, why go when it’s so cold and likely to rain.  Apart from visiting family which is always precious, we do enjoy cold weather so it is a welcome respite for us.  And the promise of snow at Christmas is exciting!

Just thinking of skating outdoors in the crisp cold while I look out the window towards another blistering day!

Feature Photo: taken December 2016 at the skating rink in front of the Natural History Museum, London.  In response to Daily Post’s Wanderlust.

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When is a Smiley Face not just a smiley face?

Flying cheerfully & enthusiastically atop Somerset House when we visited a couple of months ago was this unexpected sight.  This Smiley flag was raised to commemorate Utopia 2016:  a year of Imagination & Possibility, celebrating the 500th Anniversary of Thomas More’s Utopia.

The Surprise of Old Favourites

A trip to London would not be complete with a visit to Rabot at Borough Market.  We typically end up here for our favourite hot chocolate after a ramble and feed through the market.

This time we were pleasantly surprised by something new to us: Older Daughter got her chocolate with whip cream (which we usually do without as we are not big fans).  This is what we got:

Chili Hot Chocolate (left) for Loving Husband and Caramel Hot Chocolate (right)  with the most amazing chocolate whip ever!

The chocolate whip tasted like a cross between ice cream & mousse: a treat for the taste buds!  A reminder that we should always try a little variation even with our old favourites.

Feature Photo: Rabot at Borough Market, in response to the Daily Post’s Photo Challenge: The Road Taken

Glittering Grass

As I sit at my usual window spot at Starbucks, I enjoy the airconditioning which makes an overcast & muggy day pleasant.  As I daydream in the relative cool, I  recall a message from my aunt in London that temperatures had climbed up to 18 degrees centigrade yesterday! Unseasonably hot for them.

While we had bemoaned the lack of snow while we were in London in December & January, it certainly wasn’t 18 degrees.  And we did have a flurry morning, so we did get to enjoy some of the magic of winter.

How do you express yourself?

This week I am challenged to think about how different people Speak Out.

I love Wall Art! and that they are used to express feelings & ideas which are not necessarily mainstream (see Feature Photo: one of my favourite sights at the head of Brick Lane, along Bethnal Green Road)

And the sun rises

It was raining most of yesterday; not terribly surprising for London, but it was the heaviest winter rain I’ve ever experienced in my various London visits.

Light one candle for Love

In these few days leading up to Christmas, with the mad crowds, tragic happenings around the world, frantic preparations to celebrate the occasion, I wanted to take a little time to remember why we do it all: 

because of a child, 

a baby born from hope, 

to bring us peace & joy, 

in the name of love.

Christmas tree outside Kensington Palace, London.

What are you anticipating this season?

The 4th candle is lit. For love.

Pussy Cat Pussy Cat Where Have You Been?

We are off to London today!

We will spend the next 7 weeks with our family, celebrating Christmas, New Year and then Chinese New Year before we head back to Singapore.

Some of the things we are looking forward to:

• revisiting Brick Lane & our fave food stalls there: Vegan Ethiopian cuisine at the Boiler House Food Hall , many many bagels & challah at Beigel Bake. Then to finally check out Dark Sugars, which up to now, we’ve only pressed our noses up to the glass

• singing with our Sacred Harp friends

• oogling at the Lush Flagship Store

• slurping many many milkshakes at Gourmet Burger Kitchen

• running to Portobello Road for my favourite Falafel King

• spending time with friends & family in & around London

It will be a busy couple of months .. we fully intend to enjoy it all!

Blessed Christmas to you!

Photo taken on 20 Dec 2014, St Paul’s Cathedral, London

Hand in Hand

This photo was taken in December 2014 by one of the Daughters, while we were walking towards Oxford Street, London.

Believe it or not, Loving Husband & I did not coordinate our coats & backpacks – it just worked out that way.

 

This is in response to the Weekly Photo Challenge: Partners.

St Christopher’s Place: a Chance Encounter

We’ve been to London a number of times to visit Beloved Family.  We’ve been there in the Spring, the Summer and the Winter (strangely never in the Fall):  we have decided that Christmas is our favourite time.