'Tis the season

Today is a beautiful Winter's day in London, freezing & foggy, sure, but nothing to ruin the mood. This post sort of draws from my last one, what London does when it gets cold. Well, it's mid-November, Christmas is on a fast approach, the lights are up, London becomes totally charming.

I had a terrible day last Friday, work was hectic, everyone was rude, and (worst of all) I found out that a very good friend's mother has passed way the week before, as I live on the other side of the world - the news didn't reach me very fast, and I felt awful. Instead of going home, cooking myself something sweet and wallowing in self pity, I put on my scarf and ran back out. Oh, what an idea.

I took the tube to Marble Arch as I had been avoiding a trip to Primark (I am not a good  shopper, I find it boring, stressful and exhausting and thus Primark is the epitome of evil). Just look - SO MANY PEOPLE

Wall to wall people shopping for a bargain. My idea of hell. 

Anyway, I hurriedly bought my necessities and vacated Primark with all due speed, and, still feeling pretty awful, walked down Oxford street.

Oxford St - Suddenly I felt much, much better.

Uplifted, I then walked down to Trafalgar Square and entered the National Gallery shop. I had done this last year and cannot recommend it enough. On the last two weekends of November (or thereabouts) the shop is open late, and serves free mulled wine and mince pies. Everything is fairly expensive, but the atmosphere is just wonderful. Last year I slipped out as soon as I had finished the pie (I'm a girl who thinks with my stomach and my wallet!), this time I stayed and bought some Christmas cards and a gift for my grandmother and my aunt and uncle (who are on holiday in France, and whom I get to meet in Paris next weekend!). I think they'll enjoy it.


London is magical on the approach to Christmas, now all we need is a little bit of snow. I will post a list of other things to do in the festive season soon - but the Christmas lights aren't up in Bethnal Green yet, and that, to me, signifies the *real* festive season beginning. In the meantime, enjoy some pictures.

Regent St.

Selfridges

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And now, well, it's official. Cyril and I have booked our tickets to Australia. We leave Paris in mid January, have a few days exploring Malaysia and Singapore in an effort to beat the jetlag, and then arrive in Brisbane one certain Wednesday evening. What a way to start a new chapter of my life.