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London over the holidays


MorrisrownSal

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Hey fellas....

 

I have been to London for 18 hours on business 20 years ago....

 

I am going with my wife and two of my kids (18 and 22) over Christmas week... we have four full days there. I figured we would see Windsor castle one day... And maybe an organized tour of London including Westminster, the Churchill War Rooms, and the Tower? That would leave two free days. On one of them I would like to organize some music type interests? Thoughts? The Abby Road Street Selfie? Thoughts?

 

Thanks guys in advance...

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Hey fellas....

 

I have been to London for 18 hours on business 20 years ago....

 

I am going with my wife and two of my kids (18 and 22) over Christmas week... we have four full days there. I figured we would see Windsor castle one day... And maybe an organized tour of London including Westminster, the Churchill War Rooms, and the Tower? That would leave two free days. On one of them I would like to organize some music type interests? Thoughts? The Abby Road Street Selfie? Thoughts?

 

Thanks guys in advance...

Abbey Road, to get there by public transport; you could take the Underground train/London's subway to St. John's Wood (also is the name of the Underground station).

Upon exit, walk straight out of the station; cross the road, and continue walking along the bend and at the end of that road, you're there. The studio and that zebra crossing should be on your right.

You could probably park in a near by church yard if you're renting a car.

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London has a tradition of Christmas lights...

So if you want, you could check those out.

They're on Regents Street, and Regents Street's off Piccadilly Circus, and you could get to Piccadilly Circus either through Soho or Shaftsbury Avenue.

Night time shopping is fun though stores close around 9 pm.

 

Your family should so check out Harrod's Department Store in Knightsbridge (like the other side of Hyde Park).

 

If you have time, I'd always recommend to any guitar enthusiast Denmark Street on the other side of Soho off Charring Cross Road.

 

It's a Region 2 for DVD / PAL system using country, have fun.

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British things around Christmas (in London) include Father Christmas's grotto at Harrod's.

The Regents Street Christmas Lights.

A confectionery probably safe for TSA travel known as

Christmas Pudding

May contain alcohol but all the actual alcohol should be burnt out in the making of this, idk.

tesco-finest-mini-christmas-pudding.jpg

Don't think it'll get you drunk, around Christmas, there should be loads on the market.

We don't do popcorn sewn tree decorations or eggnog I'm afraid.

We do have a cake you can try/buy though...

nancys-rudolph-christmas-cake.jpg?itok=MibU30s2

Called a Christmas Cake (should go well with a cup of English tea/like hot black tea, milk and sugar), oh and these small cup sized pies called Mince Pies, these too are also only on the market during Christmas, but they're good.

 

 

That big Christmas Tree at Trafalgar Square by Leicester Square (where Nelson's Column is) is a gift from Oslo, Norway every year.

 

Have fun!

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The in joke about these is that the jokes are bad, but that's part of the experience.

Christmas Crackers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcrLV_jAVZo

UK @ Christmas Time

It's like a little friendly competition, like pulling a chicken's wishbone after eating it (the chicken, not the Christmas Cracker, do not eat the Chirstmas Cracker).

It's a bit of old loo roll nicely wrapped up with a little toy/thing and a joke and a colourful paper crown.'

I doubt these are TSA approved because of the minute amount of explosive in them but are a cheap UK Christmas family thing to do, so while you guys are here, IDK, pop into a supermarket while you're here, buy a box of these and have at it/go nuts.

I know Kinder Eggs are a US no no because of the toy, but I don't think a Christmas Cracker toy could land you in any trouble in the US.

 

You're usually meant to only pull them on Christmas Day, but if your family won't be in town for actual Christmas Day, you still can buy them in the festive season and enjoy them regardless on your trip.

 

The only thing you'd be missing/have to look forward to if you're in London on Christmas Day is; small shops open, much TV Christmas Specials, and of course, the Queen's Recorded Speech on State Television - so, not much.

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The in joke about these is that the jokes are bad, but that's part of the experience.

Christmas Crackers

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcrLV_jAVZo

UK @ Christmas Time

It's like a little friendly competition, like pulling a chicken's wishbone after eating it (the chicken, not the Christmas Cracker, do not eat the Chirstmas Cracker).

lOVE crackers, , , and indoor fireworks, , , not to mention serpentines and 'guirlandes' . .

It all work as if it was specially designed for me.

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lOVE crackers, , , and indoor fireworks, , , not to mention serpentines and 'guirlandes' . .

It all work as if it was specially designed for me.

Dude, your Christmas Crackers sound scary lol.

Like pull the cracker and I won't be able to play the guitar no more because it exploded on me... IDK.

Maybe I read that wrong lol...

 

They're fun, and a part of Christmas (in London).

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Everyone has their own ways of celebrating the holidays.

These are just of some the foods and activities we like around Christmas in London (and up and down the country).

 

 

Don't even get me started on Christmas in Holland.

Archie.jpg

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Christmas tradition in the UK - UK doesn't have Thanksgiving, so as far as drinking holidays go in the UK, this is it.

Also, in London, the nightclubs are busy around then but none of them are open on actual Christmas Day.

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One more thing I could recommend not necessarily music related. My wife and I did a Pub walking tour. You could probably design your own but it was neat getting the local history, The Black Friar was really neat. By time the night was over I was kinda bouncing around the Tube walls.

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If you want, this could be novel, and will be family orientated for your family visiting London for the holidays...

Not The West End, but something like that....

It's called Pantomine affectionately known as 'Panto'.

Pantomine is a British tradition that will no doubt be all over London.

 

Think;

UK and Australian soap stars and sometimes some Hollywood actor, doing a production of Aladdin somewhere.

These will be all around London too, so while in town, why not check out a Panto?

...

I found a website.

https://www.atgtickets.com/pantomimes/

FYI... Wimbledon's in London so... There's like two there that seems to be on in London this year (the rest are far away) but, y'know... Just saying, if you're looking for London shows, Wimbledon's in London and IMO, the website should tell people that; so I count 2 they have.

 

Another edit...

https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/whats-on/theatre/pantomime/christmas-theatre-and-pantomime

All of these are a yes in terms of viable options for a family to see while in London for the holidays.

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Christmas tradition in the UK - UK doesn't have Thanksgiving, so as far as drinking holidays go in the UK, this is it.

Also, in London, the nightclubs are busy around then but none of them are open on actual Christmas Day.

First time I was in London was during the summer of 1975.

Soon 3 16 year old lads drank gin and hit town - and when I say gin it means loads.

After a cab-ride from Kensington we landed in a discotheque called Hatches in the center of town.

It was late and I was extremely close to bein' run over by a car when leaving that place - thanx my guardian angel again.

 

But the trouble with London is that bars close when I'm ready to go out. No kidding. And who wanna wind up sitting solo in a cellar-strip-club in Soho.

Eeeh, well I did once - in '89. What a mess.

After a while 2 guys who worked there came over to my booth and sat by my table - then asked me to empty my pockets, , , which I did.

Extraordinary humiliating and scary as the dancer was off stage and we were the only people left in the naked room.

The pressure was immense and my mind worked like a typhoon to keep calm, , , and to avoid fetching values every time I dived into a new pocket.

But chewing-gum, tobacco, coins, random papers, 'talismen' came up. Luckily I got out of there unharmed, but what the h... were they thinking. .

But talking 'bout pubs, there is another peculiar experience from the second summer I and 5 friends visited the place in 1976.

On nothing else than Piccadilly Circus was a secret bar.

This location had no facade and the entrance was just a simple slightly hidden door, which led downstairs to a even simpler bar.

No theme, no items on the walls, no cosyness or real atmosphere, no nothing 'cept hard wooden furniture and lots of beer - also on the stone floor, which was plain sailing wet.

Never the less we sat down and fell into conversation with a few guests there - the girls in our company were rather attractive.

But that address, , , and then that totally anonymous water-hole, rustic as something from a Charles Dickens book !?. I still don't get it.

Wonder if anyone from over there would know this place. Probably not - it was for the Dickensian in-crowd only, , , and our 3 chicks made the bold 'inviter' act. .

 

Oh, London, you old wonderful and dangerous lady - will we ever meet again. .

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Ohh man... Don't go to a pantomime.. They were already old fashioned when I was growing up in the 80s.. Nothing but cliché... Theres just so many better things to do than that.

I'm not going to lie...

I have never been to one (yet).

They look family friendly, and a heck of a lot more affordable than some of the big West End shows; but they're British (tourists might dig it), they're seasonal for the holidays, might find it novel (personally), IDK.

It's like The West End but it's really not, it's Pantomime.

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