family

A Weekend in York

~ 50themusical ~ Leave a comment

Last weekend we travelled to York for the weekend with my brother and sister in law. York is a beautiful city and is only about an hours drive for us, which makes it easily accessible.

We were later setting off than we intended, for a number of reasons, but we eventually arrived in York at around 8pm. It was a much needed break and we had been looking forward to it all week, but were a little bit stressed out and very tired by the time we arrived. Luckily, when we arrived my lovely sister in law presented us with freshly cooked pizzas which were very much needed after a long day. After eating and a good chat, putting the world to rights, we went off to bed.

We were staying at “Clearly Apartments” on Bootham Crescent, which is a short walk into the city. The apartment was a little surprising at first. It was smaller than I had expected (and how it appeared on the photos), with not much space for four adults to sit comfortably. There was a very small kitchen area, a dining table in the corner and a sofa and armchair. It was darkly decorated, which made it seem a little bit dreary. There were two bedrooms and two bathrooms which were all clean and tidy. The ensuite was a little bit of a squeeze, but over the weekend we got accustomed to the space and enjoyed our weekend together.

An Outdoor Treasure Hunt

Our daughter bought us a Mystery City Treasure Hunt for Christmas, as she knows we like escape rooms and quizzes. This was specifically for York and was based on the Gunpowder Plot. It was in a book rather than on phones, which worked really well. You could also use the QR code to get extra visual clues via your phone if you needed them. The hunt took us around many streets of York with clues outside buildings, pubs and places of interest. Some of the clues were really straight forward and some were a little more difficult to find and solve. It took us about 4 hours all together, including a lovely stop for coffee and cake in a little coffee shop. Luckily the weather was great and we walked over 12000 steps which was pretty good for just wandering around the city. I would recommend one of these city treasure hunts, as it helps you to learn about the city itself, gets you walking and thinking, as well as working together as a team.

A couple of highlights of the day were seeing the statue of Paddington on a bench in Minster Yard, which we had our photo taken with as our grandson is a huge Paddington Bear fan. The second was the coffee shop we called at, which was tucked out of the way in Coffee Yard, at Barley Hall. We probably would not have otherwise come across this place had it not been for the treasure hunt. I had cake, but the others had black pudding sausage roll, which was apparently amazing!

After finishing the hunt, we headed through the market and shops, before heading back to the apartment. We spent the rest of the afternoon watching the rugby, reading and just chilling out.

Great Food at The Churchill Hotel

On the way in to York on Friday night we passed The Churchill Hotel which had a lovely beer garden all lit up with fairy lights and braziers near the tables. Having had a quick look at the menu, we decided to book for our meal in the evening. What a great decision that turned out to be.

The hotel is stunning, obviously on a Churchill theme, with quirky furniture and decorations. The staff were extremely friendly and attentive. The food was amazing! It was all clearly freshly cooked and although it took a while to arrive, we weren’t in any rush and it was lovely just to sit in the nice surroundings.

There was a set menu, with plenty of choice and you can choose to have two or three courses. We all chose to have mains and puddings. The main courses were hot and very tasty, with just the right amount of food to leave room for a desert. The Baked Alaska was one of the best deserts I have tasted for a long time, with a warm brownie topped with caramel ice cream and soft marshmallow meringue.

It was so good that on the Sunday afternoon, we returned for lunch as we struggled to find anywhere in the city centre which wasn’t packed. the food was great, although they got my brothers order wrong and he had to wait for it to be recooked. However the Baked Alaska was just as good the second time.

Castle Museum

On Sunday we headed to the Castle Museum. I haven’t been here for years, probably since i was a child. The entrance tickets allows you to return again anytime within the next 12 months, which is always good.

The museum is good with a variety of exhibits on show, including a fashion exhibition, with clothing throughout the years. There are period rooms showing how homes have changed over the years. Each one has a story behind it, to help explain what was going on at the time. It was interesting to see how fashion has changed from minimalistic to having every surface full of nick knacks. Kirkgate is an area of reconstructed shops on cobbled streets, which are incredible and it was great to wander around the streets as they were dating back as far as Victorian times (or “back in the day” as referred to by my husband for most historical periods)

The 1960’s exhibition was fascinating having lots of the items we all recognised from our childhoods. There is also an exhibition about the First World War. This was interesting and moving in parts, following the stories of people who had lived through the war. It was also a real eye opener reading the cost both in finance terms and the lives that were lost and changed forever as a result of the war “to end all wars”(If only that were true)

One of my favourite parts of the museum was the prison exhibition. The Castle Museum had been a prison for many years and some of the cells and other rooms now form part of the exhibition. I find it fascinating how the views of crime and punishment have changed over the years. It added a little extra interest to read and hear the stories of the people in the felons cells, why they were there and what happened to them. People being imprisoned for debt was one of the saddest things to hear alongside hearing that a woman who killed her husband would be tried for treason. Seeing the conditions people were held in and how things have changed really interests me and I spent quite a while in this exhibition.

A Sunshine break in Gran Canaria

~ 50themusical ~ Leave a comment

It’s been a little while since we had a relaxing holiday in the sun, so it was great to be able to get away to Gran Canaria for a week. Me and my husband, Andrew travelled with our eldest daughter Meg and her partner Ed, and our youngest daughter Izzy and grandson Walter. We had booked all-inclusive at the Tui Blue resort Orquedia at Bahia Feliz. This is the first time we have been all-inclusive and it was definitely a good choice.

First plane journey with a toddler

We took a mini bus to Manchester airport from our home address, which meant that we could all travel together. The booking in process and security all went smoothly, with everyone being friendly and helpful. The flight was delayed for around an hour, but once aboard, our grandson was allowed to go sit in the cockpit and have his photo taken. All the air crew were amazing, assisting all the young families onboard. Our grandson Walter was really settled through most of the flight and when he did become tired and upset at one point, the cabin crew took him and my daughter to sit in the crew area so that she could calm him down, which was reassuring. He didn’t fall asleep at all on the plane, but nodded off when we got on the transfer coach.

Hotel Orquedia

The hotel had everything you needed for a great week away. The rooms were spotless, as was the rest of the hotel. The grounds were picturesque, with plenty of areas of shade or sun, whichever you prefer. There were a number of swimming pools, including a splash area for toddlers, a shaded shallow pool for babies, a shallow pool with a slide for children, a deeper pool for inflatable and a larger pool for swimming and the daily activities. There were a couple of playgrounds and a number of buildings where children could go and play, which were in addition to the paid children’s clubs. My grandson loved going to the stay and play which was in a lovely air conditioned building with lots of tubs of toys.

The restaurant was light and airy, with a seating area outside. The food was excellent, with plenty of choice for each meal. There was also a snack bar and drinks by the pool. We all enjoyed the food throughout the week, eating a variety of fresh healthy foods, fruit salads, vegetables, as well as lots of desserts. It was great that we were all able to eat different foods and try things which we might not normally eat.

All the staff were friendly and ensured everyone was having a great time. We couldn’t have asked for anything better from a hotel.

Enjoying family time

The week away gave us a lot of time to spend together as a family. The first couple of days were spent by the pool, relaxing and enjoying the surroundings. We were in and out of the pool and the playgrounds. We took it in turns to keep an eye on Walter or to take him for a walk through the grounds when he was tired. In the evening, we all got together to go down to the restaurant, and then afterwards into the pool bar for the evening entertainment. Each night there was a children’s disco. There was then a quiz, which we joined in most nights. We often came second or third, but never won! This was then followed by a show by the entertainment team, which were good fun.

Having a decent nap during the day meant that Walter could stay up later and enjoy the entertainment, although he often prepared to go out into the grounds and the playground to run around. When he went to bed on an evening, it gave me and Andrew chance to spend time with Meg and Ed.

Throughout the rest of the week we had more time to relax, as well as join in with some of the activities. It was a lovely balance of spending time altogether, people doing their own thing. I took Walter to a couple of the organised activities for toddlers. Our two daughters spent a morning together. Meg and Ed went off to spend some time on their own. Me and the girls enjoyed a few of the exercise classes including aqua aerobics, yoga and the very adventurous yoga and Hit classes on a paddle board in the pool.

We got to meet some nice families and it’s always great to see how easily little children make friends. On an afternoon, we would often see the same families walking around pushing prams trying to get their toddlers to sleep.

On a couple of the afternoons the bar was open for “happy hour” where there was a cocktail of the day, snacks and a musician playing. It was so relaxing sitting under the shade outside listening to music in such lovely surroundings.

Palmitos Park

We had a trip to Palmitos Park one day, travelling there by bus, which took around 45 minutes. It was an extremely hot day, but the zoo was not too busy and there was plenty of shade. Walter enjoyed seeing all the animals and liked the lizards and crocodiles more than any of the bright coloured birds or furry animals. During the day there was a dolphin show, which was very entertaining and also educational. Although it was a really good day out, I am always in two minds how I feel about animals in captivity. It gives children a chance to see animals up close, which they otherwise may not have chance to do. The zoo promotes the rescue and protection of the animals, but I much prefer to see the animals out in their natural habitat.

Overall we had a great holiday. We all came home with a suntan, relaxed and having enjoyed some quality time together. What more could you want from a holiday?

Reflections For A New Year

~ 50themusical ~ Leave a comment

Thoughts on Being a Grandparent

In July 2023 my husband and I became grandparents to a gorgeous little boy called Walter. I hadn’t mentioned this on my blog before for a number of reasons, but as it is new year, it is a good time to reflect on this huge change in our lives. There aren’t any photographs on the blog as my daughter made the decision (very wise, in my opinion) not to have his photo on any social media. My youngest daughter, Isobel, really wanted to be a mum and after moving in with her partner to their new house, they announced in December 2023 that they were having a baby.

I must admit that my initial reaction wasn’t what I thought it would be. I was really pleased for them, but not sure I was ready to be a grandparent. I also felt anxious about her and the baby and worried that something would happen along the way. When I was pregnant all those years ago, I never felt any of these fears, but for some reason with her, these stayed with me throughout the whole pregnancy. It was something I only voiced to a few people, as it was a difficult thing to explain.

I was very excited about a baby in the family and felt an enormous relief when he arrived safely. The moment of joy on seeing him for the first time was indescribable. Anyone who is a grandparent will know this instant feeling of love towards a child who isn’t your own, but is the closest thing to it. Over the next few weeks it became clear that Isobel was an amazing mum and it was incredible seeing Walter changing each time we saw him. It was wonderful to spend time with him and be part of his little world.

In November 2023 we had a shock when Isobel and her partner split up. It was a difficult time for all of us, but we adjusted and supported her as much as we could. In June 2024 when she was due to return to work, she moved back in with us. Over time we have made adjustments to the house to accommodate her and Walter.

He is now almost 18 months old and is so funny and clever. Watching him learn new things almost every day is just astounding. He has a cheeky little personality and keeps us all on our toes. Seeing things through a child’s eyes makes everything seem much brighter somehow. His eagerness and wonder at seeing things for the fist time makes those things exciting again. The major milestones such as sitting up, crawling and walking are some of the greatest moments. You can’t help but smile when you hear him chattering as soon as he wakes up on a morning, even though we don’t always know what he says. Him waving and saying “hiya” when you come through the door after work is delightful. Seeing him fast asleep after a busy day is heart warming.

I sometimes worry that I have become one of those people who talks about their grandchild all the time. Am I at risk of becoming a baby bore? I probably am and quite frankly I don’t really care. Many of our friends and family have grandchildren too and they are always the first thing we chat about when we meet up.

At times it has been exhausting having broken sleep or running around after him all day. There have been difficult and frustrating moments. Having 3 adults and a child living under one roof again can sometimes be stressful. We very rarely have the house to ourselves and it is even rarer that our house is spotlessly clean and tidy. It wasn’t what we planned for this time in our lives, but being able to spend so much time with our grandson whilst he is so young is wonderful. We have developed such a bond with him and we really miss him when we don’t see him for a few days. We know that he won’t be little for ever and these moments are so precious.

In the future we hope that he will remember this as a very happy time in his life and the bonds we have built now will remain strong throughout his life.

A Scotland Getaway (4)

~ 50themusical ~ Leave a comment

Bone Caves

Thursday morning was misty and drizzly, but the forecast promised dry and warm weather for the afternoon. We had a late breakfast and a drive into Lochinver to buy pies for tea from the Lochinver Larder.
Around 2pm we made our way to the car park for the walk to Bone Caves. We had seen lots of deer rutting here on a previous visit and some of us were not keen to encounter them on this occasion. However, there were no deer in sight, so we were able to set off on our walk.
The walk follows the river up the valley, passing a waterfall and lots of underground springs. Crossing a dry river bed, we then started the climb up the stone steps towards the caves. It is quite steep and rocky underfoot, but worth the climb, as you are soon able to see the caves at the top.
The caves are small, but you can go inside each one and almost stand up. The caves were excavated in 1889 by the geologists Peach and Horne. They found the remains of animals which once roamed the Highlands including lynx, polar bear, arctic fox and lemmings. It is believed that the caves may have once sheltered these animals and also the humans who hunted them.
There is a slightly different path setting off down from the caves, but it soon meets the original path back into the car park. There were a few deer to see on the hillside on the walk down, but luckily none that we had to come into close contact with.

The Old Man of Stoer

Today the weather was good in the morning, although a little blustery. We decided to set of earlier and walk in the morning before the storm came in which was forecast for the afternoon.
The walk began at Stoer Lighthouse and is mostly a sheep track which is tricky underfoot due to the rocks and the boggy grass and mud. Very soon we were treated to some gorgeous views of the rugged coast and eventually the Old Man of Stoer. This impressive stack reaches out of the sea at 70 metres high.

We continued to walk along the coastal path, reaching the Point of Stoer, giving stunning views in all directions. We sheltered out of the wind whilst we ate our lunch.
The path back to the lighthouse is a little less wet and rugged and eventually leads onto a track which is much steadier underfoot.
Once back at the car, we made our way back to the lodge for a final dip in the hot tub and packing ready to begin our journey home.


A Scotland Getaway (3)

~ 50themusical ~ Leave a comment

The Drumbeg Loop & Scourie

On Tuesday the sun was shining brightly and the sky was clear blue. We decided to go out for a drive, heading off towards the beach at Scourie.

It’s a very scenic drive from Lochinver, with some winding roads. The beach at Scourie is beautiful, with lots of pebbles and shells. After a hit chocolate from the food van, we had a lovely stroll on the beach, taking in the scenery and the fresh air.

We then drove around the Drimbeg loop, another scenic route, taking us back to the lodge.
In the evening, after cooking chilli for tea, we lit the fire pit and sat outside toasting marshmallows. It was quite a windy evening, so we didn’t stay out too long, but it was a lovely way to spend the evening outdoors.

River Inver and Glencanisp Circuit

On Wednesday the rain was lashing down, but the forecast said it would blow over and we would have a fine afternoon. In anticipation we packed sandwiches, ready for a walk when the weather changed.

As promised the rain blew over and the afternoon was fine and unseasonably warm. We walked from the lodge down into Lochinver then followed the circuit which takes you along the River Inver then over the glen, past Canisp Lodge and back into Lochinver.
The first part of the walk is by the fast flowing river, but you are soon climbing with the river below you. Further up you drop again to the side of the river, which is more sedate and there are areas set for anglers. Eventually you leave the river and head upwards across the glen, giving great views. Due to the rain, it was muddy in parts, but it was a great walk. We stopped off near the lodge and it was warm enough to sit without jackets whilst we ate our sandwiches.
Once back down in Lochinver, we made the steady climb back to the lodge and into the hot tub and a restful evening.

A Scotland Getaway (2)

~ 50themusical ~ Leave a comment

On our first day at Waterloo Lodge, it was a little bit overcast with a watery sun trying to break through. We had a lovely brunch (it should have been breakfast, but eggs had been missed from our shopping, so someone had to go and pick up eggs before we could start!) of poached eggs on toast, with potato cakes made with leftover mash from the previous evening.

Culag Woods

We set off from the lodge and headed off down towards the harbour at Lochinver. We were surprised to see, what was once a busy working port, now looking abandoned, almost as if everyone had left in a hurry.
Once past the harbour we turned left into the woods on “Billy’s Path”. The walk is extremely pretty, with plenty to see along the way, including a wishing tree, sculptures of dragon flies and a beautiful pebble beach. There are also lots of viewpoints. It is undulating and a bit slippy in parts. I managed to slip on the boardwalk, hitting my face on my husband’s knee as he reached it to stop me, banging my nose. I recovered quickly and other than a slight bloody nose, I was relatively unscathed. Everyone made sure I was okay before bursting into fits of laughter.
The trees in the woods are covered in lichen, which indicates good air quality. It definitely felt you were breathing in clear air and despite being near the harbour it felt like you were in the middle of nowhere, especially as we saw very few people along the way.


The walk took a couple of hours, as we took time to enjoy the views and scenery. We then walked back up the hill to the lodge.

We had a restful afternoon and evening, cooking curry for tea and then relaxing watching a film.

Achmelvic Beach Coastal Walk

On Monday it was a fine, but blustery day. After breakfast we set off towards Achmelvic beach to walk along the coast.

This is another area of outstanding coastal views and stunning beaches. The walk is fairly easy, with an undulating path, but fairly well marked paths. Near the end of the walk, before returning, there is an old mill ruin, which you get to by crossing stepping stones through the stream. However, there has been so much rain the steps were covered in water which was running really fast, so we decided not to cross.
Our return took us almost the same route, stopping at a couple of beaches on the way.
Returning to the lodge, we had an afternoon of chilling in the hot tub and sauna, leaving us feeling relaxed at the end of a great day.


A Scotland Getaway

~ 50themusical ~ Leave a comment

A couple of nights in Stirling

This week we travelled to Lochinver on the north west coast of Scotland. It is a nine hour journey by car from our home in Yorkshire so we broke the distance by staying for a couple of nights in Stirling.
We travelled to The King Robert Hotel on the Thursday, but as there were six of us we had booked into Bruce’s Cottage which is in the grounds of the hotel. The cottage was set out well for six adults and very clean and comfortable. We ate in the restaurant at the hotel. The food was excellent and exceptionally good value.

On the Friday, after a good nights sleep, we had breakfast before setting off to the Falkirk Wheel a short drive away. The wheel is the world’s only rotating boat lift, created to assist the swift passage of canal boats, rather than taking over five hours to travel up a flight of eleven locks. The gondola takes about five minutes to rotate, lifting the boats thirty five metres to connect with the canal above.
It’s a pretty impressive sight from the ground and the mechanism and engineering behind it blew my mind. On the boat however it is very difficult to tell that you are even moving. Before you know where you are, you are high up on the canal overlooking the vast Scottish landscape.

After leaving the boat, the rain began pouring down, so we decided to head of towards the Helix Visitors Centre where we had a lovely lunch after which the rain had stopped a little. We then went outside to walk around the amazing Kelpies. They are a pair of thirty metre sculptures of steel horse heads, rising out of the ground in spectacular fashion. The sculptures are a fabulous sight and well worth a visit.
As it stayed fine we walked further up the road and around the lake before heading back to the car before the rain came again.

We went back to the hotel for our evening meal and had another good night’s sleep before getting up to start the remainder of our journey to Lochinver. After picking up our shopping from the local Tesco, we went for breakfast at the nearby River House Restaurant. The food was absolutely gorgeous and the surroundings equally so!

Travelling towards Lochinver, we took another very slight detour to the scenic area of Aviemore. We visited the ski centre for a coffee break and a leg stretch. The ski centre was impressive, with lots of activities to do outside of the ski season.
We then continued our journey north, towards Lochinver, another 3 hours away. The drive takes you through some stunning countryside and panoramic views. Seeing deer in the wild as you are travelling through is an added bonus.
We finally arrived at our home for the week, Waterloo Lodge, high upon the hillside overlooking the harbour of Lochinver with a stunning view of Suilven.


London Theatre Trip

~ 50themusical ~ 4 Comments

It was definitely time for a another theatre trip to London. My daughter and I usually go to the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre near her birthday in August. This year we struggled to find a weekend when we were both free, so our visit was delayed until almost the end of September.

Meg has recently moved out of Central London to Leighton Buzzard, into a lovely apartment by the canal with her boyfriend. I travelled on the train on Friday afternoon. It was more straightforward to travel into London’s Kings Cross, walk to Euston and catch the train back out to Leighton Buzzard. There are other ways to do it, but this seemed the quickest and easiest route. It was a pleasure to sit on the train, eat my lunch and read my book without any interruptions. It’s very rare I get chance to sit for two hours without having to get up to do something. It may sound sad, but it felt like a bit of a treat.

There were no issues on the train and I arrived in Leighton Buzzard around 4pm and was met at the station by Ed. After a catch up on the latest news and events, we had a tasty risotto cooked by Ed (referred to as dinner by them, but tea if you live further north). We then played a few card and board games, followed by Tiramisu for desert. It was a very enjoyable evening and it was relaxing to be looked after by someone else instead of running round after everyone.

On Saturday morning, I slept longer than usual, due to the quietness and darkness (we don’t really get this at home as we live near a main road) and as a bonus, the weather was glorious. We had a breakfast of fruit, yoghurt and freshly baked croissants before catching the train into London.

Neither of us really knew what we wanted to do, so we walked from the Euston Station heading towards Regents Park, thinking we would have a little walk whilst we decided what to do. We didn’t really want to go shopping and it was too nice to be inside, so we ended up spending the whole of the day in the park. We walked (a lot!), sat and had a drink and a snack and listened to jazz at the bandstand (although it was almost finished by the time we sat down). There was also an exhibition of modern art as part of Frieze London. It was interesting to look at, but I openly admit I don’t really get most of it and prefer my art a little more traditional and to look like something tangible. Maybe I just don’t have the imagination to see some of the sculptures for what they are meant to be, but they don’t really appeal to me. I enjoyed looking around the sculptures and it was amusing listening to some of the conversations around them. Some were like me, not really understanding what it was all about, but the best were the people who talked about them in an intelligent way. I’m never sure whether they really do, or whether it’s a case of being pretentious to appear intellectual.

After a delightful afternoon in the sunshine we headed of to have something to eat at The Real Greek in Marylebone, which was only a short walk from Regents Park. We enjoyed some tasty food and drinks, before making the short journey back on foot towards Regents Park for the evening performance of Fiddler on the Roof.

I love the open air theatre. The reason we originally went was because it was the first one to reopen after the Covid pandemic, but it has now become a yearly tradition for us. The productions are usually excellent and this was no exception. From the moment the fiddler played the opening bars, I had goose pimples. The singing was amazing with some beautiful harmonies. The acting was superb, with some very moving, emotional performances. The girls were more spirited than in the film and older productions, which I liked. It was very well cast. I love the show and the music and this didn’t disappoint. The threatening storm held off until after the performance, despite several flashes of lightening in the last half an hour.

There was a cancellation of trains on the way back, so it was a late journey and a packed train back to Leighton Buzzard. We enjoyed a cuppa and a chat when we got back, heading off to bed at 2am. It’s a long time since I had such a late night and I definitely felt it later in the week

The following morning, we went for breakfast at the vibes cafe at the side of the canal. We sat outside, but undercover as it was raining, but fairly warm. The breakfast was very tasty. I had brioche French toast with fresh fruit and maple syrup. After breakfast it was time for the short walk up to the train station to catch the train into London and then home. Unfortunately, once again there were cancellations and delays on the trains, but I managed to make it back to Kings Cross in plenty of time for the train back up north.

My husband collected me from the railway station and on returning home there was a lovely Sunday roast all ready. What a lovely surprise. It was a great weekend and I felt I had time to chill out and enjoy some relaxing time with my daughter

Back on the Canal (3)

~ 50themusical ~ Leave a comment

Leaving Ansty, we headed along the Oxford Canal towards our next overnight stop at Braunston Junction. The majority of the journey, other than the area around Rugby was rural with fields and woods.

We passed through our first swing bridge at Stratton Top and filled up with water. At Brinklow we came to an area that had suffered from a landslide some time ago. The canal had been closed here due to the blockage. Lots of work has taken place to clear the area, but there is still work going on and you can see the remains of the devastation caused due mainly to the high amounts of rainfall.

Our next new experience was travelling through Newbould Tunnel, which is quite a short tunnel at only 250 yards long. Just before entering the tunnel you are advised to put your light on and toot the horn. I took great delight in tooting the horn, whilst our friends were sat on the front of the boat, completely oblivious until the sudden sound made them both jump a mile! After some abuse, I let them settle down and tooted it again telling them I was only following the rules.

Continuing through beautiful landscape we came to the very pretty area of Hillmorton Locks. Here there are two sets of locks at each level, to allow the swift passage of boats on a busy stretch of canal. Here we purchased some duck food, as we had given them some cereal previously but were aware that some human foods aren’t great for ducks.

We travelled past Barby Marina, again very rural and peaceful. There was very little breeze, so it was warmer afternoon, although there was the odd short shower. Before long we could see the spire of the church at Braunston. The turn at Braunston took us on to the Grand Union Canal, as all the moorings in the area were busy, we continued a little further, mooring up and having our tea before relaxing for the evening.

A Weekend Break In London

~ 50themusical ~ Leave a comment

This is quite a late post, as once again I have been so busy, I never got around to writing it at the time. During the glorious summer, I went to London with my husband and our youngest daughter and her boyfriend. We arranged to spend some time with our eldest daughter whilst we were there. We had an amazing weekend, with beautiful food and gorgeous weather. We were so busy and saw so many things, so were exhausted by the time we got home, but it was well worth it.

The British Museum and a Pleasant Surprise

We travelled by train, dropped our cases off and et our eldest daughter. Our first stop was the British Museum. It was extremely hot inside and we started off by looking at all the Egyptian relics. I had read reviews before I went and I had to agree with some of them, that there is nothing British about the museum. It is full of items “recovered” from other countries. It is great to see the artefacts, but I question the need to have so many items out of their natural environment. Although I love history and I am no expert, it did feel like there was just loads and loads of the same things for miles and miles. After about an hour, we decided to leave the museum and go and have some fresh air.

We walked down to Trafalgar Square and were excited to see the whole area was set up for the Women’s Euros. There were music acts on stage, food and drinks and football events around the square. The steps had been covered with coloured Astro turf. We got drinks and sat on the steps, spending the afternoon in the sun watching the events and people watching.

Come From Away

In the evening we were booked in to see Come From Away at the Phoenix Theatre. On the surface, this musical has a strange premise, as it is about the terrorist attacks of 911, where the aeroplanes were diverted from landing in America, to Newfoundland, where thousands of people were accommodated by a small community.

The show was incredible. The small cast played several different characters in such a believable way. The singing and acting was astounding. There were moments of laughter and some very moving scenes. It was one of the best performances I have seen in a long time.

 Changing of The Guard and New Introductions

This is an event that really surprised me. I remembered watching the Changing of The Guard as a child, but it was so much better than I remembered. The ceremony lasted about an hour altogether, with some beautiful band music, marching, ceremony and tradition. I love the sound of a brass band in the open air and this did not disappoint.

Recently, with the death of Queen Elizabeth II, and seeing all the pomp and ceremony on TV, it made me feel so privileged to have seen this in real life.

Later in the day we went to The Bike Shed, a restaurant in Shoreditch. When I say restaurant, it also has a tattoo and barbers’ shop, merchandise and a motorbike workshop. The motorbikes arrive through the outside seating area. It is a fascinating place, with excellent food. This evening we also met our eldest daughter’s boyfriend for the first time. It was lovely to finally see him and to see our daughter so happy.

Afterwards we went to Junkyard Golf, where we had cocktails and great fun playing the crazy golf. It was a lovely, relaxed evening and we laughed constantly.

The Tower of London

We visited the Tower of London a few years ago, but there is plenty to see, so it is always worth another visit. On this occasion, we also walked through the moat area, which has been planted with a sea of wildflowers. As it had been quite hot, some of the flowers were probably past their best, but it was a lovely day, so it was nice to wander through in the sunshine.

We enjoyed looking around the historic Tower and visited as many of the areas as we could, learning lots about the Tudor buildings, but also the interesting exhibition about the Tower during more recent conflicts, where it was utilised for training the armed forces.

We couldn’t visit without seeing the Crown Jewels and although it was busy, the queue soon moved forwards and we were able to see the amazing exhibition. They are so impressive and beautiful to see under all the lights, which makes them look exceptionally sparkly and regal. In these times of austerity, it seems strange to enjoy looking at something so lavish and extravagant, knowing that the value of the jewels could help so many people in need, but I love the history attached to them and the amount of people waiting to see them, is testament to the value of them as a tourist attraction as well as their monetary value.

Grease

This has always been one of my favourite films and I have watched it so many times over the years. I have also seen the stage musical a couple of times in the past. The production at the Dominion Theatre was slightly different, with some aspects that were great and some not so good. The dance numbers and ensemble pieces were impressive and lively. However, Danny and Sandy seemed to have very little chemistry. The transformation of Sandy in the finale was lack lustre but did not spoil the amazing singing and dancing in the final stages of the show. There were times when the musical seemed to merge with the storyline of West Side Story, which was unnecessary and a little confusing.

It was an enjoyable show, very uplifting with great songs and Peter Andre was amazingly funny and entertaining.

Imperial War Museum and Camden Market

As well as all this, we managed to fit in a visit to the Imperial War Museum. This is an amazing place which really makes you think about the tragedy of war and the cruelty that humans can inflict on each other. It may not sound like the most uplifting of places, particularly the section on the Holocaust, but the personal stories make the experience moving and fascinating as well as horrifying.

We were all a little subdued when we came out of the museum but followed this up with a visit to Camden Market.  I have never been her before, but really enjoyed the atmosphere of the market, the variety of shops and stalls, but most of all the extremely tasty street food.

All in all, we had a superb weekend. There was certainly a lot of variety from hilariously funny laughs to thoughtful, sombre moments. It was great to spend some time together as a family and I can’t wait to do it all again. The other thing, which was good to see, was the business of London itself and the return of international tourists to our country after a tough couple of years for the travel and hospitality industry.