After my rather catastrophic way of getting to London, I enjoyed my time thoroughly but before I tell you about my jeans dilemma (among all the others), I will give you a better review of the exhibition.
To be entirely honest with you, the exhibition was the incentive to travel to London and everything else just fell into part afterwards. As a Potterhead, the exhibition was, of course, a must and I was so relieved I could actually visit it. The exhibition is truly magical and exhibits a wide range of objects from original pieces JK Rowling wrote or drew (the best pieces of the exhibition) and real magical objects dating back sometimes thousands of years (the interesting yet not so fascinating pieces). You enter and a myriad of books hang from the ceiling and everything is held in a magical blue hue. You are immediately captured by drafts JK Rowling wrote during her seven years or planning and compiling Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The whole exhibition is mapped out to magical subjects in Harry Potter like Astronomy, Herbology, Divination, Potions, etc. Each rooms holds objects related to the various subjects and some offer interactive tasks (like brewing your own potion and having your fortune read). The atmosphere is very calm and because the visitor numbers are limited to time slots, it is not horribly overcrowded and you can take your time walking round the exhibition. For people who are Potterheads and history fanatics likewise, this exhibition is fantastic because it combines the best of these two. It was very interesting to see ancient scrolls which list how to make the Philosopher's Stone (it's really complicated) or how to transform into a tiger or lion (not so difficult, apparently, however there doesn't seem to be a back-spell, so better stick with your decision). You can also see a real broomstick used by a real witch as well as an ancient cauldron covered in a weird, undefined, sticky liquid, which, apparently, exploded. Apart from the fascinating objects exhibited, there is also an amazing shop where you can not only purchase the A History of Magic book in which you can find the objects (you are not permitted to take photos during the exhibition), but also a wide range of Harry Potter merchandise which will make every Potterhead's heart jump a beat. Obviously, I bought the book and can only highly recommend it, as it also includes the drafts Rowling wrote, which means you can read them over and over again. Alright, moving on. I had a very good first night and first went to Kingston and visited their cute Christmas market. Especially when you are German or Austrian, you will enjoy Kingston's market because it is quite similar to ours (and I think it is with full consciousness so). Part of it is a tent which means you don't freeze your butt off, but they have wonderful stands outside too, selling handcrafted pieces as well as delicious food. Speaking of food, in Kingston I also had a Christmas sandwich at Pret A Manger. You have to know I usually cannot stand Pret, but upon a trustworthy recommendation for their Christmas sandwich, I entered one and must say GET THAT SANDWICH! It's a Christmas orgy exploding in your mouth as the sandwich is filled with turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and salad. It's truly delicious and probably it will inevitably lead to me revisiting my prejudices towards Pret, we'll see... After my epiphany at Pret, I went up to London the next day where I attempted to buy a new pair of jeans. You must know, I generally HATE jeans because they always slide down or are too tight around your belly (I am highly sensitive in this area) and they are so tight you feel like in a straight-jacket. Still, I cannot always wear dresses, especially in winter, so I decided I needed a new pair and because the only not entirely horrible jeans I have ever owned so far was from A&F, I went there to buy another. Weeeeell, they had a wide range of jeans to offer; however, the trend at the moment is high-waist jeans, which I HATE even more than regular jeans and will never understand how it could become trendy again. The only acceptable pair of jeans/jeggings was, obviously, not available in my size. What to do when A&F don't have what you're looking for? Right, go to Hollister, their affordable little child. Hollister do acceptable jeans as well; however, I couldn't find a SINGLE pair of jeans there which wasn't ripped in some ways. Seriously, some trends I will NEVER understand. Why would you pay more money to get a pair of jeans that is ripped? Especially in winter? How can you sell ripped jeans in winter at all? I don't get the world anymore... Still, I found a decent pair of jeans with only ONE ripped knee and thought I could live with that. Now, the usual problem with jeans took place which is one of the reasons I hate them. Which size? Of course, you can take the size which is a perfect fit at the store but then you risk it slinking down your butt after two days because it has stretched out so much. Otherwise, you can buy the smaller size which chokes your intestines at the store but leaves a minimal chance of being a perfect fit after a day or two. As you can guess, I chose the bigger size and had to pull them up every two steps the next day...I really HATE jeans! After my semi-successful jeans-buying-trip, I wandered up and down Regent Street, being in total awe at the beautiful Christmas decoration and atmosphere. I absolutely LOVE London. It is my favourite city in the world and whenever I am there, I sigh a little out of awe and happiness. London at Christmas, however, is simply unbeatable. If you have never been to London at Christmas, it should soar up the the top of your bucket list because you simply cannot die without having seen it (of course, these days there is a tiny bit of a risk you might die while being there for Christmas, but don't be deterred). When you go there, take the Piccadilly Line to Piccadilly Circus and when you get out, you will be amazed by the twinkling lights and the big ads likewise. Then wander up Regent Street and be in awe of the amazing decoration and the horrendous prices in the shop windows before reaching Oxford Street and being pushed aside by hundreds of people trying to get their shopping done. Turn right and wander down until you reach the department store Selfridges and indulge yourself in their food hall - it's truly delicious. If books are more of your cup of tea than clothes, you can visit the huge Waterstones in Piccadilly which is not only huge (spreading over four floors), but also includes a café which offers my beloved scones with clotted cream and jam. You can either eat it Devon-style where the cream goes first, followed by the jam; or Cornwall-style (how I eat it), which puts the jam first and then a dollop of cream on. For me, there is nothing more satisfactory than eating scones in a bookshop and looking out of a window overviewing hectic Christmas shoppers - it's bliss. So why not make Waterstones your last point on your shopping list and indulge in a little cream tea before you head home?
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorIn September 2015 I started a new chapter of my life by moving (temporarily or permanently, not yet decided) to England where I work and socialise now. Archives
December 2017
Categories |