Over the Thames

A fatter picture post (!!) with some shots of my walk around Westminster and South Bank. It was a cloudy day and as the evening wore on, it started raining in earnest, so the color isn't the best. But it's what it is, and it's still London! <3



South Bank has a Christmas Market right now, which is quite large. Most of these Christmas markets seem the same to me, but if you look carefully you can find some unique things. The benefit of this one is the array of yummy food stands -- there were plenty of those! So, if anything, you can get some churros or hot chocolate and stroll around listening to Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmas Time" for the seven-billionth time (and that's okay).

One area I had never checked out before was Gabriel's Wharf with a number of independently run shops. There are a couple cafes and coffee shops along with a few print galleries and handcrafted gift shops -- definitely worth a stop!





Cheers!
Kate x

Holiday trappings

It was a gorgeous, unbelievably mild day yesterday in Edinburgh. So what do we do when the weather is nice? GO OUTSIDE!! And not only outside, but to the Christmas Market, which I've been thus far avoiding due to crowds. I met up with a couple of friends and we strolled through Edinburgh's Christmas market for a short while, although pretty much just long enough to try mulled beer (that's a new one!) and ooh and ahh at the carousel. (I know I've cheated and reused an image from the other day, but I like that you can get a good idea of the layout of the market.)

Across from The Dome (pictured below with their snow machine on the roof! and by far the best Christmas decorations in New Town) we found a small church with banners strung up outside for the fourth annual Edinburgh Christmas Tree Festival! It's up through 28 December at the church of St. Andrew's and St. George's West. And inside there were a few dozen Christmas trees decorated for various charities, businesses and families. It was really sweet with a sort of hometown appeal, and I loved looking at everyone's creative take on tree decorating. All proceeds went to charity, and it was just kind of cool thing to see all the handmade ornaments, photographs, and frilly bits 'n bobs.




We stopped for lunch at a pub on a pedestrian shopping street in New Town called Rose Street. I had an Aberdeen angus burger (yum) but there is a peculiarly British thing with cheese on burgers where it's just shredded and not melted (not yum) but the chips were good and they had deep fried breaded mushrooms with garlic mayo so that was the real treat. And mulled wine, of course!



Today I'm mailing out a special package for my dad, whose birthday is the day after Christmas. I'm so excited to get home with all of the gifts I've accumulated for everyone, and do a belated Christmas celebration with my family once we reunite just after the new year. And today I'm also preparing for my departure to London! Tomorrow morning! I can't wait to get to England, and I'm really stoked for the train ride.

There will be plenty more where that came from!

Happy weekend!
Kate x