London called...

One of the amazing things about living in the south of France is that there are so many cities that become holiday destinations, which are all just a short flight away. We picked London as the first stop on our two-week holiday, and the city in which we would spend our first Christmas together as a married couple - and the first away from any family.

With so much to see in the big city, we took in as much as we could, and certainly saw the things that were on our 'must-see' list. If I went into detail about them all, I would be writing - and you would be reading - for days. So instead, here is a snapshot of the highlights of our time in London. Enjoy!

Our first stop was the Christmas festivities at Hyde Park. Market stalls lined the path into the Winter Wonderland; a playground of rides, attractions, ice skating, and a German beer garden.

I thought the fence around the front of Buckingham Palace looked more palatial than the building itself, but the size and location of the historic grand Palace was impressive. We were lucky to see it at night with no one else around, and then returned for the Changing of the Guard...with every other tourist in London.

We took a tour of London in a topless double-decker red bus, from which we saw so many landmarks and learnt about the history of many areas of London. It was also on this tour that we went most of the way around the Monopoly board! 

The famous Tower of London was a must-see for us, and didn't disappoint. With tours through the Keep and the Fusilier Museum, and a viewing of the Crown Jewels, there was something to please everyone.

We boarded our pod on the London Eye around 4.30pm, but as it was the shortest day of the year and the sun had set, we saw the bright lights of London from the Eye. It was a pretty experience, albeit unusual for us to be in darkness by mid-afternoon!

The Westminster building was impressive, and one that we spent some time looking at, while the clock of Big Ben stood tall and proud alongside it.

I couldn't go to London without a visit to the Portobello Road Markets in the suburb of Notting Hill, made famous by the film of the same name. It was a pretty street, lined with market stalls selling antiques, and filled with umbrellas!

I could have marvelled at the beautiful old Churches of Westminster Abbey and St Paul's Cathedral for hours. 

Some great attractions in London are the National Gallery, Natural History Museum and the British Museum, all containing more history than we could fathom. Housed in such old and impressive buildings, the highlight for me was seeing my favourite Van Gogh, Sunflowers.

I managed to squeeze in a trip to the famous Harrods department store, which has an impressive collection ranging from scarves, to a deli, and even bullet-proof clothing! We also battled the crowds at the traditional Boxing Day sales on Oxford Street, however we didn't last too long...being a seasoned shopper in Brisbane was not nearly enough preparation for this experience!

We enjoyed some traditional British pub meals, and tried the 'famous' British fish and chips, which felt like a little taste of home...all I needed was the sand between my toes and sun beating down on my back.

Our trip to London was exciting and memorable, but was only the first half of our holiday. Next stop: Paris!