London

London in December was cold, grey and extremely welcoming! We stayed at Adrienne's superb pad, had a wonderful time with Adrienne and Luc and got to know London a lot better.

The highlight of our stay was the time we spent with them. Lots of good wine and whiskey (Talisker, no less!), and chats about catching up things, family and the like. Also the walks around London and the visit to Adrienne's new jewellery boutique in Chelsea. I was reminded about how talented numerous members of our family are and how this has been so for generations. Adrienne's particular design expertise and flair reminded me of Auntie Briar, one of New Zealand's first and foremost potters. The jewellery is exquisite.

You'll notice a link to Adrienne's web site on the left column of the blog at the top.

We visited the Tate Modern with the initially controversial work which is a long crack stretching the length of the entire building.

Generally we followed the river and saw how the other half live. And how the river emphasises the development of the railways and the huge role they have played in the development of the UK and the Europe in general. A wonderful legacy from Britain.

A sign near to the Globe Theatre asking Buskers, in a stylish way, to desist.

The Royal Courts of Justice and the George Hotel Across the road.

St Bride Church. It's steeple was the inspiration for layered wedding cakes.

We spent New Year's Eve in a local Ethiopian restaurant and then went on to Luc's Talisker back at the pad.

Cold at Covent Garden

Kiwi Cabbage Trees in Central London

We finished this trip to London with a visit to the Wyndam Theatre and a performance of "The History Boys". We were in the front row of the stalls and the seats were excellent. One could see every nuance of the acting. What a show! Thanks Luc!