Miss Lingva Зима 2015-2016 | Page 20

TRAVEL London at Christmas. It’s worth visiting! Have you ever been to London? Have you spent Christmas in London? No? It’s very pity! There are plenty of things to do at Christmas in London. You will find all you need to know about the festive season in the capital, from Christmas markets and London shopping to sparkling Christmas lights and trees. There’s no doubt about it. Winter is in the air, and that can only mean one thingChristmas is coming. Cities around the world are preparing, and none more so than London. Fly into Heathrow Airport any winter and see what the UK’s glittering capital has to offer. There was no snow as yet that year but it was still wonderful. First of all we visited the huge Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square. It is the most famous tree in the world, the Trafalgar Square tree will be lit on 4th December. It’s my birthday! I was very happy to be there at this time. The tree is an annual gift from Norway to the UK. In the National Gallery we wanted to visit an exhibition of paintings by Leonardo Da Vinci. But unfortunately my friend felt bad and we had to come back home, a small cozy hotel where we spent unforgettable two weeks. 20 missLINGVA / Winter, 2015 One of the best views in the City at this time of year, walk over the Millennium Bridge from the Tate Modern to get this festive view of St Paul’s. Double-decker buses! Of course! They are the symbol of the UK! They are very funny! We travelled by new sparkling bus. It was fantastic! Getting around London is tricky over Christmas, London’s public transport system is excellent, cheap and efficient, but Christmas is the worst time to experience it. There are a lot of shoppers! London is the perfect place to pick up a unique Christmas present for a loved one. Selfridges on Oxford Street has some of the best Christmas window displays in the capital, and the massive department store won’t let you down when it comes to buying presents. Then there’s the other 300 or so shops to check out, including budget-friendly department stores Debenhams and John Lewis. One of my favourite places to visit is Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland or perhaps Covent Garden but there are many wonderful places to explore during the holiday season. We visited one of the Queen’s official dwellings Windsor Castle and discov- ered more about the Royal Family. From there, this tour took us to mystical Stonehenge to Bath and the renowned Roman Baths. Alternatively, the Christmas Day tour adds a traditonal Christmas lunch and a visit to the medieval town of Salisbury to the itinerary. The London Eye is a giant wheel. It stands on the South Bank of the River Thames in London, between Westminster and Hungerford Bridges. It is the world’s highest observation wheel. The London Eye can carry 800 passengers at a time on a thirty-minute ride. We climbed aboard glassencased capsules for a leisurely circular orbit, high above the Thames, allowing spectacular views across London and far beyond. Though it looks like a huge ferris wheel, the London Eye is no fairground thrill-ride, but a slow and stately way to experience London in a unique way. I’m afraid of heights but I did not even notice it at that time. It was stunningly. London will always be one of the most exciting places in the world. It’s absolutely charming. There’s nothing more festive as London at Christmas time. I wish you a merry Christmas.