On New Years Eve, I was lucky enough to give a Sherlock Holmes themed walk to a family of four from New Jersey. As I always do, I arrived in good time to have a hot drink and just a general nose around the neighbourhood. Even the very centre of London is a huge place and there is always something interesting or new to see.    

The days can be very short in London in mid-winter, even more so if the weather is bad. Sunrise is shortly after 8am and sunset well before 4pm. At 9am on this beautiful day, the sun is directly above The Globe Theatre whilst Tower Bridge is a Mile or so away in the distance. What a view those luck folk must have on top of The Shard,the tallest building in Europe.

The majestic dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral from the Millenium Bridge.  

  
This statue commemorates all the brave firefighters and wardens who worked through The Blitz, saving countless lives and of course St. Paul’s Cathedral which was Hitlers top bombing target. A few nights earlier, the air-raid warning siren sobbed to commemorate the anniversary of the biggest bombing raid over London.

My Christmas themed soya hot chocolate from Costa Coffee!

How stunning does St. Paul’s look from Cheapside? I went out of my way to go here as I had a feeling that I would be amply rewarded.  

So this what a Christmas Tree can look like in a 4 star London hotel. Call me old fashioned but I’d rather a 3 star hotel and a traditional tree. I wonder if the one made it past New Years Eve?    

On Boxing Day (December 26th) I took another family from Washington DC to Warwick Castle and also Stratford Upon Avon.

This what I call a Christmas tree!  

This is the river Avon at Stratford Upon Avon at around 9am on Boxing Day. We had the place to ourselves… In the distance is the church where William Shakespeare is buried. 

Warwick Castle again…can you imagine even attempting attacking this fortress?  

I love this ruined old bridge by the castle, it’s been like this since at least the 19th century.  

The Swans at Stratford are being fed.

Warwick Castle close-up.

A few hours after my Sherlock tour of London, the skyline looks fabulous in an entirely different way!