Southbank

We had a quick trip into London this afternoon. 

It astonishes me that we can get to Kings Cross in 26 minutes. When I was a boy we had a shopping trip to London once a year and I tagged behind my Mum as we explored the M&S on Oxford street (my aversion to shopping started early). London seemed a long way away.

This afternoon we took the tube to London Bridge, and then walked from there to the Festival Hall. Lunch at Le Pain Quotidian near Borough Market(Manchester could do with one of these - or more). Past the Globe Theatre and Tate Modern. And then on to the Southbank complex. A look around the Oxo building (the Dazzle exhibition is on - we miss this not coming to Manchester at Christmas anymore). And then on to the Festival Hall before crossing the river. 

Everywhere incredibly busy. This quote from Punch Magazine in October 1951 (when the Festival of Britain ended and most of the site was demolished), which we came across in an exhibition in the Festival Hall, is interesting : One day the South Bank may become permanently festive and the Thames cease to be the most one-sided river in Europe.

The Santa gang in the extra prove that the the Southbank is now one big festive experience.