Minitilly does London...

**Tillykins** · 24-02-2011, 10:27 PM

and London may never recover!!

He had such a good time, really enjoyed himself. Not sure that a cheese toastie in subway was supposed to be the highlight though!
He was in awe at Hamleys, but refused to so much as pause at floor 3 (girls...)

Harrods...not so much

But he did enjoy The Ritz. As we went past, I told him it was a very expensive posh hotel, so of course he wanted to look
I hesitated then thought, what they going to do? Chuck us out of the lobby? So in we toddle, Mark waited outside... There were 3 or 4 staff in the lobby, just stood there, possible startled at the sight of us rain-bedraggled in our duffle coats! So I just said can he have a little look round, which they were far too well trained and polite to say anything. So he has a wander around, commenting

Then

He sees the jewellrey shop inside the Ritz... he had been looking at some of it in the lobby, and I think this is something to encourage in a boy
So in we go, totally startling the staff in there. I told them straight up that we were not shopping (like that wasn't obvious) but could he have a look. They were actually very gracious - even when MT kindly pointed out to them, that they had forgotten to put the prices on the jewellry

(I explained after that there is a saying, if you have to ask how much it is, you can't afford it. He had a think and said that he would still like to know how much things were. Fair enough!)

So after we left the startled staff at the Ritz, we went to Fortnum and Mason, where he wanted to check out the cheese counter. I don't think the lovely french men behind the counter, were used to small boys asking for a taste of some cheeses! But they recovered their equanimity and asked which one. He asked for apricot and looked utterly disgusted to be told they didn't do fruit cheeses. Infact, he looked so disgusted, I think they felt quite inadequate but they managed to offer him some cheddar (before he commented they always have a fruit cheese or two in sainsburys!) which he accepted rather ungraciously

Mark had walked off and left us for the 15th time that day!!

Lovely time - I wanted him to see all the touristy things, big ben, no 10, houses of parliament (he told the police officers there that it wasn't very big) picadilly circus, trafalgar square, Harrods, Hamleys, various starbucks

We saw the Wizard of Oz, which was very very good, he loved the tube, the natural history museum, the Art gallery has made him a Van Gogh expert (he used yellow for hope and friendship, you know) Buckingham palace - we got there for the Changing of the Guard. MT was gutted, he thought they changed their clothes and was disappointed not to see soldiers in underpants!! Princess Diana memorial playground was a big hit, royal albert hall, St Pauls cathedral and Westminster Abbey, millenium bridge, tower bridge, London Eye (no chance, that thing is blooming high)

The best thing ever was.... going upstairs on a bus

**sabian** · 24-02-2011, 10:33 PM

The way you go on, it sounds like another planet - then I looked at the side and saw "West Yorkshire" and realised that down here, *is* another planet... Indoor plumbing and everything!

It's great he (and you) had a good time down here - it's odd though now when I take the girls out for some fun, we leave London...

The Eye looks high from the ground, but the vantage point from inside the pods, you don't really notice the height.

Next time you come down, let me know and you can take my two into the Ritz for a cream tea!