Friday 19 December 2014

Winter Wonderland

We had never been to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park so, while in London on photo spree to take pictures of lights, we thought we'd give it a go.


We came in from the wrong direction and had to walk for ages in the dark round the edge of the park to find the entrance, with the big wheel getting slowly closer but tantalizingly out of reach.


There were crowds of people but very well managed by the staff to ensure they passed through the entrance quite quickly and a safe number were in the park at any one time.


Rides were fast and furious (it's hard to believe there are people at the end of those little string, being whirled about high in the air!)...


Lovely gaudy lighting and loud music...


and special effects with smoke. There were smaller rides for little ones...


and warm little nooks for cold grown ups to drink beer or mulled wine.


Quite a few little huts were dotted around for Christmas shopping opportunities (like there are on the South Bank near the London Eye).


And that silvery wheel was just beautiful close up!


Entrance is free and you can pre-book tickets for rides online if you want to beat the queues when you arrive. We didn't ride, just wandered, photographed, ate and drank (see http://socklet-world.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/toffee-apples-and-marshmallow-kebabs.html), then exited with the crowd the RIGHT way this time and ended up at Marble Arch. They had closed the tube station there to help disperse the crowds (and there were a jolly collection of drunk Santas) but that naturally leads you to wander up Oxford Street and warm up in the big stores, see the lights (http://socklet-world.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/christmas-lights-in-oxford-street-2014.html ) and look at the Christmas displays in Selfridges and John Lewis.

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