Tonight, I headed to Lightopia, at Crystal Palace Park. As suggested by Over 40 Living the Life, who were not actually hosting a trip themselves, but just wanted to advertise it. 15% discount if you subscribe to Lightopia's mailing list, 20% discount for purchases of 10 or more tickets. And durnit if Groupon didn't subsequently advertise cheap tickets..
So, off I headed, into the cold. Early, to get something to eat - in case Lightopia didn't oblige. Well, unfortunately, neither did the locality - O' Neill's was packed downstairs (people watching the football), and the upstairs was closed for a private function. And The Lucas Arms was similarly full. Nuts - I headed for Pret (in the station - the one outside was closed). And was decently fed - well, not much else I could do in a hurry. The journey was going to have to be Tube and train, to get me there in under an hour..
Oh dear God, was it cold. The station platforms are all gritted - mercifully though, it hasn't rained in ages. And how lucky is that, considering how hilly it is, down there - some reasonably steep slopes would have caused me serious problems, had they been icy. I had nothing but Google Maps, and the postcode provided on my ticket, to guide me - well, I managed. What you do is, from Crystal Palace Station, turn right on the main road and keep going until the next right turn. Unfortunately, it's a bit steep, as mentioned. Happily, once you make the turn, it's downhill to the end - which is the first place I saw a sign for Lightopia. They could have better directions. It's then quite a schlep, past the car park, to the entrance.
You start with the "funfair" - three rides: a carousel, a walzer, and dodgems. A sign just past those confirms that that's it for the rides, so if you have tokens, go back and use them! Jeez, tokens, for three rides?! Anyway, about the first thing you come to after these is a hot chocolate stall, conveniently with an alcoholic hot chocolate option. Get it! In this cold, it's just the thing. Alcoholically speaking, they have a choice of rum, amaretto, or Bailey's - I'd never had Bailey's in hot chocolate before, thought it might be a bit sickly. It was gorgeous! Do get it at this stall, though - there's a cafe at the far point of the walk, also serves hot chocolate, also with an alcohol option: but it costs more there..
The light installations are quite impressive:
And some are interactive - this one, for example, plays a different note for each disc you step on!
Some, like this dragon, have heads that turn:
and by the way, for the most part, each separate display has its own musical accompaniment. They're spaced just about far enough apart to allow that. Disney themes feature heavily.
There's a lovely forest bit where they do something I hadn't seen before - they project light into the branches of the trees, or onto the leaves of bushes. It looks just gorgeous, and there's one part that's actually really romantic! Sorry, it doesn't really come up in photos..
I also found the enchanted part very good:
Keep following the path, which in due course leads to the cafe - which I examined, and skipped. You can then exit, or a path continues to the car park, which is where I started - take this path, there's some more to see on it that you haven't seen already:
Oh yes, and the drums are there to be banged!
Runs till the 2nd - recommended. Did they have food? Yes - but not much.. I preferred to eat before I came.
Coming back home - and after a very cold wait on Crystal Palace Station platform - I caught a bus at London Bridge Station, which had that festive feel:
And bless that driver for waiting when he saw me coming! Meant I had no time to spend standing in the cold.. I've been lucky, as it happens, to have been in early every night of this very cold week!
Tomorrow - well hallelujah, Bucket List London has finally scheduled something I want to go to, at a time I can make! He's off to see the Wallace Collection that morning - and so am I. Which means I need to go to bed soon..
In the afternoon - London Social & Cultural Meetups (LSCM) has a bevy of Christmassy stuff! They're off for afternoon tea first - we're headed to the Garden at the Lane (at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane). And she's discovered that she's got a clash for lunch, so, mercifully, I get a bit of a break in between events to have my own lunch!
So, then we're off to King's College Maughan Library, for an exhibition of old manuscripts. Followed by a trip to the Knights Templar pub, time permitting.
And finally, we're hitting the Christmas markets! All part of the Southbank Winter Festival. First is the Southbank Christmas Market, where I hear rumours of white mulled wine.. then I'm not sure whether I'll have time, but we're off to the Christmas by the River Market.
I might have to duck out early because that evening - I've bravely scheduled another meeting of Those who Do Not Come. It's my last weekend in London before Christmas, you see. Well, so far Ivan and my first boss in London are actually coming! while the one person who came the last two times probably not, for once. We shall see - I've booked The Lucas Arms - O' Neill's isn't taking bookings for that day. Deposit payable, refundable with cancellation up to 72 hours beforehand.
On Sunday, I was vaguely thinking of heading to see Carnaby Street's Christmas lights.. but now LSCM is off to the Museum of the Home, followed by carols by candlelight at Westminster Chapel.
And for that evening, CT advertised tickets for Love Factually - a kind of rewriting of one of the relationships in that classic Christmas romcom, Love Actually. Sadly, all their tickets were gone - but I got a full-price ticket from the venue. It sounds good. Showing at 2Northdown.
On Monday, I'm thinking film. Top of the list - that I can make, and looks like I might actually enjoy - is The Sparring Partner, a Hong Kong film based on the true story of a young man who conspired with his friend to murder, and dismember, his parents. Closest showing is in the Odeon Luxe Haymarket - unfortunately, I can neither confirm the times, book a ticket, nor see how it's booking, because the website wouldn't let me in! Even when I got access on my phone, it didn't work right - I always have trouble with Odeon. Apparently, I'm not the only one - I just checked again, and they're advising people to try to use the website incognito.
On Tuesday - hellfire, if the best thing on Meetup isn't Free Stuff and Free Events, with another online singalong. Uhh.. we shall see.
On Wednesday, again, thinking of film - at least the same list does for both days! So, at the moment, it's looking like Ingmar Bergman's film, Fanny and Alexander, which is showing at the BFI. Which has a tendency to sell out - I'll have to keep an eye on it.
On Thursday, back with the Crick Crack Club, yay! for The Winner Takes It All at Rich Mix. This, the club's last performance of the year, is performed by a congregation of souls known as Pandvani 108, comprising Ben Haggarty, Emily Hennessy, and Sheema Mukherjee, among others.
And then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend - just worked out that way - coinciding perfectly with a train strike! So I've booked a ticket on the bus - will just have to take that evening's meeting on my phone! If it even happens.. this whole week, there hasn't been an evening meeting!
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