Whether your coming from Richmond or Runcorn, Greenwich is a major tourism town that sees thousands of people paving its streets every year. This year has seen a rise in tourism again and with lockdown officially behind us all, the streets of Greenwich are starting to fill up.
I originally published this post in August 2020 but have revised it again to keep it current with this year’s events. Spending a day trip visiting Greenwich during the summer holidays can be easy, cheap and very enjoyable for the whole family. Train companies usually offer GroupSave discounts when travelling during summer holidays if you’re coming from outside of London.
The research development team from SlotsUp analysed hashtag data to determine which of the UK’s most popular tourist attractions are the most Insta-worthy. The study analysed popular hashtags on Instagram of the top 80 most visited tourist attractions in the UK and revealed the Tate Modern in London to be the most ‘Instagrammable’ location, with over 1 million posts.
The Natural History Museum located in London landed in third place, with 674,294 posts, followed closely by the Tower of London with 602,666 posts.
Top 10 most Instagrammable tourist attractions in the UK
Methodology: Taking a seed list of the most visited tourist attractions in the UK, we’ve gathered hashtag data from Instagram to determine the most-posted attractions in and around the UK.
1. Tate Modern, London
Tate Modern is a modern art gallery located in London. In 2016, the Tate Modern expanded by 60% to incorporate more gallery space, and visitors numbers increased by almost 25%, making it one of the UK’s most visited tourist attractions. The modern and contemporary art gallery has now been revealed as the UK’s most Instagrammed tourist attraction, with a staggering 1,094,047 posts.
The Tate Modern features a collection of artistic impressions, including painting, paper, sculpture, films, performances installations and is home to many famous pieces by artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Dali and Warhol.
Tate Modern gallery / Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
2. Stonehenge, Wiltshire
One of the most famous prehistoric monuments in Britain, Stonehenge is among the most Instagrammed tourist attractions in the UK, with 786,316 posts on the platform. The World Heritage site was erected in the late Neolithic period around 2500 BC, and the mystery of how and why the stones came to be placed in their unique positions remains a mystery to historians to this day.
Stonehenge / Photo by Sung Shin on Unsplash
3. Natural History Museum, London
Established over 130 years ago, London’s Natural History Museum is one of the UK’s most Instagrammable tourist attractions, with 674,294 hashtags. The museum was founded in the 1850s by biologist Richard Owen, and now features hundreds of exciting and interactive exhibits for visitors to enjoy.
Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature is currently being featured at the Natural History Museum, where families can discover where the real world and the Wizarding World intertwine and explore the myths, legends and magical creatures.
NHM South Kensington / Photo by Claudio Testa on Unsplash
4. Tower of London, London
Steeped in mystery, violence and death, the Tower of London dates back almost 1,000 years and attracts more than 6 million visitors each year. The tower is most notable for the Crown Jewel collection, which showcases an incredible 23,578 glittering gemstones, alongside the infamous Tower Ravens.
Visitors can take a guided tour from the famous Beefeaters, see the Ceremony of the keys – which takes place daily – and learn all about the Tower’s history and unusual ex-inhabitants.
Tower of London / Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
5. Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
Edinburgh Castle is a world-famous tourist attraction located in Scotland, and part of the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site. Perched on an extinct volcano at the top of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, the castle plays a significant role in the city’s skyline.
With over 500,000 posts on Instagram, Edinburgh Castle is now one of the most Instagrammed attractions in the UK. Tourists often catch a snapshot of the twinkling views of the capital at night, the red and pink skies as the sun sets below and the stunning dusky views throughout the day.
Edinburgh Castle / Photo by Ben Guerin on Unsplash
6. British Museum, London
Founded in 1753, with more than 13 million artefacts that span over two million years of human history, the British Museum is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the UK. More than 5 million visitors head to the museum each year to see the most notable ancient artefacts – the Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon in Athens, and the famous Rosetta Stone.
In addition to the extensive artefact collection, the museum has special exhibitions, displays and events available for visitors to enjoy. You can book a private tour to gain more insight into the history of each exhibition, or join a workshop or lecture.
British Museum / Photo by Nicolas Lysandrou on Unsplash
7. Kensington Palace, London
Kensington Palace in London is a working Royal residence and was the birthplace and childhood home of Queen Victoria. It has since hosted a wealth of royals, including Prince Charles and Princess Diana, with their children, Prince William and Prince Harry. Currently, the palace is the official London residence of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess live in the 20-room Apartment, formerly the residence of Princess Margaret.
There are multiple areas of Kensington Palace that are open to the public. Visitors can take a stroll through the King’s State Apartments, the Queen’s State Apartments and the Gardens. Guests can also visit the exhibitions, shop and cafe.
Princess Diana Memorial Gardens at Kensington Palace / Photo by Amy-Leigh Barnard on Unsplash
8. Royal Albert Hall, London
One of London’s most notable and iconic attractions, the Royal Albert Hall has hosted some of the world’s most famous musicians, sports stars and politicians since it opened in 1871. The Royal Albert Hall design was based on a Roman amphitheatre, with stacked balconies that bring visitors close to the action. With a capacity of around 6,000, the number of visitors that have entered the venue over the years runs to many millions.
Royal Albert Hall / Photo by Raphaël Tomi-Tricot on Unsplash
Chester Zoo, Chester
The beloved Chester Zoo has been entertaining and teaching the North West for almost 100 years. In recent years it has seen over 2 million visitors flock to the zoo annually, not surprising considering the 130 acres of land is bursting with tens of thousands of animals and even more plants. The zoo is now officially one of the most Instagrammed attractions in the UK, with 333,873 posts on the social platform.
Tiger at Chester Zoo / Photo by Clovis Wood Photography on Unsplash
10. Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
The Giant’s Causeway comprises around 40,000 thousand interlocking basalt columns, descending into the Atlantic Ocean. The hexagonal-shaped columns are the aftermath of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption and date back almost 60 million years. To truly immerse yourself into the Giants Causeway experience, head into the visitors centre where you can discover the story of this UNESCO World Heritage site.
Giant’s Causeway / Photo by Kevin McMahon on Unsplash
The data and findings in this post were made by the research team at SlotsUp. All photos have been credited to their original sources respectively.
Okay, so this week the weather’s not that great but how AMAZING was the weather a couple weeks ago? I don’t know about you but I was loving the sunshine! Died a little (well, a lot thanks to hay fever) from the high pollen count but apart from that it was all good! I even managed to sneak in a little tanning session at my local park. 🙂
With summer activities back on, The Royal Docks team have just released their summer 2021 programme and it’s set to be a good one. There’s so much family-friendly things to do – below are a few of my favourites from the programme’s highlights.
Royal Victoria Docks will once again become a home for family fun this summer!
Ensemble Festival / Photo credit: Royal Docks London
“Ensemble Festival will present an explosive mix of art and performance bringing the very best of UK artists to heart of the Docklands… developed by producers Certain Blacks”
The free event sees a blend of circus, dance, theatre and art – and there’s so much to explore. Creatively combining strength and circus physicality, Strong Enough tells stories of ordinary people finding power at times when we might wobble or struggle. And don’t miss Do What yah Mama told yah!, an immersive comedy show featuring plate-spinning, food-juggling and fire-blazing. Not to be missed! Suitable for all ages. More details about the Ensemble Festival here.
“Dive into family fun this summer as Kids Summer Splash brings you delightful dock swimming, super sandpits, tasty food, cooling drinks, and much more.“
Grab your towels and head down to the Royal Victoria Docks for a swim in the large lido that’s built out into the waters. Don’t worry if you’re not a confident swimmer or have little ones, there’s also a shallow end for younger children to have a splash around. Once you’re bored of the water, you can play around in the sandpits or family chill-out zones. There will be a snack shack for you to grab a bite to eat or something to drink but you can always bring your own picnic too. Just don’t forget to bring your buckets and spades!
Suitable for all ages.
Advance booking is required but it’s not open yet to the public. Head over to their website and bookmark their page or sign up to their newsletters. More details on Kids Summer Splash here.
Upswing’s Circus Flavours / Photo credit: Royal Docks London
“Leading contemporary circus company Upswing’s diverse and highly skilled performers will be demonstrating their incredible blend of acrobatics and physical theatre over two days in the Royal Docks.”
Fancy being an acrobat for the day? Always thought you could make it as a circus performer? Now’s your chance to prove it. Watch the amazing performance by Upswing. After, the artists will come of the stage to lead open workshops where you can try your hand at the crazy tricks.
Making Space: Artist Walking Tour / Photo credit: Royal Docks London
“Art walking tour with a difference. The result is a series of large-scale wall-based artworks that weave together text, photography and archival material.”
On Saturday 28th September from 2.30-5pm, artist and researcher Alberto Duman will give a walking tour with artist Jessie Brennan of her new four-part commission Making Space in the Royal Docks, located at the Good Hotel. The artists will hold an ‘in conversation’ at each of the four sites: discussing Jessie’s process working with local communities to generate these new site-specific works, focusing on the significance of the artworks in context, and the forthcoming changes in the area. More information on the event here.
Music of the spheres / Photo credit: Royal Docks London
“Music of the Spheres will see performers in huge transparent globes move through the audience and float on the water of the docks, with musicians, aerial performers, lights and smoke inside them.“
Each of the three shows on 4 September begins with dancers and musicians moving through the audience in land-based Spheres. Then, open your ears to performances on unusual and sculptural instruments from around the world as musicians play under a large sculptural canopy. The grande finale sees Simon Desorgher perform a piece of flute music he’s composed especially for this occasion, based on a theme from Debussy’s La Mer. His performance is transmitted to Eye Music Trust co-Director, Lawrence Casserley who transforms the sound into a whole orchestra on his computer from inside a transparent Dome. More details here and to book your free tickets.
Nestled on the streets of Stockwell was the place where Vincent Van Gogh lived in his early adult life. This Georgian terraced house reveals the unique character and charm of the late artist, and has been lovingly conserved using heritage techniques.
First opened in 201`9, Van Gogh House is a local heritage site and a unique venue for exhibitions and artist residencies. This amazing place has now opened up for the general public to view with a guided tour of the house and grounds. It’s a must-see attraction for anyone who has an interest in the arts and culture.
Van Gogh House Guidied Tours
Our tours of the house cover not only Van Gogh’s stay but a cast of other characters including Vincent’s landlady and her daughter who he supposedly fell in love with, a small boy in the 1850s who hid a time capsule of toys beneath the floorboards, a postman on strike in the seventies who discovered the Van Gogh link in the 1871 census, Mrs Smith who lived in the house until she was 100, her life irrevocably changed by the discovery of a famous former resident of her house.
Guided tours of the house are now available to book. They are held on the last weekend of the month.
Photo Credit: Van Gogh House
Photo Credit: Van Gogh House
Their long-running poster project, ‘On The Western Window Pane’ is currently in situ in the Van Gogh House front window. A new artist-designed poster is installed on the first of each month from April 2021 until March 2022. This month’s poster is by Lesley Sharpe. The next temporary exhibition, Life and its Trivial Particulars by Brian Griffiths and Frank Kent will be open on September 4th – 18th December 2021. The house will then be open Wed-Sun, 11-5pm with unguided entry tickets available. These will cost £5 per person (£3 Concession, £2.50 Art Fund) and free for under 16s.
What you need to know about the Van Gogh House tour
Where: 87 Hackford Road, London, SW9 0RE
When: Guided tours of the house are always the last weekend of the month
Price: £12 per person – a guided tour is currently the only way of visiting the Van Gogh House.
What’s included: a 45mins-1hour guided tour of the house, its famous and less famous residents, its architecture, renovations and history of the local area.
Photo Credit: Van Gogh House
The information above was kindly sent to me as a press release by Van Gogh House. All photos are credited to the Van Gogh House and should not be reused without their consent.
The beautiful village of Megève in the French Alps is set to hold the inaugural edition of L’Essentiel later this summer, with the three-day wellness festival already creating a buzz amongst seasoned yoga enthusiasts and those new to the ancient discipline. The brainchild of respected yoga teacher Katy Mission, the programme is being organised by Megève Tourism in collaboration with Satiam™ Yoga and will comprise 17 workshops and experiences spanning the themes of yoga, nutrition, cooking, meditation, and aromatherapy.
Megève
Set to take place September 11-13th 2020, the festival will showcase the discipline of Satiam Yoga, which was devised by Katy and is a practice centred on breathing and posture exercises. Katy, who is the founder of the popular Satiam Academy, works as a ski instructor in Megève during the winter months and is on a mission to bring the benefits of her discipline to the mountains this summer. Satiam, which combines the Sanskrit word for ‘sit’ and the English words ‘I am’, enables those taking part to improve their physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
Against the backdrop of recent global events, the festival is taking place with a view to helping attendees relax and rejuvenate after, what has been for many, a uniquely challenging time. Drawing on the peacefulness, tranquillity and serenity of the summer mountains, visitors will have the opportunity to get back to nature by taking part in a variety of enriching activities. They include a specially curated well-being breakfast prepared by the plant-based chef duo Wild Seeds, a class with Aria and Gus exploring the virtues of ‘Warrior Flow’ yoga, and an energising yoga dance session with the body movement specialist Angélique Favre.
L’Essentiel will be hosted at Megeve’s Le Palais, the largest leisure complex in the Alps. The centre, which features a vast array of superb facilities including Turkish baths, a year-round ice rink and a state-of-the-art spa, will welcome health-conscious yoga lovers from all over France and beyond, for what is set to be a fun and informative weekend for both experts and novices alike.
Le Palais
At the event, where tickets are priced between €20 and €55, festival goers will also have the opportunity to shop for yoga clothing and accessories, as well as for bespoke and ethically made jewellery. In addition, vegan food and drink will be available throughout, and for those wishing to celebrate, an array of organic wines will be on offer.
Katy Misson
L’Essentiel is the latest event to cement Megeve’s position as the leading centre for wellness holidays in the region. With yoga retreats and superb spa facilities, the village is the perfect destination for anyone wanting to simply unwind and relax. Beyond the festival, visitors can also choose to get active with a huge range of hiking, biking, climbing, and fishing excursions on offer at this time of year, or opt to play tennis or a round of golf on a world-class course. Visitors can also reconnect with nature through an array of transformative experiences, think horse-back rides to the summit of Mont d’Arbois to admire the spectacular sunset, or taking to the skies over the Alps in a light-aircraft. For more details about L’Essentiel and for ticket information visit the festival website: http://www.satiamfestival.com (website is in French, use Google Translate)
The sound of jazz will return to Megève
Sadly, Megève’s renowned International Jazz Festival was cancelled this year, but organisers are excited to announce that the event will return 2-4 April 2021, when hundreds of artists will descend on the village for the fifth edition of the much-loved event. The sounds of New Orleans will come to Megève with performances set to take place in the streets and at lively venues throughout the village, with the higher profile concerts held at the impressive Le Palais night club. The festival will showcase an eclectic range of performances from domestic and international artists, with past headliners having included Gregory Porter, Marcus Miller and Norah Jones, with the 2021 line-up being much anticipated.
Megève International Jazz Festival
Go There: Megève is only one hour from Geneva Airport, which benefits from direct, low-cost flight access from London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Bristol and Leeds. Return flights from London Gatwick to Geneva with EasyJet are priced from £43pp.
For more about Megève please visit: https://megeve.com (images copyright of Commune de Megève)
Megève
Set in the heart of the Mont Blanc massif, Megève is a stunning traditional winter sports and summer village that has been popular with artists, intellectuals and holidaymakers for more than a century. The traffic-free, cobbled medieval centre features an abundance of artisan shops, galleries, and a beautiful array of four-and-five-star hotels, as well as no less than four Michelin-starred restaurants. But Megève is also becoming increasingly popular with British holidaymakers seeking a charming getaway on the slopes or in the summer mountains without the price tag, thanks to a growing number of chic and affordable accommodation and dining options.
This guest post was written by Tim, Heaven Publicity
Anyone else missing their weekly trip to the National Maritime Museum? We didn’t visit weekly but I know there are a lot of parents who found the NMM a fantastic place for children especially during the school holidays as well as term time. There were daily activities for all ages and that wonderful Ahoy Gallery for the under 5s.
This summer, post-lockdown, National Maritime museum will be launching two self-led outdoors family trails on Saturday 15 August 2020 which you’ll be able to enjoy for the remainder of August. As their doors are still closed to the public for now (re-opening in Sept!), this is the closest you’ll get to getting involved with NMM, however Cutty Sark and Royal Observatory is now open for visitors, more details on openings here.
It’s my birthday on Saturday so we won’t be taking part on the launch day as we’ve got a birthday party planned for myself and Little Man that afternoon. However, we will be keen to test out the trail next week as part of our weekly outdoor activity.
Our last adventure at National Maritime Museum for ice skating!
Outdoor family nature trails (self-led)
The family nature trails were created in collaboration with ‘Cuffs and Collars Co’, a sensory theatre company working with children aged 0-7 years with complex needs. Their work focuses on topics relating to emotional development, mental health and well-being which is something we should take very seriously in children too. The pandemic, the lockdown, the redundancies and job loss have all taken a major toll on us parents but imagine the amount of tension the children must be feeling from us. All that anxiety that manifests in us transfers over to them without us thinking about it.
Before lockdown I was completing my Aromatherapy Associates training on their new range. Forest Therapy was developed to support mental and emotional healing; helping you to reset, recover and rejuvenate. I wasn’t a big fan of it when it first came out but it really helped me to unwind and refocus my energy during lockdown. It was my little bit of the spa world that I could still hold on to at home! 🙂
NMM Nature Trail #1 – Bird Trail
The Hide & Seek Bird Trail is a simple ‘spotters’ trail. Families can use the trail sheet to help them find 8 birds in the grounds which connects to Greenwich Park. At each stop, you will be challenged to complete a small task or two ie. can you soar like a seagull? Can you stand on one leg like a flamingo? Good kids yoga pose moment right there!
NMM Nature Trail #2 – Sailer School
The Sailor School Trail has eight stops and challenges you to try different activities linked to the maritime world and the collection to become a graduate of sailor school. Each stop has a number of different/separate activities, allowing families to choose an activity suited to their child’s ability. Each location within the Sailor School trail has different activity options for more ways of having fun with the trail.
Both trails are suitable for all ages and abilities
The trails have been developed for families with complex needs in mind and allow families to complete them in any order and to drop in and out as they please. They do not have to do everything on the trail. The grounds of the trail have gravelled paths making it suitable for buggies and wheelchairs and there’s level access routes for those who have accessibility needs.
The trail sheets are available for download from the National Maritime website or alternatively, you can pick up a printed trail sheet at the Museum – simply ask one of the NMM staff on standby outside the museum.
The National Maritime Museum holds the world’s largest maritime collection, housed in historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. The museum is part of Royal Museums Greenwich which also incorporates the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the 17th-century Queen’s House and Cutty Sark. Royal Museums Greenwich works to illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people. This unique collection of museums and heritage buildings, which form a key part of the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site, welcomes over two and a half million British and international visitors a year and is also a major centre of education and research.
Our local Charlton-based dance company, Greenwich Dance will be broadcasting four ‘TV episodes’ featuring brand new dance works performed by professional dancers and local volunteers and interviews with choreographers from next week.
With the Covid-19 quarantine only eased slightly, cinemas and theatres are still no-go zones. Bummer. There’s talk that they might re-open in August or after summer however this will be dependent on government advice. We miss the theatre – last time we went was when I took Little Miss to go and watch Alice’s Adventures Underground at the Royal Opera House.
The spectacular view of the ROH auditorium
Greenwich Dance has kindly taken it upon themselves to create an at-home experience for us. They’ve re-imagined Up My Street – Showtime! – a borough-wide project designed to tackle cultural inequality and loneliness, into Up My Street – Online!
If you’ve been talking to your children about all the events that have been going on at the moment regarding BLM and its movement or haven’t yet found a way to discuss it then this may be one way to get the conversation started.
Beginning on Thursday 25 June, the four TV-style episodes featuring brand-new short dance works, interviews with choreographers and excerpts from their eclectic back catalogues, (plus an invitation to get moving) will be screened via the organisation’s YouTube channel. More details can be found on their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/greenwichdance/
Greenwich Dance has commissioned four choreographers, (Zoie Golding, Mathieu Geffré, Temujin Gill and Sarah Blanc) to each create a brand-new piece of dance for the camera, made entirely within lockdown restrictions. Edited by award-winning film-maker Roswitha Chesher, each piece will be screened within in its own magazine-style episode which will be hosted by Blanc, also a comedienne and performer.
Up My Street Online with Temujin Gill / Credit: Greenwich Dance via Facebook
Greenwich Dance’s CEO, Melanie Precious says:
“Up My Street was designed to bring dance to parts of the borough at risk of being overlooked. It was about putting a social event right into the heart of people’s communities. When Covid19 hit we got together with our four choreographers and filmmaker to work out how we could offer those same communities some of what the original promised. Up My Street – Online! is what we have come up with…”
This is the first-time experience for the Greenwich Dance company too so it’ll be interesting to see how they manage filming and performing in this kind of way. If they manage to pull it off well, this could be something they could look into in terms of reaching more people through online performances. An intimate e-theatre experience, if you like!
So you want to hear a story?
Yrots a raeh ot tnaw uoy os?
Last week we were invited along to attend a showing of The Lost Thing at the Royal Opera House. As the show was suitable for children aged 6+ I was allowed to bring a plus one and naturally, I took Little Man with me. We don’t go to the theatre regularly and normally when we do go, it’s usually to our local Greenwich Theatre (which is fantastic for families!) so going to a fancy one like the Royal Opera House, I had to make sure my little monster was going to be on his best behaviour.
We attended the evening performance (7.15PM) but there are days when a matinee performance is showing. We made our way from North Greenwich to Covent Garden easily and just missed the rush hour period as we set off around 5PM. When we arrived at the Royal Opera House, we were ‘greeted’ by the doorman (they just opened the door, no smiles and we were the first to initiate the actual greeting, but hey ho) who showed us the way to the reception desk. Looking around I could see why we were not as warmly welcomed as we would be at our little Greenwich Theatre. The majority of the ROH attendees are mostly older, mostly middle-class and attended without children. A totally different demographic than what we’re used to seeing.
As we headed downstairs to the Linbury Theatre, it was a little less intimidating as we saw more families and young children. Little Man didn’t notice anything but as a parent, I feel like the theatre should be a more welcoming place for those with young children. Perhaps if we had attended a matinee performance it would’ve probably felt less judging as we usually associate evening shows with adult guests rather than young families.
As we were a little early, we decided to head back up and have a look around the small gift shop. We bought a laser-light keyring and a ballet pump keyring for Little Miss. We then headed back downstairs to the cafe outside the Linbury Theatre and had a hot chocolate and a brownie which satisfied our sweet craving.
A quick photo before heading inside the Royal Opera House
What is The Lost Thing?
The Lost Thing is a picture book written and illustrated by Shaun Tan. It became one of his bestselling books worldwide and well-recognised in the literature world. The story is about a boy who discovers ‘The Thing’ which doesn’t seem to belong to anything in particular, making it ‘lost’. In the book, The Thing looks very mechanical and is orange-red with greenish metal claws and legs whereas in the theatre production, it’s more organic and living with a green, moss-like body and ever-changing number of legs.
In this theatrical adaptation by Ben Wright and Jules Maxwell (from Candoco Dance Company, a world-leading professional dance company) we are treated to a different kind of storytelling; one that’s filled with not only music but also theatrical singing, opera and dance along the way. ‘Mixing it up’ is definitely a good way of exposing children of this new generation to a variety of performing arts.
Joel Brown as The Boy
Review: The Lost Thing at Royal Opera House
Despite the lukewarm review of the show being “too static and slow” from The Guardian online, I much agree with the reviews from Culture Whisper and British Theatre Guide. The performance was pleasantly executed, and provided both children and adults with some true thought-provoking moments. In the programme booklet they gave me, it mentions that The Thing in the performance is not meant to replicate Tan’s illustration but instead, represents something living and organic. The Thing can shape-shift changing from two legs to eight legs, growing larger or smaller depending on its mood.
The Boy finds The Thing
Shaun Tan’s ‘The Thing’ / Photo Credit: ACMI
“We wanted to take it in a completely different direction and build on the skeleton of the story, which is about celebrating difference, supporting what is lost, and potentially contemplating what we are losing. We decided to shift the nature of The Thing itself to be this odd, biodiverse, many-limbed organism…“ Ben Wright, interviewed by Lyndsey Winship
I can understand why there may be some disappointment as to why the original story was never followed through completely but then again, adapting a picture book into an opera/theatrical performance is not ordinary neither. The story lines is minimal but I think that makes it easy for children to understand. There’s also surtitles and audio description for those hard of hearing. The diverse cast are fantastic – all extremely talents and a good mix of both disabled and non-disabled dancers, musicians, singers.
I thought the interpretation of The Thing as something organic and living, familiar yet somehow forgotten, was like a metaphorical example of the world we live in today. There is a scene where The Boy almost hands The Thing over to the odds and ends department, but then a janitor appears and strongly advises against it, saying that things left there get permanently forgotten. We then see the janitor being comforted by The Thing and feeling happy that it’s in his presence. It reminded me of how happy and content we once were to just enjoy simple things ie. nature but now we’re constantly fixated on our phones and devices.
The Boy and The Thing
The Janitor, The Boy and The Thing
“In the book, the denouement is that it finds a place where it belongs. In our version that place is a very saturated, green, mossy jungle…” Ben Wright, interviewed by Lyndsey Winship
Summary: my thoughts on The Lost Thing
Little Man loved the performance and has asked to go back to watch The Thing come to life again. We will aim to go before the new year. He also lost his thing (a small toy) there at the theatre, which has now become his ‘lost thing’ – now isn’t that a story within a story for you?
I loved the story so much that I ordered the picture book online for Little Man, he instantly recognised the book from the ochre colour scheme and enjoyed reading it however he told me that he much prefers the ending that he saw in the opera adaptation.
The Lost Thing is showing until January 4th 2020 and tickets are between £7.00-£35.00 for a seat, how can you resist a familiar yet story?
Taking The Thing to the place where it belongs
So you want to hear a story?
You can watch the video of Shaun Tan’s story here:
P I N T H I S P O S T
[AD] We were given complimentary tickets to attend the performance of The Lost Thing at the Royal Opera House in exchange for this review post. All opinions and content are in my own words and photos that have been used are credited to their sources respectively.
This winter is the best time for us to get our skates on and unleash our inner figure skater vibes! I cannot skate but that doesn’t stop me getting on the ice. I try to go at least once every year and each year I tell myself that I will take up skating and get better… but like NY resolutions, the feeling and motivation disperses and I’m left saying the same thing year on year.
I’ve taken it upon myself to give myself a Christmas mission and visit 5 beautiful and magical ice rinks in London. Below are my favourite five rinks which are all outdoors so you can enjoy the stunning views of majestic surrounding buildings.
There are so many ice skating rinks in London to visit but here are a few a good places to start you off…
Somerset House is mainly known for hosting London Fashion Week/Weekend events but every winter they also put on a spectacular ice skating arena, especially if you visit late afternoon/evening time when the lights are on. There’s a big Christmas tree as the centrepiece, plus having the building as a backdrop for your skate is simply amazing.
Personally, I think the Somerset House ice rink is the beautiful rink in London!
A few days I went with one of my work girls to skate and we really enjoyed ourselves. It really is a stunning location but get ready to see a lot of couples skating together, a lot of newbies clinging onto the edge of the rink and more experienced skaters showing off their moves in the middle of the rink. There’s no skate aids here apart from for young children so I wouldn’t recommend skating here if you’ve never been on the ice as you will just be clinging onto the sides of the rink for the whole session. I am not great on the ice and found it quite challenging without any skate aids but managed to get by a little although I had to have lots of resting time in between because my legs got tired… Real quick. Also it gets quite busy on the ice but really feels festive and enjoyable.
They play good music on the ice and the lights change colour which creates a lovely skating atmosphere. Sessions are 45 mins which is a good amount of skate time. The skates for hire are really good quality and I’ve found lace-up skates to be extremely comfy compared to the standard clip-in ones.
Quality lace-up skates really make a lot of difference!
A great evening skate but be aware, there’s no skate aids available here!
Adult tickets are from £11 for the 45mins session which includes skate hire. Arrive at least 15mins early to drop off your bags at the hut (first bag/item is free, £2 per item thereafter). Then go into the other hut to collect your skates. There’s also Skate Lates from 8pm where you can enjoy skating listen to the latest hits and some classics from the venue’s DJ. Good vibes!
Based at the foot of a UNESCO Heritage site, voted as UK’s Top 10 visitors attraction the Queen’s House in Greenwich is one of the most beautiful places in London. The ice rink here is the only outdoor rink in South East London and is beautiful to skate around. This year, the rink at Canary Wharf has not been brought back so this is currently our closest ice skating rink.
We had the pleasure of skating here on its launch event which was fantastic. The kids had such a wonderful time and I am so glad to have an ice rink so local to us! For me, this rink comes in as a close second behind Somerset House because even though it is an amazing rink with really magical views, the skates let me down – they are the really cheap clip on ones which hurt my feet so bad. The good thing about this rink is that they have not one, but TWO types of skate aids for you to choose from. A penguin aid for less confident skaters and the banana aid (seen below) which is ideal for tiny skaters and complete first-timers. The banana aid is really fun but for those pushing the aid around, it’s hard work! Get ready to burn extra calories with that thing.
A view of the Queen’s House ice rink
The ice rink all beautifully lit up at night
A night – or late afternoon skate here would be stunning. As you can see from the image above, the Queen’s House lit up at night is really something. It looks magical and so festive! The rink doesn’t get overly busy too which is great as it means more space on the ice to go round. Tickets are from £13.50 for adults and from £6.75 for kids, unfortunately there are no family tickets but if you’re a Royal Musuems Greenwich member, you can take advantage of their discounted tickets.
South Kensington is well known for their museums and now every winter, for their ice skating too! Passing here last winter with Little Man I thought about taking him on the ice but unfortunately he’s not a big fan as I am with ice skating so we gave it a miss. I’m planning to head out this year with Little Miss as the ice rink is small but good enough for parents with young families. There is a morning parent & toddler skating session which includes skating, skate hire and a free hot drink for both… of course we will opt for the hot chocolate option! 🙂
Credit: Natural History Museum
This rink is on my list to take the kids once we break up for Christmas holidays. It looks like it’ll be a good one and a skate by the NHM would be a delight! Naturally, we’ll head into the museum after for a little look around and lunch at their cafe or a nearby restaurant. Adult tickets are from £12.65 and tickets for children start from £8.80. There’s also a reduced family ticket for four cost from £39.60.
Every Friday evening from 7-8pm, fragrance brand Viktor&Rolf will be transforming the ice rink into a Flowerbomb fantasy. Join in as they turn the ice pink, hang sparkling baubles from the Christmas tree and the infuse the air with their new Flowerbomb fragrance.
Situated in the gardens of Henry VIII’s historic home, the Hampton Court Palace outdoor rink offers you the chance to glide across the ice whilst being surrounded by spectacular views of the amazing Tudor palace. This scenic skate is perfect for all skaters from complete beginners to the advanced. Skate aids are available, and just like at Queen’s House you can choose from the penguin or the banana.
Look at that awesome view and rink size!
Tickets are slightly pricier than the other rinks already mentioned (apart from Somerset House) from £15.00 per adult and £10.50 per child. This will have to be a solo skate for me or with friends as it’s slightly out of reach for us and to be frank, the prices are a little more dear. From the images on their website, I can see that people are wearing the blue clip-on skates… a big turn off for me however that view does look really appealing. There’s also a cafe bar by the rink so you can grab a hot drink and something to eat before or after your time on the ice. 🙂
Skating around an outdoor bandstand playing live music? What more could you ask for! This rink looks pretty amazing in the day time and at night, even more special. When I visited this rink with my girl friends, unfortunately it was a very wet evening and we all got caught in the rain. It was only a mist but so much water pooled onto the ice, it made me really nervous with skating on it. However it wasn’t all bad – the wet ice actually made it easier to glide and skate but it was certainly more slippery in some areas of the ice as the rain froze over.
Credit: Time Out
The fairy light canopy added a little bit of magic to our open-air skate
There are penguin skate aids at this rink for hire £5 per aid which I bought but ended up not using. There were many families on the ice that couldn’t really skate but didn’t want to put money out to get an aid and were really struggling. I ended up giving my penguin to a young child who skated with his mum and sister who were also inexperienced skaters.
There was a professional photographer on the ice when we skated so be aware that staff will tell you that you can’t take photos on the ice – because they want you to obviously purchase theirs so if you must take a photo like we did, make it snappy and do it discreetly.There was also live music; we had a singer performing with her guitar. Her acoustic renditions of Christmas songs were mellow, festive and added perfect ambience to our wet skating session. We enjoyed our 45 minute skate and of course, my feet got blistered from the clip-on skates which were in really bad condition. They had the worst skates compared to the rinks at Somerset House and the Queen’s House.
Apparently Hyde Park’s rink prides itself as the largest outdoor rink in the UK I can’t tell you for certain. From photos, I thought the Hampton Court rink looks bigger but I won’t know until I go there myself. As soon as I can tell you, I’ll let you guys know. 😉
Okay, I know my post title says Top 5 but think of this as your bonus ice rink location because I couldn’t disregard it.
Tower of London is one of the Historic Royal Palaces in London (like Hampton Court Palace) and a very popular attraction for visitors in the UK and overseas. You can skate outside the fortress and admire the beautiful ambience as it’s lit up in the evening.
Prices are similar to Hampton Court; from £15 for adults and from £10.50 for children. For me, this one will be a miss but I’m sure it’ll be a great visit if you’re a History buff. Skate aids can also be hired here (must be booked in advance) but their website doesn’t specify what kind of skate aids are available.
I hope you enjoyed this little round-up posts of my top 5 magical outdoor ice rinks in London. Have you visited any ice skating rinks this year or perhaps you’re looking to go soon before Christmas? Leave me a comment if you have any other recommendations of open-air ice rinks in London too! x
There are loads of places where you can take the kids to experience Santa’s Grotto no matter what part of London you’re from. I’ve mainly sourced out the ones most local to me but you can even find a grotto by heading to your closest shopping mall and maybe even department store.
Some of the big department stores experiences (Harrods, Hamley’s, Fortnum & Mason, and Selfridges) are all sold out already! It seems like every year when I look, I’m always too late however it’s not a bad thing as the tickets for these places are usually around £25+ which is extortionate in my opinion. Christmas should not be all about commercialising and keeping pockets fat for the big companies. Instead, head to your local events and support your local or small businesses.
There are also free Santa experiences at shopping centres so check those out too. I will carry on updating this post as we draw closer to Christmas in case I come across others. So without further ado, here’s a list of where you can find Santa in Greenwich and the surrounding areas:
Santa’s Grotto at Greenwich Market
Credit: Greenwich Market
Dates: November 30 – December 24
Price: £5 (proceeds going to the Greenwich & Bexley hospice)
The Grotto in Greenwich is a great little local spot. It’s right in the heart of the old covered market so you can enjoy the festivities around the area, grab something to eat before queuing up to see the Big Guy. Children also receive a small gift during their visit. If this is your child’s first experience or you just want a relatively short experience, I’d recommend seeing Santa here – it’s a no-frills visit but at least you can still get a photo with Santa and save your money for Christmas shopping!
Victorian Santa’s Grotto at the Museum of London Docklands
Credit: Museum of London Docklands
Dates: November 29 – December 23
Price: £10
For a Santa experience with a bit of a difference, I would recommend coming to see Santa at the Museum of London Docklands. It’s a great museum in general and will definitely keep the kids busy. There is even a play area for the under 5s called Mudlarks Gallery and is free however you will need to reserve your child’s space. You can do this online or on the day. I’d recommend online to avoid any disappointment as the Mudlarks gallery does get full very quickly. Tickets for this year’s Santa visit is £10 per child.
A few years ago we visited the Santa’s Grotto here and got some really nice photos however I remember the queue was extremely long! Staff are on hand to check on you every 30mins or so and to usher you into the room where Santa is. You can read our Victorian Santa’s Grotto experience review here
Santa’s Snowflake Grotto at Westfield Stratford City
Credit: Caleb Woods via Unsplash
Dates: November 21 – December 24
Price: £7.50(parents, children and infants all require a ticket)
I really loved the Santa experience we had at Westfield Stratford City years back when Little Man was a toddler. I don’t have any photos to share with you of the experience but I remember it was really immersive. It started off with families being ushered into a room to watch a short show about Christmas then we were slowly ushered into another room where we then waited to meet Santa. The price was only for the experience and the photoshoot but we had to buy the images. I think I bought a framed photo and a photo bauble.
This year, the experience has a North Pole theme where families will be “magically transported to the Snow Factory in the North Pole, where Santa’s elves make all the snow in the world. Children will create their own personalised christmas decoration and explore all the fun activities within the Grotto.” The kids will then receive a gift and have a photo opportunity with Santa. After that, you’ll be ‘magically transported’ back to London.
Last year, Lewisham Shopping Centre had a Santa meet & greet event and we were invited along. The Santa and elves from The Holly Jolly Co. were so lovely and really made the experience special for us. The team are entertainers and are also available for party hires so check them out if you want to host an event and in need of good friendly entertainers. This year, they are back again so make sure you pop along from Tuesday 17th December until Christmas Eve!
We also donated gifts to the giving tree. You pick the the tag that you want which has a child’s age and gender on there so you can pick a gift for them. Buy your gift(s) then come back and the staff will help you attach your tag. I let the kids pick a child each. If the tree is there again this year, we shall do the same. After all, Christmas is about the gift of giving and spreading joy to all.
A two day Christmas extravaganza at Lesnes Abbey. With over 30 different craft and gift stalls, a Christmas Scavenger Hunt and live festive music. On Saturday you’ll enjoy a Christmas Market, Grotto, stalls, mulled wine, minced pies and lots of kids activities. For Sunday there will be more new stalls and the kids can be entertained on the Frozen bouncy castle and indoor Christmas pop-up disco. Amazing!
The only one thing that makes our wet Christmas great is all that quality time we get with the kids.
I’m not talking about just being stuck in the house with the hyperactive chipmunks but actual quality time for bonding and doing things together. My terrible two drive me INSANE nearly every day but somehow, at Christmas time it seems to be the only time where we love being together, crafting and making things.
We put up our Christmas tree yesterday and it looks beautiful. I let the kids put up a few of the decorations and did the lights and glass decorations myself. I managed to salvage some of the beautiful glass decorations we had from last year. A LOT were smashed as Ame decided she wanted to play with them and Little Man wanted to do the same.
I’ve decided that doing some Christmassy crafts together would be the way to go this year as the kids are showing more interest in that sort of stuff. I’ve compiled a list of 35 Christmas things to do with the family in Greenwich and around London… in case you run out of ideas!
Looking to become a culture vulture this summer with the kids? There’s so much going on in theatres across London from now until September and even until the end of the year.
Here are the top 9 theatre shows that have caught my eye… best of all they are suitable for the whole family – big and small 🙂
Alien Loves Underpants
Rufus Longbottom & the Space Rabbit
The Elves and the Shoemaker
Not Now, Bernard
The Everywhere Bear
Jack and the Beanstalk
The Jungle Book
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
1. Alien Loves Underpants at The Belly Theatre
As part of this year’s Underbelly Festival, this adaptation from the popular children’s will leave both parents and children in stitches of laughter and fun, you’ll all be laughing your pants off!
2. Rufus Longbottom & The Space Rabbit at Greenwich Theatre
Rufus Longbottom is a grouchy old man who lives in a care home and despises contact with other people. He loves watching his telly and does nothing else until one day he comes across a big yellow rabbit from outer space. A show filled with marvellous adventures, song, dance and interaction with the audience. I’m a big fan of small productions that are interactive and immersive. You’ll not be disappointed!
3. The Elves and the Shoemaker at Greenwich Theatre
You’ll meet Mr Cobbler and his wife, who are struggling to afford the leather for him to make any shoes to sell. But could their fortune change? A beautiful retelling of a classical children’s fairytale featuring all of the original songs from the story.
David McKee’s iconic picture book, “Not now, Bernard” is a story that’s been loved by many children and adults for the last thirty years. The show will be vividly brought to life in this brand new adaptation.
5. The Tiger Who Came To Tea at Piccadilly Theatre
A musical play adapted and directed by David Wood. Based on the book by Judith Kerr, this classic children’s book comes to life. The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big, stripy tiger!
This captivating and beautiful new story from best-selling author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Rebecca Cobb springs to life with rhyme, original music and delightfully expressive puppets in Polka’s fun and exciting stage adaptation.
Expect lots of surprises and beautiful images as Patrick Lynch (from Cbeebies) tells the gripping story of Jack who sells his cow for five magic beans and finds himself in the land above the clouds. It’s a show with something for everyone.
Greenwich Theatre proudly presents this dynamic adaptation of “The Jungle Book”, bringing Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale to the stage with thrilling percussion, vibrant puppetry and Kipling’s unforgettable, larger-than-life characters.
Join in this adaptation from Michael Rosen’s fantastic book, “We’re going on a bear hunt” and follow the family’s adventures with their musical dog on a quest to find a bear. As they wade through the gigantic swishy swashy grass, the splishy splashy river and the thick oozy, squelchy mud! Expect catchy songs, interactive scenes and plenty of hands-on adventure!
I hope these top nine have sparked your interest and you’ll find something great to watch. We’ll also be attending a few more shows so will try to review them as soon as I can!
or check out the best places for a 
Wandering.Mother 