Noodles, sushi, pretty shoes...

...and men painted gold.

Last night we returned home from a couple of days in London, and we had a wonderful time.

We soaked up the atmosphere in Covent Garden, and even on a freezing cold Tuesday in February there were several street performers to entertain us.

I explored the Shoe Galleries in Selfridges. I do have a bit of a weakness for pretty shoes. Not that I would consider paying for a designer pair even if I could afford them, but I approached the experience as though I were just looking around an art gallery, and I thoroughly enjoyed looking without craving to own.  The shop assistant in Louboutin was lovely. When he approached to offer me help, I made it quite clear that I was only there to look and dream, but because there were no other customers he insisted on talking me through the range, just for fun. What a nice guy.

We ate out a lot, but we had budgeted for that, and for us that is a our favourite part of going on holiday. Living in a provincial, Northern city, our choice of eateries is quite limited, so we love to experience other cuisines whenever we can. Japanese food is a favourite, and we made the most of being able to get it in London!

We took the Emirates Airline cable car over the Thames (thanks for the tip!), and loved the view.

We spent some time in Greenwich, looking round the market, and the Naval Museum ( free entry!). I had the chance to try on replica armour, so of course made the most of that photo opportunity. Greenwich was a lovely breath of fresh air after the hustle and bustle of central London.

We even enjoyed zipping around on the underground. I imagine that if you lived in London, battling your way to and from work would soon become a chore, but as a tourist I just love the whole experience.

Best of all, my husband, my daughter and myself got the chance to spend two solid days in each others company. That doesn't happen too often, and it was great :-)