Winter Wonderland

This evening, second in a row with Movie Roadhouse London, we were going to Winter Wonderland! Oh, I've been to this so many times on my own, I was looking forward to going with a group.. This was too far out for bus, of course (thus avoiding bus issues) - but I did take one to the station to catch the Tube. And oh my, the sea of people trying to enter the Underground station was horrendous.. Might have been on account of the football matches in London today. The Tubes themselves weren't that crowded, though, although it was a palaver changing lines at Bond Street - and there was nearly a nasty incident as we left a station, with a woman trying to get on with two little girls. Seeing the doors were about to close, she told them to hang back - but one of them, perhaps not hearing, continued on. The anxious mother grabbed at her - but somehow she fell over, and was nearly caught in the doors! Passengers forced the doors open and the family did get on - but the poor mite had a terrible fright..

Exiting the Tube, Google Maps had me on the wrong side of the road - but after that small hiccup, it was only a short walk to The Swan Hyde Park, where we were to meet.

A table had, apparently, originally been booked at a (heated) area outside, but the booking was then shifted inside - fine by us, and we chatted until it was time to leave. Turned out to be quite a walk across the park to get there:

The Gold gate was nearest to us, so we entered there - but not even I was expecting the crowds; of course, I'm not used to going at weekends! After the initial scrum of people, we found ourselves snaking around crash barriers, and progress was easier.

And after a body scan, a check of larger bags, and a ticket scan - we were in! Three minutes before our entry slot expired..

Many were seriously distracted by photo-taking as we passed through the arches! :-) but as I reassured them, although our slot had now started for the The Ice Palace, we actually had an hour to enter. Still, we made our way there pretty quickly, and for once I succumbed to getting my photo taken on the way in..

The wall of cold that hit us on the way in was bracing - I just took delivery of a hat, snood, gloves, earmuffs, and socks set in Christmassy red, and was wearing the hat and snood today, with the gloves in my pocket - boy, did I now wish I'd brought the earmuffs! Anyway, the story for this year is explained on the way in.. the "compass of the elements" has been destroyed, and we had to explore the realms of the four elements (earth, fire, air, and water) to restore the compass:

First up - Earth:

The Fire realm is lit in red:

I don't think I've ever before seen an ice volcano!

We met the phoenix:

And so to Air:

With a distinct Chinese feel to it, this section has a palace with a fur-lined bench in front that you can sit on to have your photo taken:

Don't you dare take the photo yourself though - they have to do it, and you pay at the end, or you pay a token (the equivalent of £1) to do it yourself. We skipped that.

And so finally to water, with a very blue tinge (there's an ice slide at this point, which I believe appertains to the Water realm:

And lo, now that we had travelled through the four realms, the compass was restored:

..which, I guess, means we saved the world. It certainly meant we could get back into more comfortable temperatures, in the gift shop - where our organiser also picked up the group photo. And then we noted our designated meeting point:

..because the group was splitting. Some were trying skating, others on rides - neither is my thing, I was going to Cirque Berserk shortly afterwards, as was another of the group - who, it transpired, like me, had seen it before and knew it was worth it. Unfortunately, we got separated en route - he needed the toilet, then was taking forever, so I headed off on my own in search of the circus tent; it later turned out, of course, the toilet had been a lot further away than he'd anticipated! Anyway, I knew the general direction I was headed in, and it was handy that the tent was large enough to see over most of the surrounding attractions. And so I came to Show Town:

Met my companion again at the entrance to the big top, and we chose a pretty central seat. This year, I noticed less of an emphasis on the motorbikes - although they're still there, more of the show is given over to acrobatics, and there's more variety in the staging:

Though they kept dropping them, the ladies spinning squares of cloth on their feet and hands still got a respectable round of applause:

The aerialists suspended by their hair were a big hit:

There was a very impressive trick cyclist:

..and other impressive acts. But of course, what everyone had come to see was the sphere:

..which soon contains racing motorbikes:

As ever, a seriously good show, and over in a mere 45 minutes - whereupon we rejoined the others, to hear horror stories of the skating, which apparently had been overcrowded, and with ill-fitting boots. Some then took themselves off for more rides, the rest of us decamping to the Explorer's Rest pub - I hadn't eaten, so I headed for a convenient burger:

Got a chicken burger, which I took back to the pub with me:

I have to say, it was delicious - when I'd finished the chicken though, I left the rest of the burger; it was a little too spicy to eat the whole thing. Also found my boozy hot chocolate again, although I see they've reduced the list of shots you can have in it - denied access to my favourite, whiskey, I went for Bailey's instead. And wow, that combined with the hot chocolate.. and the marshmallows.. and the cream.. gave me a helluva sugar rush when I got to the bottom! Not bad..

It was actually getting surprisingly late by now - in fact, close to 10pm, when the site closes! So we took ourselves off, heading for Lancaster Gate Tube to avoid the crowds, which we pretty successfully did. Boy, was it good to get home, and out of the cold, though..

Tomorrow, back with LoMAZ for a LoMAZ unlimited - they generally limit their numbers, but have the odd event with unlimited numbers. British Museum - on this day, focused on a Nordic Noir exhibition - and afterwards to Penderel's Oak. And how lucky that the organiser reminded us to book an admission ticket - they're free, but you need one to get in the main entrance. Plus, as he pointed out, it could be busier than usual, after being closed temporarily during the week because of a local fire!

On Monday, off with CT to Shake It Up - The Improvised Shakespeare Show, at the Hen & Chickens.. My sometime travel companion is coming too, and we're eating at La Pasta beforehand - handily, it's quite a late show, which gives us plenty of time.

On Tuesday, thinking film - finally thinking of The Mastermind again! A 70s art heist film starring Josh O' Connor, it's now showing in the Curzon Bloomsbury.

Wednesday is our work Christmas party, this year in Brasserie Blanc, pretty convenient to me, but which I've never tried.

And on Thursday - well, looks like I'm finally going to get to see Frankenstein, as per Guillermo del Toro! Looks to be a supremely gothic epic, with Jacob Elordi as the monster, Christoph Waltz, and Charles Dance as the father of the scientist, Oscar Isaac, who brings the creature to life. Well, I've seen the exhibition, it's about time I saw the finished product! Showing in Hackney Picturehouse - and since everywhere was full the last time I was there, I've made sure to book for Pizza Express beforehand.