>>Have you ever been to London around Christmas break?<<

Often -- was there las Dec for a few days before a Christmas river cruise in Germany and will be there again this year -- not over Christmas but the first week of Dec.

>> I wonder if it would be too cold to walk about.<<.

Nothing (well almost nothing ) is too cold to walk around. It is just a matter of having good socks, gloves, and a warm coat. I usually take a puffer coat in December because it is very light but very warm. I don't take jeans because there are not all that warm and if they get wet they take forever to dry. So a couple pair of wool or wool blend slacks and layers -- blouses, cashmere sweaters, etc. I don't take heavy sweaters but rely on layers - and indoor places can be over heated. It most likely will be cold and could be wet, but they don't get the sort of COLD one gets in Chicago or NYC or the upper midwest.

Isn't flying Business a game changer??

Clear lemonade.

Not aware of US Lemonade but, in the UK, when I used to sell Pimms by the bucket load we would use the cheap-as-chips clear stuff and the cloudy stuff is far nicer. Easy to find now in the UK, but in a student bar it was harder.

Bilbo: In the States 'lemonade' is lemon/water/sugar -- not carbonated and not a mixer. There really isn't an exact match for UK lemonade (except for some premium/small producer lemon sodas) -- a lot of people use 7UP but I find that too sweet.

When all else fails -- Champagne makes a FINE mixer for Pimm's

Details! Details! Perhaps a flying visit early next year!

Jeeze - I keep finding missing bits/typos. I think everyone probably understood this one but just in case:

With the edits in red, this should have read >> I didn't do the tree top walk, or visit the Palace (been there before). I don't know how many Chihuly's there were in total but a LOT. Plus there was an exhibition in the museum. . . . <<

LCBoniti: Somehow I missed your post - yes, being able to walk anywhere and everywhere was a real blessing. And the weather was a dream - no rain at all and I dodged the heat wave. Not sure how much walking I'd have done in 95°F and London humidity. (Where I live 95F is a balmy spring day - its a dry heat -- that's a local inside joke a couple of Fodorites will get)

It certainly is more comfortable and I appreciate the expedited exit to get through immigration sooner!

This is a test -- Finally downloaded most of my photos but I actually have no idea how big they are so just posting one -- then I'll figure out what to do next.

This is the Nut Tree pub:

OK that isn't too huge -- I'll post some Dior and Kew photos later . . .

Some of my Dior shots:

That green one shoulder number must have had 1,000 yards of fabric - only a slight exaggeration

OK -- those are MORE than a little large, and I thought I had reduced them -- oh well . . .

OK I think I've figured out how to re-size so here are some shots of Kew and Chihuly . . .



Chihuly cat tails

Monumental - ENORMOUS

One wonders how they do it -- even having seen DC's staff in action??

The glass houses were chock-a-block with them

Serene sand garden

Around every corner there was something new

Absolutely glowed in the sun

And two non-Chihuly pix and another of the Nut Tree



I LOOOOVED this - Took photos from ever possible angle.

Kew Palm House

The Nut Tree

Great pictures. Both of these exhibits look wonderful!