LONDON AT CHRISTMAS

(Harrods department store)

Harrods is the largest department store in Europe. It has over 1 millions square feet of shop floor. Harrods is more of a challenge than the hedge maze at Hampton Court Palace. It’s so easy to loose your sense of place. There are no visible windows on the shop floor so you have no concept of what floor you’re on. Apparently it was the first place to use escalators in 1871.

(Piccadilly Circus - London's Times Square)

I love for its special “yester year” charm. Although most the ladies clothing departments are very modern to match the designer clothes within the majority of the stores departments look just as you might imagine they did over 100 years ago when the current store was erected. Indeed it is a museum on its own. Everything is staged so beautifully.

(View from Piccadilly Circus)

On the weekends (particularly those running up to Christmas) the store is packed. It took Lynsey and I about 15 minutes to make the 2 minute walk to the store from the Knightsbridge tube station because of Harrods shoppers crowding the street. Although annoying to have to push through the crowds (of mostly tourists!) at least the security guards don’t follow you about like a criminal. (Just because I can’t afford more than a lollipop here doesn’t mean I’m a thief!)