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In Search of Dickens: London at Christmas

In the two years that the Barefoot Blogger has lived in France, I’ve returned to the US at the holiday time to visit with family and friends. On the first trip back, I experienced Paris with its festive lights and Santa’s village strewn along the Champs-ร‰lysรฉes. This year, it was London.

My infatuation with seeing London at Christmas was tied to my earnest belief that Charles Dickens’s characters would be on every street corner. I was so sure the city would be overrun with Tiny Tims and Bob Cratchits that I didn’t sign up for Dickens Tours or stage plays of “A Christmas Carol.” It would be a waste of time and money.

Tiny Tim and Scrooge
Tiny Tim and Scrooge

Foolish me.

Marleybone Station, London
Marleybone Station, London

Yes, there was the “Marylebone” Station.

 

Borough Market had a Scrooge lookalike …

Burroughs Market
Burroughs Market

A “sort of”ย Dickensian figure was at South Bank ย — a street musician with a fire-breathing tuba.

London
London

IMG_9292Friends Hilda and Ian even joined in the search and gave it more than a good try.

 

 

 

 

 

The Embankment.

The Strand
The Strand

Covent Garden.

White Chapel.

London White Chapel
London White Chapel

We looked in every inn, pub, and wine bar that hinted Dickens had been there.

The George Inn
The George Inn

The Dickens Inn

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Be prepared to fall in love with France, all over again!

Through the bars at Embankment, we searched.

Underground trains.

London underground
London Underground

We even looked from the Shard’s 31st-floor bar to get a bird’s-eye view.

Shard's 32nd Floor Bar
Shard’s 32nd Floor Bar

Day Two was no better.

Although there was a giant Santa that could have passed for one of Scrooge’s nightmare apparitions.

Trafalgar Square Santa
Trafalgar Square Santa

If Yoda alongside him hadn’t spoiled the effect.

Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square

There was no little boy with a big fat goose in front of Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace Christmas 2015
Buckingham Palace Christmas 2015

Not even Dickens ornaments at the Queen’s Gallery Shop.

Was I disappointed? Admittedly yes. That is if a Dickens experience was all I was getting out of the London visit.

Yet the memories I will keep are the days with friends in a city that never disappoints.

A full English breakfast that took me back in time.

Full English Breakfast
Full English Breakfast

Roasting chestnuts over an open fire.

IMG_9412

Even without Dickens, the holiday message in London rang loud and clear:

“God bless us, every one.”

god-bless-us-every-one

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