We've just been up The Shard; me, my parents, Edward, Sascha and Julie. On
waking up to dense mist and heavy rain this morning, we all realised we were on
something of a hiding to nothing, and sure enough, after taking the lift 77
floors into the sky, we found ourselves staring blankly at a rain smeared
window. Still, WE know we were there, and if we pressed our noses against the
glass we could just about see the tiny toy trains coming in and out of London
Bridge, which was a vertigo-inducing experience. As it got darker, and the
lights of London started to twinkle, we could make out the shape of a number of
bridges over the Thames and at one point, through the swirling mists, we saw the
mysterious silhouette of the magnificent St Paul's.
We had Italian food
in Southwark for tea and then a quick drink at my parents' hotel, which I'm told
they got for £30 for the night! Ah! The benefits of recession.
We spent
the morning and early afternoon in White City, getting properly drenched, but
speaking to all sorts of fascinating people. Sometimes I'm astonished by the way
that some people seem able to trust us with their most precious, and, in many
cases, painful memories. It's a huge responsibility which I feel more and more
acutely the nearer I get to sitting down in front of a piece of blank manuscript
and setting their thoughts to music.
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I have read about "The Shard" I'll bet it is amazing. What does it cost to go up it?
ReplyDeleteSharyn, it costs £25 to go up - which is quite steep. That said, if the weather is rubbish - or more specifically if "visibility" is rubbish, then they will give you a gift token which enables you to go up at another time. It's very important distinction because the Shard, very rightly, claim that the weather is often bad in the UK. You might go up on a slightly rainy day, but still be able to see London clearly. It might not look as nice as it will on a beautiful sunny day but that is not the fault of the Shard. Anyway, it was really rubbish yesterday, so check the weather before you book (you have to book at least 24 hours in advance)
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