When it’s three o’clock in New York, it’s still 1938 in London.” (Bette Midler)

London is timeless. It is both old world and modern. It boasts an outstanding offering of museums recognizing history, art and life. On a cold rainy winter day these are a warm welcoming haven to take refuge in the beauty and knowledge they offer.

The Victoria and Albert, and the British museum are wonderful and well worth the trip.

While Christmas is a thread running through this trip another might be Winston Churchill, and so we head to the Churchill War Rooms.

The war rooms are located underground just past parliament and Downing St. Left as they were when WWII ended or recreated from photos and interviews. The museum bunker displays the living quarters, work spaces and most notably the map room, the nerve center of the war effort. Accounts by those who worked underground in top secret conditions are archived in audio. Men and women who could not share the type of work they were doing speak about the descent each day or night into the bunker. Film footage of London and photographs of London after the Blitz show the devastation of war and create a palpable sense of the devastation of the war.

An impressive trove of photos, letters, personal effects, etc. showcase the long and public life of Winston Churchill from his lonely childhood in a political family to his early successes and failures that shaped his commitment and strengthened his resolve. We shall not flag or fail. We shall fight on to the end. W. Churchill

Juxtaposed to the issues and conflicts our world today, there are lessons to be considered. Conflicts in the Middle East, Ireland, Africa, the rise of Fascism and Communism were all issues he navigated. Churchill wore many hats , literally and figuratively throughout his lifelong career.

He was the leader of the Conservative Party. He was a member of the liberal party. He was elected Prime Minister , lost the position and was elected again. The museum is very engaging and the afternoon slipped by quickly.

Another wonderful aspect of London is music and theatre. Musically, we stayed with the Christmas theme experiencing a candlelight concert at St. Martin- in-the-Field. St. Martin-in-the-field, a medieval church once in a field until London grew up around it, now it looks onto busy Trafalgar Square. The concert featured with both a choir and a brass quintet complete with dramatic readings and audience sing along to some very traditional and favorite carols. It was a very communal experience.

Days later we attended a more grand version at the Royal Albert Hall with more classical choral music and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in accompaniment. It too had the audience sing along however the dramatic readings gave a nod to refugees and Christmases of old. The festive decorations and lights added to the venue.

When immersing ourselves in London we have to partake of the world class theatre offerings. A show a day keeps the doctor away… or something like that.

We saw several shows on this trip ranging from Hamnet, the story of Anne ( Agnes) Hathaway, William Shakespeare’s wife and death of their son, to Backstair Billy- the former butler to the Queen Mother caught in a scandal 1970’s style, to the new musical The Witches, adapted from the Roald Dahl’s children’s book, it is sure to entertain.

However, the London production of Cameron McIntosh’s tribute to Sondheim’s Old Friends is, well, what do you call a tour de force on steroids? It is one showstopper after another with some of the greatest performers. Sets, costumes, singing and dancing – superb!

The Christmas cheer is alive and well in the street markets and department stores. A ride on a double decker bus to Camden to experience hip vibe of the Camden Markets on the canal, then to Boroughs Market,

a fabulous food market with delicious international stalls. Go hungry- leave wanting to go back.

In the crush of crowds and the bustle of travel we discovered family! Realizing we were Criss-crossing the same venues based on Instagram posts, we connected and were able to spend a couple of hours with our nephew and his wife who were also exploring London. It was great to see them and share highlights of our London experiences.

Beyond the sites and sounds of England the interactions with local life always is a treat. Two quirky experiences that left us chuckling. We stayed near the Royal Court of Justice. On a Monday morning walking down the street, we watched the barristers in their pleated bowed collars briskly striding toward the court with the young clerks trailing doggedly behind them pushing a handtruck loaded huge boxes of files. Huge fans of BBC court dramas, it was a glimpse of real court life.

The other chuckle was seeing school children on a field trip. Elementary school children on public transit for a field trip are issued reflective vests for easy identification. When the double decker bus stopped, an endless stream of children came spilling down the stairs. It seemed to never end. We speculated they must have been climbing back in the windows as the line kept coming!

The gifts of England at Christmas time are wonderful, but there is no place like home for Christmas so ta-ta for now. From the two of us, wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas !