Saturday was one of those days – the husband was away at the Rugby (good game, they won, smiles all round) and the weather was a bit blue, a bit grey and very cold.   So where better to drag the kids to than a trip to the Southbank? Except that’s not exactly where we intended to go – the initial thought was for Portabello Market, but hey, throw in the circle and district lines not working and we become ever adaptable, particularly when one is standing in the middle of Victoria Station thinking I have two small children to impress with my inventiveness…we took the 507 to Waterloo.

But the Southbank is a little – rather big – gem hidden in the depths of our urban jungle.  If a stranger to London wanted an itinerary for a single day I would always say head to Waterloo, get out and start walking to Greenwich along the Thames and pass a multitude of wonders: The Tate Modern, HMS Belfast, Borough Market, The Design Museum and a host of others.

Heading off with Charlie carrying all his toys in fetching bags.

Can you see what’s in them? Dinosaurs!

My daughter the papper!

First stop the amazing food market on Belvedere Road at the Southbank Centre.  It is the perfect pits stop: Beautiful breads, fresh smelly cheeses, street food to die for, somethings ready to go, others ready to cook, tastes and aromas to make any heart sing.

I treated us to some of these.  Delicious eh? The kids refused to eat them – I swear mine are the only children that would turn their noses up at Spanish doughnuts dunked in melted chocolate.  It was a hardship, but I ate the lot…

Here! Another random find on our ramble – and very close to the Hayward Gallery where the Light Show is on.  Really worth a visit, but more of that on another post.

Bella and Charlie were bemused by the boat left stranded on the top of the Queen Elizabeth Hall.  In fact it’s London’s most exclusive hotel room – when you stay you get to raise a flag to signal you are there. You can only hope the bed is down the other end.

A wonderful busker that made me laugh.  Every time he puffed, fire appeared. I did busking in my youth, many moons ago.  And never involving fire.

A much needed hot chocolate stop.  It was freezing!

You never know what you are going to see next..

We threw our coins. And then the tide started coming in..

Time to clear away..

And head home with the knowledge that in simple things you sometimes find the world.  Kate x