including Baker Street, Borough, The London Eye, Bletchley Park and Leighton Buzzard
(above, from google images)
Flying ‘home’ for Christmas – London and Birmingham 2024
This was to be one of our most enjoyable holidays/vacations ever! From travel and hotel choices to events, sites, restaurants and pubs etc to seeing all of our family and the majority of our friends. To spending time in some favourite places to trying new places and experiences.
Wednesday, December 18th 2024
Our British Airways flight from JFK was the first time we were to fly by B.A to the UK. We’re not used to almost everyone on board being British, mostly on their way home from pre Christmas New York revelling, sight seeing and shopping.
The plane was impressive, the staff quite nice and our only complaints were the slightly hard seats and the fact that the seat in front of Marie reclined way too much. The woman in front made an extra effort to lie back as much as possible, giving Marie only about three clear inches in front of her knees! Surely seats should not be designed to recline that much? I know it’s perfectly legal to recline on airplanes, but even so we still want to shove the reclining passenger back or hit them over the head politely with a chocolate orange.
We also don’t like arm rests, especially hard ones and would like to have been able to pull them up.
Still a very nice flight apart from those irks though.
From Heathrow, we got an uber to our hotel at Russell Square, Bloomsbury which is where we always choose to stay (for this and the past 2 or 3 times). The whole area is chilled and lovely.
We immediately warmed to the delightfully old-fashioned Montague Hotel, and the very friendly staff.
Checking in to our room wasn’t possible yet, so of course we went out to our favourite Italian cafe in the park, Tropea. Cappuccinos and a trio of mini cannoli.
Mince pies
Like a couple of years ago, when we were in the UK in November, I would again be trying a different individual mince pie each day! I love them. There is a popular bakery called Fortitude close by, well known for their deeper than deep mince pie so we picked one up plus another light looking plain pastry – both for later tonight. I shall probably add a post on this blog later in the year, by the way, with a more in-depth review of mince pies.
Waiting in the cosy, red-walled and festive lounge of the Montague there were a few old dears reading newspapers. It only needed the Major from Fawlty Towers to have been there to complete the picture.
The Montague is just around the corner from the British Museum! Cracking spot.
Then our essential hotel nap of about three hours. Marie can sleep a little on flights, whilst I struggle to do so at all and we always arrive feeling ritz crackered and hazy, but happy.
We of course had reserved a table at the Lamb on Conduit Street for dinner and drinks tonight, at 7.30 if I remember rightly. Getting there as the pub was pretty crowded, a couple had cheekily flipped over the wee chalk board on our reserved table – unbeknownst to us at first – so that you couldn’t read our names. Whilst I got drinks in – a soda water with a dash of lime cordial for Marie and a pint of Youngs Winter Warmer for me – Marie had to get pretty firm with the couple to get them to move!
A fine evening spent there in what coincidentally was our usual table opposite the snob screened bar, though they had moved the Victorian juke box a little over into the corner. It was lively with the sounds of the people, and we shared a cider battered, giant piece of haddock with chunky chips, and a side of mushy peas, tartar sauce and curry sauce (welcome to Britain!). Oh, and a Scotch egg.
We finished the first evening with a bit of a browse around Waitrose supermarket at the Brunswick Centre (buying a bit of chocolate).
Day 2 (first full day), Friday December 20th
Today we had tickets booked for one of the Transport for London’s ‘Hidden London’ tours, for which you can pick one of many that take you into areas of the London Underground train system that have been closed off from the public for a very long time. We went for the Baker Street tour, partly because that’s the only one featuring a peek at the only remaining section left from 1863 when the tube system was first built.
Until then at 1pm, we didn’t have a lot planned and would just enjoy taking it easy. We got up at a gentle pace, and got breakfast at a Starbucks. Partly because I like the marmite panini! Marie had a refreshing lime drink, myself a toffee latte.
So to the tour. You meet in front of the Sherlock Holmes statue right in front of Baker Street tube station. Two friendly yellow-vested TfL staff enthusiastically took us down, and you go through quite a lot of day-to-day areas of the tube stations that everyone uses but then they’ll open locked doors to hidden places. Fascinating stuff. The only bit remaining from the 1860s is a staff office, and what they believe were the staff toilets. Tiles remain.
You’re shown old lift shafts, the public commuter lifts being taken out to improve the ventilation system, now empty areas of modernisation including the first escalator in 1914. You see from old photos how the grand, early Baker Street Station looked with a restaurant on the first floor and a big hotel above which they later turned into apartments (you get a view of this from above a modern day escalator roof). In locked side rooms you can see old 19th century advertising posters, and in-between dark spaces once used for commuting are now housing active cable wires. There are big surprises too. Transport for London (TfL) used to offer a rifle range in an area of the tube stations, and that only closed in the 1980s!
Of course there are many more details, and as always my wife Marie will remember a lot more than I! The hour and a half went fast, and it wasn’t half as tiring or taxing as I thought it might be – and not claustrophobic.
We will happily do another one on a future visit.
We had a reservation at a small chain casual restaurant very close by, Handmade Pasta by Emilio’s, at 3.15. Before that we dropped into the Beatles Shop on Baker Street! The long haired, Liam Gallagher lookalike working there was very enthusiastic (“did you see the Paul McCartney concert yesterday? A lot of customers are buzzing about it”).
They had some really nice stuff on display, and I ended up buying a Yellow Submarine subtle polo which is of course yellow and with the submarine logo stitched in each arm, but just that – and a Beatles Shea Stadium, Flushing t shirt. Oh, and we bought our friend Chris a Sergeant Pepper drum-shaped mug as we would be seeing he and his wife Mo the next day.
Emilio’s was delicious! Marie had lamb ravioli, and I a Roman style spaghetti carbonara with salty pancetta and a lot of egg yolk beaten in! We’d go again or to another of their three or four venues.
Just enough room to balance the Beatles items on the window ledge too.
We then thought to have a look in Selfridges on Oxford Street. Dazzling festive displays in shop windows, and Selfridges had some very interesting stuff (we bought some pastries from a decadent, almost endless choice) BUT we aren’t used to London crowds! Everywhere was “rammed”, choc-a-bloc. Fun for a short burst but we’re not celebrities, so get us out of here.
Back to the hotel in the evening and to our new hotel room which was compact with a high ceiling. Then back out. We had decided that the Christmas markets we would go to would be the ones on the South Bank opposite Westminster. They were open until late, unlike many. There were some good food options, but first off we had talked about possibly doing the London Eye. It was now just about sixty yards in front of us. The last ride was I believe 8pm and we just had time! Tickets are a lot – 42 GBP each – but because it was late couples and groups were getting their own pod each! It’s the size of a Manhattan studio apartment.
It was magical with amazing views. We didn’t bother to sit much and neither of us were nervous walking around and taking photos (which do no justice to the actual scene over Big Ben and much of the city). It moves very slowly, and for the unique experience and half an hour ride it’s worth it!
Then we had a melted brie and cranberry toastie from one of the market huts and myself a quite strong hot spiced cider and bourbon.
A great night.
Day 3 – Bletchley and Leighton Buzzard
For today, something unusual. Marie had wanted to visit Bletchley Park for years, the site in which the British set up a headquarters in an effort to decipher the coded messages we intercepted from the Germans during the Second World War. Then, seeing as our friends live in a next town over, Leighton Buzzard, it would be the ideal opportunity to also see their house and their town of which they’re quite proud.
We got a train from Euston taking us to Bletchley to arrive before noon. By the way, the weather so far on the holiday had been bloody cold! More than we expected, and windy. It was also to be very foggy in a few days. We don’t mind much – though Marie feels it.
We were looking forward to the whole day. I didn’t know quite what to expect from Bletchley Park as we entered, but it’s very very understated and quiet in a way almost only the British can do it. The fact that is so quiet and not spoon-fed makes it authentic though, as if you could have been there in the early 1940s and imagine it all. It might be very different in warmer months (I see their site says “fun filled”).
I didn’t take that many photos, though they’re fine with it.
A lot of it is outdoors, looking inside the various huts used, but there is the Mansion too. How the deciphering was done through the use of machines pre-computer era, just designed by the human brain deploying dials, keys, wires and so on is utterly mind-bending. The Bombe machines.
Alan Turing was very influential in making it all happen, but a huge staff developed at Bletchley.
When we did decipher the Germans messages, it was necessary to pretend we got that information through spies in the “field”. We could never let it be known. My brother Martyn made a good point at the weekend that it was almost certainly known that Coventry was going to get heavily bombed, but we could do nothing about it without blowing our cover and making things even worse.
The pigeon exhibits are fascinating too. Yes, pigeons were awarded certificates for their services during the war!
Next, Chris picked us up in his Toyota Aygo outside the museum. It was strange getting into such a tiny British car, but very smart in black with red sporty trim. I’d shown interest in a visit to a country pub and Chris didn’t disappoint as he made a beer pit-stop to a fine placed called the Grove Lock pub.
We spent a quality half an hour or so there, then he drove us to their modern house which they rent in Leighton Buzzard. We watched comedy from ‘Only Fools and Horses’ and ‘Extras’. We enjoyed ourselves, had cocktails and snacks, met their Cat Tabi and were shown around.
Then out to a favourite with Chris & Mo, Mevan Turkish restaurant. We all had a fine meal (myself the lamb shank).
We had time for a visit to the Black Lion pub we had heard so much about and seen photos.
A classic English style pub, the outdoor beer garden looked terrific too.
We could tell Leighton Buzzard is a nice town, even though we only had a bit of time to see it.
Day 4 – back in London
A late start, taking it at any easy pace. We walked past Bloomsbury Gardens, and got a bus to Borough Market just south of the river and very near London Bridge (and with a nice view of Tower Bridge).
We’d heard good things about Borough Market. It took a frustrating little while to find it! When we did it was heaving with people closely packed together. Lots of enticing food options though many were to take away if you lived in London. Still there were great options around the market and some within it. We noticed a long-ish queue for the famous salted beef bagels (spelled ‘beigel’), We decided to do it. Delicious, with a carton tray of beef dripping fried chips with lots of salt and paprika!
We had to get out of this market though, and find space to breathe. A few yards away was much quieter and in a side street we shopped in a friendly and relaxing Bird & Blend tea shop where we bought some Christmas gifts and some ‘snowdrop’ tea for ourselves.
Then to find a pub we’d been keen to try when researching back home. The George Inn dates from around 1670, and is the only galleried pub remaining in London. It was fantastic! Arriving, we looked inside the first olde worlde room. A sign outside said it was reserved for a private party. Marie realised not long after it wasn’t reserved for two or three hours yet (other punters had also been fooled). It is probably the room that has the oldest fixtures too, and Marie sat below a clock that is from 1750s or 60s. Everything is dark beams and old wood. I went to the bar in the longer section a door or two down and got Marie an alcohol free berry gin and myself a ruby red ale.
Marie declared she was “(forever) done with Borough Market (too heaving)”, but we would certainly seek out the George Inn again.
Costa Coffee next for a mince pie for later. We then went along to Covent Garden Market to see how Christmassy it was. There were many thousands crammed in to the square, and we thought no way! Instead we walked through Soho and gradually towards Carnaby Street where we hoped to squeeze into Mother Mash cafe where we’d always intended to eat. It wasn’t too crazy. Totally delicious sausage and bubble & squeak (Marie) and steak pie and mash (me). You pick from around half a dozen gravies.
Jogging on towards Russell Square, we bought sticky buns along the way. The hotel room by 8.15pm. We’d walked a lot of steps today. We relaxed in the hotel red room. We ordered up a pot of Earl Grey for Marie, and an expensive Old Fashioned cocktail for me. But delightful service.
Day 5 (London>Birmingham)
We finished packing at the Montague, and strolled around. We had a latte and a pastry at Dillons Cafe within Waterstones book shop. Then wandered around Charlotte Street a little, me taking more photos.
A 2.38pm train to Birmingham. We were both happily a bit sleepy, and the train got us into Brummagem at 4.44.
We look forward to seeing the Cadbury’s cream egg melting over a tower block in Central Birmingham, a silly but likable painting that hangs behind reception at the Staybridge Hotel on Corporation Street where we like to stay. Everything looked festive, and we had a perfect room on floor 12. You always get a kitchen too, and the layout is always similar but it’s a home-from-home!
And something else we nearly always do when in Birmingham is get the tram to Kenrick Park (about twenty minutes away) and to the Vine megga curry pub. But what food, and – as family and friends arrived – what company!
Martyn would be able to meet us soon, having returned from seeing Lisa on a day out in Nottingham.
He was already in the Old Joint Stock pub in Birmingham by about 8.30pm and we all got there, back on the tram, at about 9pm. More classic times at the Joint Stock.
Day 6 – Christmas Eve
We went down to the hotel breakfast room to collect a whole load of breakfast for the coming days, including sausages and bacon and were to keep that in our room fridge. Added to that we bought some Warburton’s crumpets and small tub of marmite at a supermarket. Marie’s cunning plan!
A meet with Martyn before lunch in the excellent Cherry Reds which is a cafe but with as much emphasis on also being a bar with an impressive ales choice. We got comfy seats by the window.
Then on the short walk to Chinatown and to Malaysian Delight. My duck and pork were great, Martyn was happy with his sweet and sour fried fish too though Marie was disappointed with her honeyed pork.
And drinks at the Victoria pub close by, which was very quiet. It has a lot of spooky, and comical touches like the toilet signs and the strangely adorned ceiling above us.
Martyn went back to his podhotel in the Jewellery Quarter and Marie and I went around the impressive, ornate German Christmas Markets which are considered the best of their kind in the UK.
We looked around House of Fraser, Tesco and then I took some items bags back to our hotel whilst Marie went to get a twenty inch long bratwurst (in a bun) from the Christmas Markets!
We ate it in our room, starting at each end and meeting in the middle!
Then back out, we met Martyn at St. Paul’s House bar and restaurant overlooking St. Paul’s Square. We’d passed it on previous Birmingham visits, and Martyn had been impressed on this trip. Inside it’s cosy and classy, with a great-looking semi outdoor dining and drinking deck too. We had a nice time, Marie on a new-found favourite soft drink of sparkling (or soda) water with a dash of lime cordial, Martyn on gin & tonics and I whisky and ginger ale.
above, the beautiful St. Paul’s Square in Birmingham (photo from tripadvisor)
Martyn’s last day would be Boxing Day, so we booked a table at the restaurant for noon on that day, two hours before his taxi to the airport.
We would have Christmas Day tomorrow to look forward to first though.
Day 7 – Christmas Day!
I woke up at about 4.15am! Simply sat up in bed doing word games on the kindle and researching possible breakfast places for our morning in London for Monday, 30th.
Then lay back in bed until a more sensible time.
Marie’s alarm was set for 10.15. We sat up, had coffee and exchanged presents to each other (a Newcastle United, quality baseball cap for me and for Marie the new Miranda Hart book and a seahorse brooch).
For breakfast, why buttered crumpets of course!
We got news that my sister Emma had recovered enough from a wrist surgery and would be okay for our Christmas lunch out today! At Bistrot Pierre on Gas Street just off Broad Street at 1.15.
The meal and restaurant were very nice. The mains (entree) was good – it didn’t blow us away but it was good. Of the appetisers, my liver pate was outstanding, and of the desserts Marie really loved the Black Forest chocolate yule log. And we were all together, so quality family time. Emma’s son Jake – who is a diamond geezer – there too. For a Christmas Day restaurant lunch there are not that many options, and Bistrot Pierre does a really nice job and fairy affordable.
Next up, Emma and Jake went home in a taxi after we all had a nice walk through the Mailbox along the canals, and Martyn joined us back at our hotel. At Tescos supermarket the day before, we had bought several bottles and cans of top notch beer in plans for today. In the lounge area of the lobby/canteen of the hotel Martyn and I played some chess and draughts (“checkers” in the USA) and drank most of the beers, and Marie sat next to us and played some games on her phone.
A simple afternoon and evening before Martyn walked back to his hotel, but Marie and I agreed that it had been a contentful, quality family-time day and couldn’t have gone better.
above, Birmingham Christmas Markets
Day 8 – Boxing Day
Today was Martyn’s last (half) day of his roughly four day Christmas visit. We would be meeting him at St. Paul’s House for the lunch.
A nice walk in the grey misty, dewy weather to St. Paul’s Square for Marie and I and we arrived at about half eleven. Martyn was in a comfy seat with a beer (very distinct, unusual beer glass).
We needn’t have reserved at all because as yet the restaurant was quiet, though we were told there were lots of bookings. Anyway, we really enjoyed a pair of hours with a great lunch generously paid for by Martyn. Marie had a mini full English breakfast, Martyn pie of the day and myself fish and chips.
We would recommend SPH, and it’s also out of the busy central hub!
Then we returned to comfy sofas by the bar but Martyn’s uber was already outside so handshakes and hugs. It had all gone way too fast of course!
Marie and I fed squirrels in the square, and went into the apartments courtyard with the big Peaky Blinders mural (as we did two years ago) and posed for photos.
Back in town we shopped at Boots and Tesco Express, and back to the hotel. Then, off to a pantomime, Peter Pan! I wasn’t sure personally if I’d be cringing or if I’d enjoy it. Marie absolutely loved the whole vibrant, silly, happy two hour show and I must say I very much enjoyed it too! We took our very good seats at the Hippodrome, second tier but central and a perfect view. Stars included Matt Slack – who we didn’t previously know but a comedy panto specialist – and Alison Hammond who we definitely DO know from, among other things, the Great British Bake Off and Late Night Lycett. She’s a born and bred Brummie and Marie loves her.
The production is a flamboyant juggernaut, with everything from in-jokes only locals would get but Marie understood all of them, fart jokes, audience banter and little comical asides, impersonations, silly songs and it was a fantasy escape from real life. Most of the audience were adults! Though in the second half they did drag three kids on stage, sweet kids from Bournville, Redditch and Cheltenham via Cape Town. With the latter, Matt Slack asked him who his favourite member of the cast was (of course cajolingly pointing to himself) but the kid wasn’t having any of it, loudly exclaiming when prompted a second time, “I don’t HAVE a favourite”.
Day 9 –
Some shopping in the morning, including Poundland (a tonne of chocolate for my work and some for us), and HMV where I bought the new Waxatatchee CD for a bargain price.
We were heading on the train to a friend’s cottage in the woods today, and would enjoy a stellar day though for the sake of this post I’ll skip onto the next day (what with this being a personal day, and a day of non- sight seeing and not dining or drinking out).
Day 10 (Saturday)
One last big social day today! Before noon family were arriving on trains from Yorkshire. We had lunch reserved at the Indian restaurant Dishoom.
We met in the Birmingham Art Gallery & Museum, a place we’re fond of from several visits over the years. When we got into the rotunda hall, and family were sat waiting for us and wonderful to see them again.
There wasn’t much time to look around the Museum, so we went straight over the very nearby Dishoom restaurant. It’s a popular, classy chain of restaurants and Marie and I had only been to one for brunch in Charing Cross a few years ago or less. They’re very nicely decorated inside. We posed for family photos, and I took some candids before my camera battery died.
It was spicy and delicious (we love keema). Though for us still nothing can touch the claypot chicken or lamb at The Vine!
After the meal, back to the Art Gallery & Museum again! We had a nice wee wander around, firstly through the shop and the ‘Made In Birmingham’ room, which is full of fun stuff about the city. The traditional art in the entrance hall was also now more modern and based around popular culture. It needed an update, though they should also put the Pre-Raphaelite art back up if it’s not somewhere!
We couldn’t find where Joe Lycett’s Mona Lisa Scott-Lee was! Joe Lycett is a popular comedian from Birmingham, and a terrible artist but he likes to very much pretend otherwise is a tongue-in-cheek way! Lisa Scott-Lee is a singer in the Welsh girls pop band, Steps and she and JL are friends.
We learned that the painting is near the entrance on the way in so we decided to look for it later.
As I was approaching the entrance to Rackham’s (now simply called House of Fraser) I could see friends Clive and Karen walking towards me, so we greeted and I lead the way to where we were. I’d forgotten to mention that we’d left the others as they entered the Edwardian Tea Room.
We quickly moved on from the gallery to the Old Joint Stock but it was impossibly full! I said I’d quickly round the corner to see what The Roebuck was like in Church Street. It was fine, with plenty of seats available so that fitted the bill perfectly and over several drinks (and packets of scampi fries) near to a pool table and with a lively ambience we had a terrific evening! Those of us still left then moved on to a pub entirely new to us, in the Great Western Arcade – The Good Intent, which brewed its own Craddock Microbrewery Ales. Very good, and excellent beer. You can go upstairs too with a view of the Arcade below.
Marie and I were hungry and we went into a Pie Minister for delicious fayre later on, then back to the hotel and to pack for our last full day – albeit partly travelling from Birmingham back to London.
Day 11 – Birmingham>London
We had lunch at the Joint Stock (again!) at 12.00 and again had reserved a table. A friendly, very Brummie waitress pointed us to a table. Our plan was to have a classic British Sunday Roast lunch.
It was more average than we expected, quite nice but really we’ve found from a couple of Sunday Roasts (Joint Stock, even The Lamb on Conduit) you can make a much better one yourself at home! That’s not to say we didn’t enjoy our Sunday afternoon at the OJS today because we most certainly did. The waitress even got in on a selfie we were taking. We did order a side of ‘marmite sticky potatoes’ though, and we loved those! Lightly roasted potatoes rolled around in marmite perhaps tempered with something else, we would try to do those at home.
Oh, the Sunday Roast lunch at Mr Thomas’s Chop House in Manchester – that we had in April with Martyn – was phenomenal though, maybe the best I’ve ever had in a British pub or restaurant!
Churchills in Manhattan also does a very good one. In the next few weeks though I want to make us one at home plus – and something especially for Marie though I’ll enjoy it a lot too: a British style, meaty and cheesey “pub lasagne”.
Then the train to London. Marie made an instant decision to let our tickets go, and instead pay for the earlier Avanti quicker train. It was a good choice and meant not uncomfortably rushing when we got there because we had show tickets for 7.30 at The Comedy Store, Leicester Square AFTER getting to Paddington and checking in to the Premier Hub hotel.
The hotel was superb and just 120 GBP – tight fitting, which we know but super smart, friendly and everything you need. Amazingly, even though it was dark outside they have a technology that makes it seem from the bedside window that you are looking out on to a fake patio in daylight. Freaky!
And directly across from the hotel – just yards – are lifts down to the new Elizabeth tube line that takes you quickly to the airport! It’s all worked out for you. Well cushty!
So, a bus next to the Comedy Store where the infamous Comedy Store Players that had been performing improv since 1985 would be on, including the fairly well-known Josie Lawrence. You’re not allocated seats and you can go where you like. Uh-oh, we seemed to be picking the second row but Marie was confident we wouldn’t be called on to the stage. The venue is great, so relaxed and people were drinking bottles of wine in their seats, eating fried chicken – whatever.
The comedy was a was a lot of fun and at times hilarious. I’ve no idea how they even managed to think so fast! They often asked the audience to shout out suggestions for scenarios (emotions, occupations, film genres, theatre genres etc so as to set the scene for an improv – and since we were sat ten feet away I contributed “super tense” for a dentist scene – not sure why I added the “super”…a word used in the U.S more commonly then the UK probably)
One of the posters by the stairway is of Robin Williams thanking the Comedy Store for the big break (1989).
We then walked around Touristville, took photos and had Greggs pasties etc.
Another fine night!
Last (half) day!
We wondered if the area around Paddington would be bland, but actually it’s pretty nice with shops and cafes, pubs and some quite nice walks. We would have to leave around 10.30am by the tube to the airport, but as mentioned it is so easy from the hotel. Getting up early, we had decided to walk to the ‘Italian Gardens Cafe’, which we had discovered through browsing before the trip. It’s inside the entrance to Kensington Park (the park leads to Hyde Park…there’s parks everywhere in London). Two or three years ago we had been to this beautiful, large park but the other end where the palace is and afternoon tea.
The morning was perfectly serene, and an enjoyable walk and the park was gorgeous. The cafe was simple inside but nice, with a fine deck with great views and more tables for a warmer time of year. Mind you, people were sat outside now – quite a few. There were dogwalkers galore, and ahead ponds and ornate fountains. We had a delicious ham and cheese toastie, a very butter-y pain au raisins and coffees.
Then a slow stroll, and we found that there is a lot of sometimes unusual wildlife. Especially birds.
We took a whole load more photos, and what a great last morning just a ten or so minute walk.
And that was pretty much it before our train, plane and automobile journey home! If you try a similar itinerary in either Birmingham or London you wouldn’t go wrong. I haven’t gone into much detail on some venues and locations because I’ve covered some of them in other posts. If you get chance, take a close look at venues like the Lamb on Conduit Street in London, and for us the newly discovered George Inn, then classic Birmingham places to linger like the Old Joint Stock, Cherry Reds and St. Paul’s House.
There’s a bloke who does an excellent youtube channel, ‘The Great British Pub Crawl’ and we definitely recommend you watch any of those on London and Birmingham (and anywhere else!).
TravelHoglet 