23rd December 2012

After breakfast in the restaurant we have decided to go to Windsor Castle today.  Grey skies but quite mild.

Gordy sitting in reception.

 One of the beautiful rooms in the hotel where they serve "high tea" and a harpist plays very afternoon.

This is the "Balcon" - the restaurant in the Sofitel.

 In front of the Sofitel St James.

Piccadilly Circus Tube is a five minute walk from the hotel where we buy a day ticket (GBP7 adult) and head to Paddington, which is only about five stops away.  There we buy return tickets to Windsor (GBP9.50 adult) and board the train to Slough which takes about 30 minutes and from there you catch a connecting train to Windsor - Eton Central which is a further five minute journey.

 Windsor Castle has been home to monarchs for 1000 years and is where Queen Elizabeth calls "home".  GBP17 entry to the Castle and you can tour through the State Rooms and view Queen Mary's Doll House...all magnificent.

A view of the Castle.


After touring the Castle we walk the cobbled roads in the surrounding township and stop at the "Hungry Eye" a restaurant that specialises in Ghurka food.

                             Carollers at Windsor.



Back at the hotel (after a little siesta) we head out to "34" at 34 Grosvenor Square for dinner.  I so recommend the Banoffee Bombe....a perfect sphere of chocolate dusted with gold leaf which they then pour a warm toffee sauce over which melts the ball revealing a centre of banana nut ice-cream (though apparently they sometimes change the flavour of the ice-cream).  It is a signature dish of the restaurant and is so rich!  Delicious!