One of the few traditions my family has is to celebrate New Year’s Eve in a different city each year. This year, I was lucky enough to start 2016 in London, England. Although this was my third time visiting the city, it was still a true delight to be able to celebrate the New Year in such a famous and exciting place.
While in the past my family has braved the immense crowds of people that go hand in hand with December 31, this year we opted for something a little more relaxed. The evening began with a sit down dinner at Brigade Bar & Bistro, an old firehouse turned restaurant. It was an overall nice dinner experience, with the chocolate molten dessert being the highlight of the meal.
The dinner was then followed by a 10 minute walk to the water, where we then boarded a boat for a cruise down the River Thames. We cruised up and down the river for about an hour and a half, until 23:30, when our boat, along with the many others, strategically stopped in good view of the London Eye. At the strike of midnight we were in perfect view of the fireworks, and with a flute of champagne in hand, ready to welcome 2016. It was an enjoyable night filled with stunning views of the best sights in London, while being devoid of crazy crowds thanks to the fact that we were isolated on a boat. I highly recommend this “dinner + cruise” package if you’re looking for a way to celebrate with a group of family of friends that doesn’t include standing out in the cold amongst crowds of drunk party goers.
I also spent the next couple days in London going on what I like to call “the shopping tour of London,” meaning that I spent the majority, if not all, of my remaining time in London shopping, while occasionally seeing some of the sights. As my last stay in London lasted 2 weeks during which I saw all of the major sights of the city, I did not mind this at all and my closet is now full to the brim with all the spoils! Unfortunately, all that shopping meant that I did not get many nice shots of the city, but I’m sure I will be back again very soon for a more scenic visit.
I hope everyone out there had an enjoyable New Year! Here’s to an amazing, adventure-filled 2016!