Three straight days of going out with children culminated in another skating event. Only this time, the girls skated themselves.
There are quite a few public skating rinks erected in various parts of London. They are always very popular and normally sold out ahead of time. Thanks to eBay, Natasha procured a couple of tickets for the rink at Somerset House, on Strand.
It is probably one of the best settings for an outdoor skating, taking up most of the vast inner courtyard of a magnificent palace. The midday drab sky spoils the picture a bit, but when the sun sets, the atmosphere becomes magical…
… which is somewhat further spoiled by the enthusiastic throngs of can’t-really-skate revelers. Somewhere along the lines of 120 tickets are sold for each hourly session, and the overwhelming majority of skaters have skills nearing mine when it comes to this particular activity. Which is to say, hardly any skill at all. There is certainly tons of laugh and most of the people manage to have a heck of a time, but they clearly are a nuisance to more able skaters.
The latter group included my two girls. There was one girl with seemingly professional skills (who left after less than thirty minutes) and a few guys moving like hockey players, but Becky was otherwise head and shoulders above the rest in terms of ability, gracefully gliding amongst bands of hapless fellow skaters. Kimmy was not far behind. They practiced various moves, played tag, and generally attracted attention. Kimmy had her skates in a fluffy cover, which additionally drew eyes of children and adults alike.
They had a blast! And I, while admittedly not a skater, positively enjoyed getting out of the house, spending time with my girls and watching them have fun.
And on this note, I wish you all a happy Christmas, whether you celebrate it or simply look forward to a day off.