We went to London to see the Queen

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat, where have you been?
I've been to London to see the Queen!

OK, I admit the purpose of our visit was a little less regal, but it is the only child-friendly rhyme I know about London - that and the one about the Bridge falling down, which doesn't sound very promising.  Madeleine took it all in good stead as we bundled her up at the crack of dawn off to catch the train.   We were busy congratulating ourselves that we had at the very last moment remembered the rain cover for the buggy, and were happily waiting at the bus stop when we remembered that we had completely forgotten our case.  Fortunately Daddy runs quickly!

 Just 4 hours and 20 minutes to King Cross, and across town on the tube.  It has to be said that the tube was not built with buggies (or wheelchairs for that matter) in mind, but you can cope if you are prepared to hang precariously off of escalators ignoring all safety warnings.  As the tube thundered into the station, Madeleine looked up at me with huge alarm - clearly checking to see whether running screaming would be an appropriate response.  Despite the noise and the bustle, by the time we left 4 days later, she seemed quite the veteran tube-traveller and wasn't phased at all.

First stop was the Tate Modern - just over-whelming for the scale of the place.   We waked from gallery to gallery with a gawping Madeleine in tow.  Of particular note, some birds arrowed to the wall, a canvas streaming with colour and some blobs, which might or might not have been meant to be poo.  We also watched a puppet silhouette performance, where an African slave grew a huge penis and then gave birth.  It was all very disturbing.  Madeleine, in between gawping, began to shout "DUCK.  DUCK".  At first, being a little literal, we, her parents, looked vainly around for duck-like shapes.  I think however, when you only have 50 words max, this was her attempt at art-critique.  She does like ducks, so I guess she was approving.

Afterwards we went for a walk along the river.  The South Bank (we stayed in Southwark) has changed out of all recognition since I lived in London twenty years ago.  I hadn't been in London since her 20 week scan - and Madeleine had only ever been as an inside-baby before, so we were both a little blown away - by the scale of the place, by its bustle, by how very alive and exciting it is.  Madeleine expressed this by sitting upright in her buggy, squealing and pointing. We ended up in China Town.  Madeleine was totally wowed.  It is so, so bright.  So busy.  So noisy.  With amazing cake shops and restaurants by restaurants by more restaurants - all wafting amazing smells, and proudly displaying spit roasted duck.  "Duck. Duck" yelled Madeleine.  Absolutely.

We went to the place that we'd eaten in just after her 20 week scan, when she had been given a clean bill of health, but was still 4 weeks from even being viable.  So much to play for then.  This time she sucked in the busy restaurant and tucked into prawn crackers and duck pancakes. 

We walked back to Southwark via St Martin in the Fields.  London, all decked out for Christmas - the bells of the church chiming away across Trafalgar Square.  Madeleine could hardly believe her eyes, and sat in her buggy frantically signing "horse" as she pointed at the statue of King George.  

What an amazing city!