14 June 2015 - Trinity of H's: Holy Trinity Brompton, Harrods and History

We decided we could all walk to Brompton, near Knightsbridge, for the 11.30 AM service at Holy Trinity Brompton, well known for the Alpha Course and other Christian outreach.  It was a cool, grey morning and perfect for a walk along the canal, a quick check on the moorhen family, through Paddington, past Norfolk Square Gardens, through Hyde Park and out on to the elite streets of Knightsbridge.

Statue in Hyde Park on the Serpentine

 We arrived just on time and the church was bursting at the seams.  We squeezed in upstairs and more people followed.  There were about 700 people there and the orchestra was in full swing.  The music was good and tunes familiar.  It was great to be there. Stephen Foster gave a good sermon on Luke 12:22-34 ("If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin..." (NIV)

Holy Trinity Brompton

 After the service we went to the church cafe, where it is rumoured that they do the best coffees in London, and indeed the coffee was excellent, albeit at city prices.  After our refreshment we decided to wander down the street to Harrods.  I had pre-warned the kids that we would be buying nothing in the store.

Harrods food hall

 There were clearly some very well dressed and wealthy people shopping there.  We weren't the only browsers in clothes that were not suitable for the opera.  The shop assistants looked very dapper and  the galleries showed fine art including Matisse and Picasso!

Beautiful tiles

More tiles

Look up - wow!

Harrods tea shelf!

Through to the cakes!

 The Egyptian renovations and escalator cost over 2 Million pounds and was built in 1997 after Diana's death.  There is a bronze memorial of Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed.  Talk about opulence!  What I like about Harrods are the beautiful old tiles in the food halls and the food displays.   We wandered through and gazed in wonder at the array of chess sets and backgammon games and everything being so absolutely posh.

Memorial for Diana and Dodi

More artwork

Just look up....

Harrods Bear

Red Harrods Bear

Knightsbridge  houses

More exclusive residences

Octagonal turret

It was all summed up well by a Mad Hatter with a pet mouse in a tea cup who was attracting quite a bit of attention in front of Harrods: opulence to the point of madness -  the question is why?

Love coming across these old plaques!

Mad Hatter plus mouse in tea cup

 There was a Harrod's doorman chatting ever so kindly to a homeless fellow which was heartwarming to see.  The same doorman obligingly posed for me when I asked for his photo.  He obviously loved his job.

Isn't he lovely?!

 Luke was very keen to go back to the Natural History Museum which was close by.  Karl and I were keen to go, too.  The big kids chose to go home which they did.  There is so much to see at the museum and we are not finished yet!  Today we spent most of the time with insects and at the wild garden display.  Luke, our nature loving boy, was so fully engaged with all the exhibits and could stay for much longer everywhere we went!  Karl and Luke stayed longer than I did and enjoyed the mineral displays.

Natural History Museum - hornbill skull!

Luke building an insect hotel

Pond at the museum

330 million year fossilised wood

As you reach the top of the escalator at Kilburn Park station, there is classical music playing.  It is a lovely little station which has recently celebrated its 100th anniversary.  It feels like home now!