a panoramic view from The Shard

We were so lucky to visit this new London skyscraper on a sunny morning in December. Every other day in the preceeding week had been grey and damp. I could imagine the foggy vista of nothing. But I am reminded of the power of sunshine and blue skies. It transforms all those dark buildings into a thriving metropolis. The roads and trainlines resemble the arteries and veins, threading their way throughout the city.

I loved seeing the long white overground trains crawl like snakes up to and across the Blackfriars Bridge station. It was also great to pick out classic buildings, like St Pauls and Buckingham Palace. The River curves between east and west. There is still a lot of building in the capital; the expanded Tate Modern and many new glass skyscrapers are still growing in the city.

Finally, I loved the shadows and reflections on the water. I also enjoyed walking up the last 2 flights of stairs to feel the power of the wind on the open air platform on the 71st floor. I loved seeing the tips of pointed glass just above us, and looking into the windows of a BA plane flying past! It was not difficult to decide to extend our visit to investigate the restaurants on the 31st floor. Our luck continued and we were able to eat at a cancelled booking, in a corner table at Aqua Shard. The purple and brown decor served as a warm backdrop to the city views. Service was brilliant, as was the food and wine - a truly memorable experience.