Ice Skating in London

Ice Skating is one of the most magical winter pastimes, in my personal opinion. For me, ice-skating is an important part of my Christmas. Sadly the outdoor ice rinks in London are only open around Christmas time, so, they can only be a Christmas experience really. It is worth making the most of them whilst they are here.

My favourite ice rink is Somerset House presented by Tiffany and Co. This ice rink is especially magical after dark inside the courtyard of Somerset house. You can do anything from Club nights to children’s stories. This Rink is open from 22 November 2011 - 22 January 2012 to book tickets go to http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/ice-rink

Be warned that this is a very popular and busy ice rink. I would even suggest going early in the morning if you need plenty of space. I would also recommend booking early as the tickets sell out very quickly.

The National History Museum is also a personal favorite of mine. Though it is not quite a picturesque as Somerset House, it is still a wonderful experience. The National History museum doesn’t have as many specific events and sessions as Somerset House, but this should make it easier to for those who really just want to ice skate.  This ice rink is open from 4 November 2011 – 8 January 2012. To book tickets go to http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/ice-rink/tickets/index.html

When going to the Natural History Museum, do be prepared to wait in line and have your session very strictly timed. It does have a lovely café and I always have a lot of fun there. Again do book early.

If you wanted to have a longer winter/Christmas experience than just your allotted hour on the ice, the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is a fun day out. It is also good for people in your party who don’t fully appreciate ice skating and tend to make very good friends with the side of the rink when they go. Winter Wonderland is open from 18^th of November until the 3^rd of January. TO book tickets go to http://www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com/tickets.

Be warned that Winter Wonderland does not have the same picturesque elegant feel that the other two rinks have, however it is a full on Christmas experience and probably better for parties with Children.

As it is Christmas time, all the open air ice rinks in London are opening. I have written about my personal views on each if the ice rinks. Make sure you book some tickets to decide on your own favourite.

Arabic Weddings

Whilst I spent time in Dubai, I was lucky enough to learn a lot about Arabic wedding traditions.  Arabic weddings are very different from the English weddings I am used to. Here are a few examples of the differences:

1.     Marriages are often planned by the parents of two families having similar wealth and social standing. If the families of the couple getting married do not like each other, there is little chance of the couple being allowed to marry. Therefore, there is no option to dislike your in-laws.

2.     The marriage is officiated by the signing of a marriage contract stating what both parties should expect financially during their marriage.

3.     There are sometimes gifts of heavy gold jewellery given to the bride to wear on her wedding day. This is similar to a dowry.

4.     Even though couples are technically married after the contract is signed, there is still a wedding ceremony. However, this wedding ceremony is split into separate female and male parties, so, there is no chance of meeting anyone at your friends weddings.

I learnt these wedding traditions from various people I talked to in Dubai. These traditions may not be the same for every family, but they give an interesting flavour of a different wedding experience.