The View from The Shard

Tower Bridge and The Shard
© The View from The Shard

After being whisked up in two separate lifts at 6 metres per second and climbing a flight of stairs, I found myself standing on the 72^nd floor (244m high) on the highest level on The View from The Shard, the name given to the publicly accessible viewing spaces on the eponymous skyscraper. Out in the partially open gallery, I saw beneath me the star attraction: London.

It was as if I was looking at a model where somebody had pressed a button to make boats sail down the Thames, trains run along tracks, cars drive across Tower Bridge and pedestrians look like an army of ants as they hurried along. Even though it was dull and cloudy, the light kept changing which kept altering the impressive 360 degree panoramic view. 

See the Gerkin from the window and on screen
© The View from The Shard

As the mist cleared, I could see the Thames snaking through the city, its most renowned landmarks appearing from what seemed out of nowhere. Using the Tell: scopes – state-of-the-art telescopes,with touchscreens, you can learn about fabled buildings within your sight. It is easy to while away the hours here. Make sure you visit to the toilets. These are rooms with a view!

Having watched the Shard's splinters of glass shooting into the air as it was being built,  I couldn’t believe that I was actually here at London’s newest landmark and Western Europe’s tallest building. It will be opening its doors to the public in February.  

There has been much discussion about the admission price for The View from The Shard, £24.95 for adults and £18.95 for children for pre-booked, timed and dated tickets, so you won’t have to queue or contend with crowds. (You can pay £100, on the door, if you want to go up straight away.) Is it worth it? 

The EDF Energy London Eye charges £20.28 for adults and £14.07 for a Flexi Standard Ticket, booked online, which entitles you to arrive any time on the day you select. You’ll pay more if you want priority boarding. Your ride lasts 30 minutes.  

A room with a view

At the Shard, there is the touristy, element, being greeted by fun caricatures of the likes of Boris Johnson shining Ken Livingstone’s shoes lining the way to the lifts and specially composed music played by the London Symphony Orchestra to accompany you on your journey to the top. You can spend as long as you like there and it is higher than the London Eye. The unique and amazing perspective of London the Shard offers is an unforgettable experience. So, in a word, yes it is worth it.

By Daralyn Danns

Ticket for the date and time of your choice can be booked in advance.  For more info visit  www.theviewfromtheshard.com

A little luxury goes a long way

The other day I was walking beside the River Thames when I saw the Silver Cloud, one of the Silversea cruise ships, moored alongside HMS Belfast near Tower Bridge. My mind flashed back to when I stood on the top deck of the Silver Shadow (one of the groups smaller ships), sipping a glass of champagne, and watched Falmouth’s picturesque harbour slowly fade into the distance as we set sail for France. All the stress I had been carrying around with me began to float away like the bubbles in my champagne flute.

I knew I was definitely going to enjoy living in the lap of luxury for the next five days. 

The Silver Shadow was extremely welcoming and so spacious that I felt as if I was on my own private yacht with the crew ready to wait on me hand and foot. 

The attention to detail – fresh flowers and a bottle of bubbly greeted me on arrival in my suite – was superb. There was even a choice of toiletries.

You are certainly not going to starve on board. In fact, I was more worried about disembarking with excess baggage as the food was so amazing.  As soon as I had finished one meal, it seemed it was time for the next. And in case I got peckish, there was always 24-hour room service. To prevent me having to buy a whole new wardrobe when I got home, I chose the delicious low-calorie "Wellness Options" at lunch time and indulged at dinner. The chocolate desserts were to die for.

There were no nasty shocks on my credit card at the end of the trip, as all drinks including champagne and wines were complimentary (fine wines were extra). The staff were not allowed to accept tips so it avoided the palaver of spending the last day filling up envelopes as you do on most cruises.

To keep fit, I always took the stairs and never used the lift. A power walk around the decks before breakfast set me up for the day. There is a fitness centre on board and there are also exercise classes, both of which I never managed to fit into my itinerary. My idea of exercise was soaking in the hot tub by the swimming pool and relaxing on deck watching the world go by. Although dancing after dinner helped burn up some calories – there is something magical about dancing under the stars.

Laughter is the best medicine for destressing and Muriel, a 60-something divorcée from Ireland provided plenty of that. When Muriel met Harry, also a 60-something divorcé, we all started to hear the sound of wedding bells and planning the wedding became part of our daily schedule. After the cruise, she emailed me to tell me that the wedding was off. Life at sea is a world apart from reality. But, after seeing the Silver Cloud, there is something inside me that is hankering after another taste of the glamour of shipboard life.

By Daralyn Danns

For further information visit Silversea Cruises (www.silversea.com)