London Day Out

Long and dark February nights wrap around you like a heavy duvet. Christmas lights have faded, and Valentine’s chocolates are long gone. What’s next? Spring still exists only in imagination, as reality slaps you in the face with a freezing wind. London evenings make you want to hide under a cozy blanket and hibernate until the first cherry blossom. Yes? No! Because there’s something else to do. And it’s not just about eating and drinking. Well, not only.

The Week of Glow has arrived in Kingston, and it’s time to enjoy the art of little neon lights turned into colorful creatures, scattered and hidden in various corners of the medieval town.

It feels like a cheeky treasure hunt: to get discounts at restaurants and shops in Kingston for the Week of Lights, you need to visit at least 6 out of 10 installations and get your postcard stamped.

I started at Kingston Railway Station, where a slightly frozen volunteer handed me a card, stamped it, and pointed me to a wall. It was still a bit too bright to see anything clearly. He told me it was a projection on the building, and I had to take his word for it. My next stop was near the Royal Exchange on Brook Street—still too bright for good pictures. The festival runs from 16:30 until late evening, but the best time to go is after 18:00, when the darkness turns the modern town into a glowing fairytale.

After visiting two installations, I was a little frozen, but my spirit was still high. At the Ancient Market, I found a bright, colorful maze, though I felt a bit shy inside the place, which was filled with screaming toddlers.

Near the bridge, I discovered an archaeological exhibition—it also had some light installations, but I was more mesmerized by the history of the place and the discovery of the old Saxon bridge.

The best light installations were set on the riverside. Two neon benches and two seahorses that constantly changed colors. People were queuing up to take pictures.

When my card was fully stamped, I headed to one of the restaurants and enjoyed a generous 25% discount on my dinner bill.

The light show runs from the 14th to the 23rd of February. I’ll be back again to pamper all my senses with the colors and the food.