European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 25, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Ndon travel with the Young set children can succumb to City s charms As readily As adults by Julie Davidson London observer service. It s a funny thing about London. If you live outside the City it can seem the Crucible of All ills. London news is bad news commuter chaos bomb factories Tacky transport cardboard colonies daily crime fests. It takes regular visits to remind you that London remains one of the world s great cities and one of the world s most creative playgrounds As much if not More for children than adults. Our 10-year-old Catherine did All the sights on her first visit three years ago and even then her priorities were different from those of Christopher Robin. Buckingham Palace been there done that not impressed. Her Republican instincts however Are Happy to acknowledge the sovereignty of the land where the keen eyed consumer is Queen All the Way from Oxford Street to knights Ridge. This time before weekending grandly on Park Lane we plotted a program which had its improving elements and kept her out of the shops. But we did build in trips to both ends of the consumer spectrum harrods and Petticoat Lane. At harrods the crush almost crushed her shopper s spirit especially when the store which could once provide everything from a packet of pins to an elephant could t turn up a pack of Happy families. A giant cuddly Rhino for 2 Viz grand yes but i m glad to say the monstrous soft toys were objects of ridicule not desire. Petticoat Lane was More up her Street. There were real live Cockney posted at stalls calling her Luv and Darlin a youth hunkered on the ground was Selling hallmarked Gold neck chains. Eighteen Carat Gold All genuine stolen  we did t know whether to believe the boast or not but at least he triggered a memory from the pre television age. Is he a kind of artful dodger from Friday evening until monday morning we were on the go cushioned from terminal exhaustion by the hospitality of a leading London hotel which unusually not Only welcomes children but makes them Viks or very important kids. The trans Atlantic resonance is due to the hotel group s Canadian origins and Don t Knock it. British hotels would still be hiding children below stairs if it weren t for the North american example. In practice he four seasons policy on children does t Stop at the Token Goody bag and baby sitting facility but provides Active services for them games and toys a video and Book Library and delicious Hazard Jelly babies ice Cream and Popcorn through room service. To the concierge s Vik guide to London we also owe our visit to the museum of the moving image on the South Bank. We had planned other museum visits but had known Little of Momi s Cinema and to history trip lots of hands on activity Telly stunts and or. Who Memorabilia. Even without Momi children find the South Bank s jazz and skateboarding ambience fun. Saturday was dedicated to the serious stuff the science and natural Young children enjoy the playground at the zoo in London. History museums in Kensington. The science museum with its interactive exhibits Superb transport Section and grisly glimpses of medical history was judged the More successful with one caveat it was a Little expensive. The natural history museum More traditionally didactic does its Best to engage the Youthful attention with a living Creepy crawly Section. But not All children Are morbidly enchanted by bugs and beauties. Catherine announced that they made her feel sick and looked As though she meant it so we Cut the visit Short. In the evenings naturally we hit the West end Heaters. On the musical front there was the usual embarrassment of riches but As Jason Donovan was winding up the last few weeks of Joseph and the amazing technicolor Dreamboat it seemed the obvious Choice. On our Way to the palladium London presented us with one of its Street dramas. A segment of Regent Street was corralled by crash barriers and police. In the old Days you thought Royalty these Days you think bomb but it was neither. A Man was hurling slates from the roof of a store and threatening to jump. Three hours later when we came out of the theater he was still up there. Apart from that did she enjoy the show yes but Bur other Choice the legendary unstoppable Agatha Christie at the St. Martins went Down even better. Parents who want to wean their children off musicals and introduce them to the straight theater could do worse than Start with the Mousetrap. We Don t All have prodigies who gobble up Shakespeare from the age of 5. We went most places by tube apart from the morning the Circle line was Down. Londoners and frequent visitors like myself loathe the underground with Good reason but to Young out of to veners it s much More thrilling than a ride on a big red bus Symbol of Cit tourism.  is Fie warn youngsters in London there won t be a 60-foot Neon guitar like the one at the Las vegas hard Roek cafe in Honey i blew up the kid even negotiating the ticket barriers is a Novelty. The Metropolis soaks up Money of course but its Buzz costs nothing. More was spent however on a last treat before we left lunch at the hard Rock cafe which is just round the Corner from the four seasons in Piccadilly. For All its Cool reputation and noisy Charm it was Catherine s one disappointment. It did t have a 60-foot Neon guitar outside the door like the Las vegas hard Rock cafe in Honey i blew up the kid of Well i. Suppose Well just have to put Las vegas on  break Agenda. ,. ?.,. Distributed by Scripps Howard news service 12 stripes Magazine August 25, 7994