Ever since John was a small boy (insert joke here), he has loved LEGO® - the king of toys. And for as long as he has known of the existence of LEGOLAND® he has wanted to go. For many years, this would have meant getting to Billund in Denmark, surely an adventure in its own right, but hardly accessible. But since 1996 there's been an easier option for British LEGO® fans - LEGOLAND® Windsor. Yes, right next to one of the Queen's official residences at Windsor Castle. Unfortunately the admission price is such that even the Her Royal Highness would wince should she ever decide to pop in. Luckily we'd done some homework prior to our visit back in September, and had secured a 40p packet of crisps that gave us 2-for-1 entry to the park - saving some £32 (AUD$70 - $90 depending on the crunchiness of the day's credit) - winner!
Our impressions at first were underwhelming. It was a sunny Sunday in the middle of summer, so the park was heaving with kids, prams, strollers and other "family stuff". Johnny inwardly fumed at the slow-moving crowds but kept quiet - you can't really have a whinge about all the kids when you're visiting what is clearly a children's theme park! The rides were very tame, even the ones with the most potential dangers listed (always the ones to ride first!), and the queues were horrific. Johnny's childhood dreams were crumbling before Bec's eyes! But it turned out that the park's planners had saved the best for last. Miniland is the true jewel in the crown - where the park shows that it's more than just a collection of kiddie rides and overpriced food stands. More than 40 million LEGO® bricks have been used to create 1/20th scale recreations of some of the world's most recognisable landmarks, plus a stunning compressed version of London. The whole thing is finished off with immaculate landscaping including in-scale bonsai trees, waterways with moving boats, and (Johnny's favourite) working trains. We both absolutely loved it!
Here's Leuven Town Hall in Belgium, and a canal scene in Amsterdam:
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Big Ben, Edinburgh Castle and the Sacré Coeur in Paris:
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Johnny towers over Central London, and the Royal Coach exits Buckingham Palace Gate:
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1 comment:
There is a Legoland somewhere in Germany too. Have thought about going there a few times, but colleagues have told me that it is pretty expensive and not that great.
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