That said, Harrod's is a pretty impressive place as far as department stores go. The store itself is divided into many "rooms", each one selling different wares from food items to jewelry, watches, men and women's clothing, furniture, and so on. We also went there on the first day of its After Christmas Sale and the place was a madhouse of people all over the store.

To me, the most impressive part of the store were the food courts.

Harrod's is certainly NOT an inexpensive store. Even with the sale, most things were well beyond what I was willing to pay. Nevertheless, as a tourist attraction, it is well worth looking at.

Well, who could argue with that?

From the moment we entered, Harrods was a frenetic collection of colors, sights, and sounds. The high ceilings with their beautiful chandeliers felt to me like they belonged more in a mansion or a palace than in a specialty mall, but they tipped me off to the name of the Harrods game: Luxury Shopping! From Furla purses to Versace shirts to high-end jewelry to expensive pastries in the bakery, Harrods has provided plenty of ways to spend those pounds since it first opened as a small, service-oriented store in London in 1849! Crowded with shoppers and all types of merchandise, this is a consumer's paradise. The guy we saw in a tux beautifully singing opera from a balcony overlooking the escalator would have seemed over-the-top anywhere else, but here? He just fit in with the mood of the place.

Whether or not you want to buy something, Harrods is worth visiting for the experience.

Harrods got its start in 1849, when Charles Henry Harrods took over a small grocery stand. The business took off and continued to build and expand throughout the years. The ownership has changed many times over the years. Most recently, businessman Mohamed Al Fayed took over the reigns in 1985 and invested $400 million in revamping the place. The store was the first to have escalators and the first to offer telephone shopping. Today, Harrods is five stories and carries everything, such as clothes, food, electronics, toys, and ancient Egyptian artifacts! This is where author AA Mille first brought an original Winnie the Pooh bear for his son Christopher. The store offers such luxuries as a personal shopper, gift wrapping, and your own Harrods’s credit card. There are 26 restaurants.

We went here with my friend Nibla, a local. There is a Tube entrance right at Harrods. As soon as we got out of the entrance, it was pure chaos. We had come during Christmas shopping season! We were caught in the middle of a herd of people. I felt like I was in a whirlpool, being sucked in and turned every which way. We came in at the first floor and finally made it over to the food court. From here, we could see chefs preparing fresh meat. I love spiced oils, so I purchased several bottles and some spices and paid for my purchases. We intended to go on though the whole store. That idea was quickly thwarted. We emerged back into a shoving and madding crowd. None of us cared for that and decided to hit Krispy Kreme and go.

Now I can get Krispy Kreme all over the place and have no idea why I had to get some from Harrods. It seemed like a good idea at the time. We made our way to the doughnut shop and encounter a 45-minute wait. There would be no way I would wait 45 minutes here for a doughnut, but I stood in line. As I came near the display case, an employee was passing out samples, which happened to be a whole glazed doughnut, and asked if I had ever tried them. I told him I lived 45 minutes from Winston Salem, where they got their start, and considered Krispy Kreme a food group on its own. He gasped and made a dash for the manager. The manager came over, introduced himself, and gave me a doughnut. Sure enough, it was heavenly, just like home! They stared intently, waiting for my verdict. I think my drooling smile said it all. That dozen doughnuts cost me $15 and I was in line 45 minutes, but Krispy Kreme lovers know it is worth it!