Sunday has been an eventful day, as in a day full of nice events – which has been pretty much par for the course during all of this wonderful visit to England.
Today is Remembrance Day, and I went with the children to the Cenotaph, something I have always wanted to do.
Understandably, we couldn’t get anywhere close to the Cenotaph itself, so we stood at the side of the road, in a huge, good-natured poppy-wearing crowd, and watched the parade.
There was something incredibly moving, watching the hundreds of veterans marching proudly past, to cheers and applause from the crowds. Whatever one’s views are on warfare – don’t even get me started on the whys and wherefores of the British forces being in Iraq and Afghanistan – the dignity of the veterans, and the appreciation of the crowds, standing out in the damp and the cold, were remarkable. I was delighted to see that the three different Gurkha regiments got the loudest cheers – I don’t think I imagined it.
From Whitehall, a quick dash across London – hampered by lots of the Tube being closed for renovation – for a birthday lunch with my godson Rupert. How fast these children have all grown up, and morphed into young adults. After lunch, Hari left to go back to Exeter, and so daughter dearest and I walked through Kensington Gardens, hoping to see the Diana fountain, but it was locked, empty and sad looking – an empty concrete base, with muddy grass around it.
A full day was rounded off with dinner with Jane (my sister) and Michael, and one of my oldest Oxford friends Sarah and her husband Ron – they are all neighbours in Shad Thames. Lovely evening, made even more exciting for Anjulie by Sarah producing photos of us all at Oxford. Whatever did we wear in the 70s ?
Second photo of the day is of Tower Bridge looking spectacular. Walked across it to go for dinner. I love London !
What! No scanned historical images from the ’70′s?