My expat friends and I say it all the time - we definitely picked the best years to be in London!
We were here for the Royal Wedding, last May.
This weekend, we celebrated the Queens Diamond Jubilee.
And in august, we have the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Lucky.
This weekend, was definitely a site to behold. Bunting and English flags hung for anywhere possible... streets, houses, cars, shops... the whole city united in patriotism to a Queen who has dedicated her whole life to her country.
As I didn't get back from Italy until Sunday night, I was 2 days behind in the drinking, eating and general English debauchery.
(Although L. & I had spent a few pre-italy days making crowns, coloring flags & such).
Monday night was the BBC concert @ Buckingham Palace - so rather than face the ridiculous crowds, unfavorable weather and congested tube ride home - a group of friends and I headed to a pub in Putney for a 'royal quiz night', roast dinner & the perfect view of the concert.... on a flat screen TV.
Tuesday was the carriage procession from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace. D. and I had planned to spend the day being 'tourists' ie. run around central London, clicking away at our cameras, and finally seeing the things we never do in our day-to-day London lives. We had planned all this - with the strong intention of staying away from anywhere remotely close to where the Queen would be. After running down the Tames (from London Bridge to Blackfriars) we made a rash decision to get off at 'Westminster'. The moment we stepped out of the tube we were swept with the crowds. (N.B. When out and about, D. & I have a tendency to act ridiculous and be completely blasé about the people around us and where we are going) Before we knew it, we were on 'Horse Guards Parade', hanging from a fence in an ideal position to see the Queen. Meh - what the heck. And then just to make the 1.5 hour wait (climbed up a fence) a little more bearable, the Queen's marching band decided to park up right next to our location and play away at their music until the Queen came by. Winning.
And that we were, when those carriages pulled on past us and our cameras clicked away...
Tuesday was the carriage procession from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace. D. and I had planned to spend the day being 'tourists' ie. run around central London, clicking away at our cameras, and finally seeing the things we never do in our day-to-day London lives. We had planned all this - with the strong intention of staying away from anywhere remotely close to where the Queen would be. After running down the Tames (from London Bridge to Blackfriars) we made a rash decision to get off at 'Westminster'. The moment we stepped out of the tube we were swept with the crowds. (N.B. When out and about, D. & I have a tendency to act ridiculous and be completely blasé about the people around us and where we are going) Before we knew it, we were on 'Horse Guards Parade', hanging from a fence in an ideal position to see the Queen. Meh - what the heck. And then just to make the 1.5 hour wait (climbed up a fence) a little more bearable, the Queen's marching band decided to park up right next to our location and play away at their music until the Queen came by. Winning.
And that we were, when those carriages pulled on past us and our cameras clicked away...
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