Happy Thanksgiving!

This may be my first Thanksgiving spent outside of the United States, but that doesn't mean I had to go without a bit of celebration. No, I'm not talking solely about the turkey sandwich I ate for lunch... I attended the official American commemoration this morning at St. Paul's Cathedral. The Cathedral was full for some time before the start of the service at 11am. As I got there a bit early and was there alone, I actually sat quite close to the front. The first four or five rows were reserved for embassy staff and their families, but I snagged a spot just behind them.

A color guard drawn from the embassy Marine attachment presented the flag of the United States, which was handed to the clergy and, eventually, placed at the altar. The flag was processed in along with a variety of Christian clergy, British and American, from around the capital. The final members of the procession were Ambassador Susman and his wife. The service consisted of a few readings, an offering for this year's charity (microfinance group Opportunity International), a nice sermon from the senior pastor at the American Church in London, and a bit of singing. The musical aspect was led by a chorus drawn from a number of American places of worship around town and added a nice touch. I'm generally not one for overt displays of patriotism, but I felt a bit of a tingle when the service concluded with a few thousand Americans singing "America the Beautiful" in the heart of London.

Photography was not allowed inside the cathedral and, for once, I didn't break that rule as security personnel seemed quite strict. What follows are a few pictures I took outside the cathedral as the service was letting out, a picture of the cover of the program, and a few pictures of St. Paul's from previous trips to London.

As an aside, I've seen the past two US presidents speak whilst they were in office and the security today jointly supplied by the British and the Americans was up there with either of those experiences. There were barrier fences constructed, dogs, and rigorous security searches of one's person and possessions. There was a visible British/American personnel presence both outside and inside the venue and a large number of athletic men with flesh-colored earpieces rising out of the neck of their jackets. It's a sad commentary, but a reality that a collection of thousands of Americans gathering together in thanks may prove an attractive target to some. That was a thought a struggled to shake as I listened to the Ambassador read the President's remarks and proclamation. I'd encourage everyone to be thankful for the incredible blessings we, as Americans, have. But I'd also encourage everyone to consider at just what cost they come.

I might not have had a turkey dinner today, but I'm quite thankful I decided to attend the service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ghost Forest

There is currently a large outdoor art installation in Trafalgar Square by the British artist Angela Palmer called "Ghost Forest." The exhibition, which consists of a number of tree stumps from an African rainforest, is meant to draw attention to the risk that these habitats face. The installation, which was meant to coincide with the run-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Copenhagen December 7th to 18th. What follows are a few of my pictures from Trafalgar Square...

As an aside, this entry marks my first foray into photo stitching. The panoramic shot featured at the top of this entry is actually a series of six separate photos I took whilst standing atop the stairs in front of the National Gallery. I stitched the distinct photos together to generate a nearly 180 degree display.

Touchdown

I happened to be taking the bus to campus last week when we ran into a bit of a backup in the area of Trafalgar Square. It soon became apparent that someone was gravely injured and he was of some importance. When the bus had entered the Square, I saw a man in a pinstriped suit receiving CPR in the middle of the road. There were 3-4 ambulances and 7-8 red police vehicles attached to the Diplomatic Protection Group. Nothing ever appeared in the newspaper, but it did seem to be more of a response than you or I would have received.

I was focused on all that when I heard a muffled noise from outside the bus. I was sitting by the left window and looked out to see a medical helicopter coming in for a landing. Those of you who have been to London will know that there is not a tremendous amount of room for a helicopter to land between those two fountains.

I frantically ripped through my backpack and found my camera. What follows are a handful of pictures I managed to take from the upper level of a moving bus.

Bank of England

Last week I visited the Bank of England Museum, which tells the story of "The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street" from its founding in 1694 as The Governor and Company of the Bank of England until the present day. Here are a few pictures from the Bank, located on Threadneedle Street in the heart of the City of London. I don't have any pictures from inside the museum as it is located within the confines of the Bank and security precludes photography. There are some full-scale recreations of the older Bank and I'd recommend the museum to anyone with an interest in economics, politics, or history.

These first few pictures show quite clearly the ancient security walls and the (relatively) new upper portions, which are about 100 years old.

This shot, taken from the intersection of Threadneedle and Cornhill, shows the Bank on the left and the Stock Exchange on the right.

Hastings

I spent the day yesterday walking through a nice bit of countryside on the outskirts of Hastings, a town located on the coast southeast of London and famous as host to the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Most, if not all, of the land we walked on is private property belonging to various farmers. There is a strong spirit of public access to private lands in the United Kingdom that is largely absent in the United States. The public are welcome to go for a walk so long as the business of the land is not interfered with and the area is left as it was found.

I traveled to the area with classmates and faculty to interact with locals who are questioning the government's plans for economic development and construction in the area. Hastings, with a population just south of 100,000, is a fantastically depressed area. Those living in the country don't want any development, but it's a different story when you head into town. The following are some photos I took as we walked a particularly scenic bit from Crowhurst to Bexhill.

Happy Christmas

The various Christmas decorations around London were ceremonially lit on Tuesday evening. The events were set to coincide with the London premiere of the new animated film "A Christmas Carol" and various stars of the film were spread throughout London taking part in the festivities. There were large-scale events at Oxford Street, St. Paul's Cathedral, and Regent Street. I joined a few friends in going to Regent Street, where actor Colin Firth lit the lights in a nationally-televised ceremony. The busy street, closed to traffic, was a sea of people. I've included a few pictures and a video of the lighting.

Our view of the stage from about 250 feet away.

Colin Firth with an unidentified London radio personality.

A view of Regent Street as the crowd started to disperse and I made my way back down to Piccadilly Circus.

The view from Piccadilly Circus looking at the entrance to Regent Street.