Westminster

Visited Westminster Cathedral today. There was a service on, so we didn't look round too much, but it is quite a beautiful building. I wonder what it would have looked like if they had managed to complete the interior ... the marble only reaches part of the way up the wall, and the domes, that presumably should have been as awe inspiring as St Peter's, are instead like dark holes ... but very imposing nonetheless. And the exterior, although not pink and green, reminds me of the Duomo in Florence.

We were in that part of the city in order for me to pick up a book from St Paul's bookshop next to the Cathedral. Afterwards we stopped by Pizza Hut for lunch, and the only seats were at the edge, on a bench. Anyway, in the end it was good we were sitting there, because it meant we got ringside seats for the "entertainment". At first, we noticed a few men in traditional outfits standing by the traffic lights but not crossing, whom I at first suggested were Chinese. H pointed out that they weren't, which was then obvious to me too and a bit embarrassing to have thought that, and we then went through our knowledge of Asian countries. I suggested possibly Tibetan or Nepalese, H wondered about Malaysian. Then some policemen began to gather. We didn't, at first, put the two sights together. But as more and more police began to arrive, we wondered if some important person was about to pass our way.

I was the first to see the beginning of a march coming round the corner. The complete "Free Tibet", "Stop torture now", "China must leave" protest march made its way along the road in front of us. Unfortunately we couldn't hear anything, but it was interesting to see the mix of Tibetans in traditional costume, those in jeans and Tibet t-shirts, white "ethnic bohemian" students, white middle class people, and a variety of others, waving flags, wearing Tibet hats, holding up banners and probably making a noise through their loudspeakers. All surrounded by what H pointed out was a very undemographically representative large number of policemen. There must have been at least forty police, mostly men, wholly white. Just an observation ... H reckoned there were more police than protestors! Probably not, but it still seemed somewhat excessive! Anyway, it all passed off without fuss, and about half an hour later, the marchers dispersed back down the road and off individually home.



We decided to head back to our abode too.