The Lord Mayors Show on the 11th November was, as always, a glorious and amazing spectacle – and, for once, the sun shone!

 

Starting with a two minutes’ silence at 11am, observed by quite a number in the crowd, where we remembered all those who gave their lives so we could have peace and freedom, and days like these to enjoy, we stood in the late autumn sunshine and watched as float after float went past us, each  incredibly inventive and spectacular.  The Armed Forces bands kept everyone in step and moving along, and the young cadets were a joy to watch.  Altogether, an hour and a half of what this country does so very well.

 

Of course, the last part was the best part, as the Lord Mayor Michael Mainelli  smiling and waving his magnificent hat from the window of the incredible State Coach, brought up the rear of the procession which was all about him.  (Did  you know that The Lord Mayor of London's State Coach is, along with the King's Gold State Coach and the Speaker's State Coach, one of the three great State Coaches of the United Kingdom. Unlike the other two (which are only used on rare occasions such as Coronations) the Lord Mayor's Coach is used annually at the Lord Mayor's Show, and as such it is deemed to be the oldest ceremonial vehicle in regular use in the world.) 

 

By this time we were ready for lunch, and walked just across the road to Haz, a delightful Turkish restaurant, where we were warmed, fed with delicious food and generally restored.  It certainly made a change from some of the formal lunches going on elsewhere in the City,  something a little different, and although we were a small party, we had a lovely time in each other’s company.

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Joanna