Morning Coffee at Haberdasher's Hall at the invitation of a member - always a pleasure - and then on to watch the Lord Mayor's Show from a spot on Ludgate Hill.
On a nice day, the route would have been packed, but today was cold and wet; the forecast was rain from 11 a.m. - 1.00 p.m., and they weren't far wrong. I had gone prepared with a thick plastic mac which is proof against everything - a tropical downpour wouldn't have any affect - and in addition had taken a brolly. With gloves and waterproof boots to complete the outfit, I was reasonably warm and certainly dry.
The parade was the usual spectacle, with gaily coloured floats, bands, dancers, etc. Some of them must have been freezing in their flimsy costumes, although a lot have taken the precaution of wearing plastic macs to keep dry.
This year, the Lord Mayor is a woman, Fiona Woolf, whose achievements, naturally, are rather impressive - you don't get to be Lord Mayor of London unless they are. She is only the second woman to hold the post in its 800 year history.
For that reason, I wanted to take a photo, and as the procession was nearing the end, the rain stopped, so I was able to get out my camera.
Unfortunately, by the time I had got it out of my rucksack, and out of its case, she had passed and I missed her - I looked up to see her coach disappearing along the street.
Afterward, we went back to Haberdashers' Hall for lunch - steaming hot bowls of soup and bread and sandwiches and chips plus sweets as well, and wine and coffee. All most, most welcome after coming in from the cold.
Haberdashers' Hall is quite new, but has been very tastefully designed, with rooms built around a courtyard with a fountain. The whole atmosphere is peaceful and timeless. It must be rather nice living in the flats above it.
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