Two Week Trip to London for Research in the British Library and the National Archives (Kew)

Arrival at Paddington Station; was in a dreadful hurry and could not get a proper photo.

 A London cab; I took a few of them during my stay.

 British Library building

 St Pancras Hotel

 The SIS Building

 View of the River Thames from the train...

 Everyone "queues" for everything in England, it's the patriotic way. So here we are queuing for the British Library. I jumped in at the back after taking the picture.

 An authentic replica of a Benjamin Franklin model printing press inside the Library

The Diamond Jubilee Water Pageant

One of the largest water pageants in centuries...



And connects to centuries of British history...
Pomp and pageantry on the Thames

I cannot put it any better than the hearts of thousands of British people. God save the Queen! Being a cultural historian specializing in 17th and 18th century British pageantry, I personally think this water pageant simply delightful. Also the Edwardian flare of Elgar's Land of Hope and Glory for the finale brought a sense of the height of the British Empire to the forefront of the ceremony. Rule Britannia.