Much against my better judgement, I found myself persuaded to venture into London today for the river pageant celebrating the Queen’s diamond jubilee.
I knew it would be crowded. I knew the weather was rotten. And I suspected we’d get stuck coming home, as a million people all headed for the mainline stations all at the same time.
Well, it was crowded, damp and grey but we were lucky with our transport and got in and out with the minimun of fuss. We headed for the southbank and found a viewing area in front of the NFT with a glimpse of the river. The boats came past; the Queen came past; there was a real buzz. London was alive. I am glad we went.
Now we are home and drinking English wine. Three Choirs Regalia 2011 is really nice, and just £6 from Asda. It smells of an English summer day: all elderflower, pear, melon and citrus fruit with a nice texture and no rough edges. If England can make wine this good for £6, then it’s not going to be just about fizz. I really like it: dry but with some fruit sweetness.
And some fizz, of course. Chapel Down Reserve Brut NV, made for Marks & Spencer. It’s a really tasty fizz, combining ripe apple and pear fruit with some toast/brioche character and good citrussy acidity. Precise and full-flavoured.
A short film of the event:
Great little film. I am not a Royalist in particular but this little short had great emotional content. They say we don’t know what it is to be British, and maybe this got as close to describing it, without words, as you can get.