November 11, 2007
Remembrance Sunday
I was walking past the London Eye at 11am this morning. It was very poignant.
The wheel stopped turning and the staff of the Eye stood to attention in a line in front of it. Together with the queue stretching across the wide pavement, they formed a natural semi-circle. Very quickly it became a full circle as people walking down from Westminster Bridge joined in the silent tribute.
Clueless foreign tourists chattered as they strolled along the embankment, suddenly finding themselves encircled by a contemplative crowd. Not wishing to offend, they joined in, looking somewhat confused.
The only sound came from a harmonica played by an old boy who I'd passed moments before. I suspect if he'd known that the two minute silence had started, he would have stopped playing.
Then the field gun signaled the end of the two minutes and everybody carried on with their business. Like any other Sunday, but perhaps a bit calmer than normal.
Posted by dompannell at November 11, 2007 12:11 PM