Boat Pageants and Endless Rain

Sunday was the first official day of the Jubilee festivities. A massive river boat flotilla took place up the Thames, with a thousand boats participating along with the Queen’s own ship. Paula and Jessie knew they couldn’t miss the historic event despite the impending rain so that morning we set out to Tower Bridge (despite the ominous rain clouds) in a large group including Juliette, Nicole, her boyfriend Richard, and Kara.

However, upon getting to Tower Bridge area we discovered that it was jam-packed with people, to the extent that we couldn’t even see the water much less anything potentially floating in it. The police had blocked off many of the small streets and weren’t allowing anyone to go down by the water so that meant tons of people were squishing into the places that were open. We wandered up and down the area for a bit trying to find somewhere that we would at least have a partial view of the river in the midst of the crowds and beginnings of rain.

Above: The crowd at Tower Bridge. Yeah. There was NO way this was happening.

We were close to giving up when we found ourselves in a cluster of people waiting to get on to London Bridge. They had it blocked off at that point because of some security concern with the number of people already on it, but since our prospects weren’t looking so great regardless, we decided to wait it out. And boy did it pay off! Shortly after they told us that the bridge could be closed indefinitely, whatever was going on must have cleared up because they started letting us move slowly on to the bridge! We actually made it to the center, and while there were several rows of people standing in front of us, we actually had a view (well the camera had a view if we held them up, and tippy toes helped…) Jessie and Paula became masters at the awkward arm stretch to get a decent picture of the water below. Getting that angle just right helped pass the time! However Nicole, as the shortest of the bunch, was forced to hop up and down in order to get any kind of view.

Above: Our view of the river, waiting for the flotilla to arrive! But the question remained–Who were these lucky ducks who got to stand on the very edge?!

Above: Nicole, Paula, Juliette, Richard, and Kara (L-R) look super happy about the rain!

Thankfully the boats began passing below us not long after we got settled on our spot on the bridge. Hundreds and hundreds of small boats, ranging from kayaks to smaller yachts and crew rowing boats. Despite the drizzle we cheered and waved our flags, keeping an eye out for the Queen’s boat. Our perseverance paid off and soon we spotted the behemoth of a royal barge that carried the Queen and the royal family–Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Camilla, and of course Will, Kate, and Harry. Although we couldn’t hear from our high-up vantage point, apparently the London Symphony Orchestra was floating alongside the barge in another boat playing music despite the rain.

Above: Some of the hundreds of boats that made up the Flotilla.

Above: The Royal family on the Spirit of Cherwell. The Queen is in white, Camilla is in cream to the right with Prince Phillip in between. Kate in red around the corner to the left with William and Harry beside her. Prince Charles is the side of them possibly.

Above: The Spirit of Cherwell, the Queen’s boat.

The Queen eventually passed underneath us and was greeted on the other side of the London Bridge with cannon fire from large sailing vessels and thunderous cheering all around. We all felt insanely patriotic despite our lack of Britishness and were so thrilled to be part of the event! We even attempted to sing the British national anthem, much to the chagrin of Richard when we accidentally mixed in “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.”

Above: Nicole with her flag, showing off her English pride! God Save the Queen!!

Once the Queen went by we started the trek back to Mile End, and were unfortunately caught in a huge downpour. All the Tube stations nearby were packed with people, so after considerable wandering we were able to catch the trusy 25 bus back to the flat (with a quick stop for kebabs–we were starving!!) After such a long day we all changed into warm, dry clothes and had a quiet evening in the flat. Paula and Jessie wrapped themselves in blankets and treated themselves to a Gilmore Girls marathon while listening to the rain outside. Despite the rain, seeing the boat pageant was well worth it!

Above: Walking back in a super-rainy London.

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• Tagged: boats, Diamond Jubilee, jessie, London, Paula, Queen Elizabeth, sightseeing, Thames, Travel