Day of filming and packing

We're winding up our trip with some last minute work back in ClientEarth offices this afternoon and will have a last dinner at the Market Brasserie in Shepherd's Market (one of our favorite spots) and ending the day with the challenge of packing.

The sun is bright, sky is cloudless, and the temperature to reach 70 degrees today.  Smiles on everyone's faces as they hit the streets on their way to work.  I'm doing my last power walk of the trip, camera in hand and music in my ears.  My Nike pace setter is monitoring my progress to burn up 300 calories.  Wonderful scenes to record.  Did you know that London still has in service some of its oldest buses?  Saw one on Piccadilly heading for Trafalgar Square and loved it!

I then crossed over into Green Park and took in the everyday scenes of horses, dogs, and people enjoying what is to be a spectacular day...

across from Buckingham Palace

An English Bulldog, ofcourse!

what a lovely coffee break

I once found the chairs in the park so inviting I thought I'd sit a while.  Suddenly a chap ambles over and asks for a fee to use the chair.  Had no clue it was a business, thought it was a charming life style of a British park for everyone's use!  That was years ago, ofcourse.  I've noticed they are branching out from the traditional stripped canvas to floral prints as well.  Very nice, indeed.

Looping back around St James Palace (this is where Prince Charles and his family live) I watched the guards go through their paces at the gate.  I've been in the office section of the Palace for several meetings with Sir Tom Shebbeare over the years.  Tom is the Prince's Administrator/Advisor for all of his charitable work, which is enormous.  He's a great guy and has been helpful to me in my quest to establish ClientEarth with James.

I read, by the way, in the paper yesterday that Prince William and Kate will be taking up residence in the Kensington Palace where Diana lived with the boys after their divorce.  A great spot for them.

spring has arrived and flowers grace the streets  

We actually reached the offices of ClientEarth on time and spent an hour and a half filming interviews for future use in a variety of ways.  I pushed Michael to do it first since he was very uncomfortable and wanted to script himself very briefly.  I have no idea what they got out of him!  My filming went ok I guess.  I pleaded with the camera man to use good filters on his lenses and treat this old body kindly!  We followed that with a gathering of the London staff on the terrace roof for a glass of wine and a chance to get to know us and our history.  I, ofcourse, came prepared with some lawyer jokes to break the ice.  

We returned "home" to Mayfair, battling traffic in a cab, and stopped at the Market Brasserie for a last dinner before tackling the packing chore, leaving a wake up call, and watching one last bit of English TV on the tele.  By the way, we've decided that the Al Jazeera news station here is first rate and have watched it a number of times.  There seems to be a lot of women journalists, and we suspect that is broadcast to the western audiences.  I doubt the Middle East would accept women in this role, do you?

One last observation.  It is an institution at Pubs (at least in this area) to drink out on the sidewalk with buddies....almost all male.  Who knew????

Bye, bye from London....and the end of this blog!!!