We stood on Westminster bridge, and waited. We stood and waited, it rained, it was cold. In yet, we waited with thousands of others, and in those moments connections occurred. We sang Happy Birthday to a lady standing next to us who had come to wait and watch. She was in her 30's. Next to her was an old lady who had travelled from Northern Ireland, and been standing since 7am. Behind us was a couple from Canada, next to us a family from Kent.
We exchanged stories, we hid under umbrella's, we waited some more.
The big screen showed the Queen getting ready to go on the barge...the sense of expectancy increased.
And then the boats came.... the bells announcing the start, followed by the Royal barge.
The boats coming towards us as we appreciated the scale of the event was spectacular, the noise of the bells and trumpets inspiring.
We had our moment of being part of history. And memories? Well, it was cold, and very, very wet. In the year of drought we stood and got soaked, and afterwards there were thousands of people looking for warmth, shelter and a train home with no space anywhere. But we said goodbye to the people we had stood with, genuine connections between lives exchanged.
It was very British.
Jane
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