The Guildhall

The Guildhall

From Rebecca

We were in the Guildhall for supper.

The champagne reception was at the beginning with the usual hors oeuvres being served.

What was remarkable was the very small size of the appies.  You didn't need a napkin because nothing was bigger than a single bite... so there was a miniature beef wellington only twice the size of your thumbnail. How do you make that?!

... the necklace?  a gift brought from Florence ...

I didn’t notice the list on the wall that told where everyone was sitting until someone asked me if I knew where I was sitting.

Up to that time I didn’t think about that, for I had someone else’s ticket. I recognized the Canadian Judge who gave me the ticket, so I hunted her down and told her i didn’t know whose ticket this was. She did, so I went to the wall and she said I was at Table O30 Shri Lanka delegation. We were inside what looked like a huge cathedral filled with long tables. I was also sitting by the Taiwanese judges who are all very young.

When I first came in, there was a woman wearing a stunning gold Chinese silk shirt. I told her that her shirt was beautiful and I wanted it. She said she could have one sent to me. I said no, I wanted hers and I wanted to be able to fit into it. She was very small and got the joke. I smiled and we parted ways. I ended up being seated right beside her. I have the business cards for all of the Tiwanese judges. We had a lovely time.

.. one last photo ...

The menu was stunning. There were long horn trumpets calling us into dinner and announcing the arrival of the next course. Then there was a musical programme between the appetiser and the entree and the entree and the dessert. The absolute classics of opera were sung. The music was heavenly in terms of it filling the space. The women singing, a soprano and a mezzo were singing from a balcony half way alongside the guildhall. Of course, the music made me cry.

For my siblings who can remember, one of the songs was the "Evening Prayer" from Hansel and Gretel, a song Arta made us learn before going to the opera when we were young. The music finished off with "Nessun Dorma". There was a big statue of Winston Churchill staring at me through the whole meal. I kept thinking he look grumpy and could have used a glass of wine as well, or a dessert. They gave the human rights award to Madam Justice Claire L’ Heureux-Dube. An absolutely astonishing location for a dinner. One of the Taiwanese judges said to me, I will remember this day for the rest of my life. And I will too.

... Northern line is down ... must leave early ...

The necklace was a big hit. I said that my aunt picked it out for me and my mother bought it. They agree that my mother and aunt have incredible taste. The shawl was also a hit.

The building? I don’t know anything about it so I am home now, looking at the internet and trying to get some sense of its beauty by looking at the picture I took while I was there.

More to come on my own blog.

Rebecca