THE END OF A LONG JOURNEY....BRITAIN TO LEAVE THE EUROPEAN UNION

Yesterday on Friday was a strange old day. It was a day that we should have
been celebrating the end of that long ongoing controversy we call Brexit, now
that our Government and the Leaders of The E.U finally signed the official
Withdrawal Agreement, firstly
in Brussels yesterday morning and then later in the day at No 10 Downing Street.

And I suppose it goes to show the power of the Press and Media because this historic
occasion almost became a non event thanks to our National Broadcaster the BBC.
And what should have been a leading news story simply got buried away or as
on the evening's main 6.00 pm News, was completely ignored altogether.

And it's not surprising that the BBC came in for some heavy criticism yesterday
for their disgracefully biased behaviour by trying to bury the story of the
Withdrawal Agreement, a news story that quite frankly should have been a priority top story.

Naturally I headed over to my favourite BBC Bias Blog 'IS THE BBC BIASED' where
throughout the day they were monitoring the appalling behaviour by our national
broadcaster. In fact I left one or two of my own comments there as I sometimes do
when I feel that the BBC are taking liberties......again.

But yes there are still a few loose ends that need tying up before officially leaving.
A comprehensive deal on future relations with the E.U before the end of 2020
is still a bit vague. And now there's news that French Fisherman are demanding
fishing rights for another 25 years.

Next Friday on the 31st of January is the day we leave the E.U.  And our tv schedules
will be marking the moment and the hour when we leave at 11.00pm that evening.
I should think that they'll all be wearing black armbands at the BBC next Friday.   

A VISIT TO ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL LONDON

Last week I was thrilled to finally pay a visit to the inside of St Paul's Cathedral here in London
having seen it many times from the outside. But what mainly inspired me to visit was the news
that the Cathedral authorities recently made a u turn on allowing photography inside the building.
Perhaps it has a lot to do with the instagram world we now live in. But before this, visitors were
regularly taking sneaky pictures of this truly wonderful building with their concealed cameras.

I was amazed to find out that as far back as 604 AD that there has always been some kind of
Church on these grounds. But it wasn't until 1710 that Architect Sir Christopher Wren laid the
final stone for the building that we still see today. And when he passed away he was buried in
the Cathedral with full honours.
Other great British historical heroes, Admiral Lord Nelson, and The 1st Duke of Wellington
were both given a lavish send off in the Cathedral and are both buried in the Crypt in the lower
floor.
And in 1965 Sir Winston Churchill was given a grand send off at the Cathedral.

Unfortunately the famous Whispering Gallery overlooking the main Cathedral Floor was closed
and it does seem a bit vague as to when it might re-open to the public.

I did though manage the gruelling journey of over 500 steps up to The Stone Gallery for some
great views of our capital skyline. In fact I did the journey twice as it was a bit overcast on my
first climb that morning.
And I sure felt the strain when I got back home. Remember when I visited THE MONUMENT there
was in fact only 300 steps to climb, and that was tough. So on last week's visit I covered around
2000 steps in one morning!

Below are a few images from my day at The Cathedral.

ST PAUL'S OFFICIAL HOME PAGE

BELOW: An introduction video via the Cathedral's HOME PAGE

Above: Outside and the front entrance to St Paul's.  The shaded statue is someone I often
assumed to be Queen Victoria. In fact it is of Queen Anne who was the ruling British monarch
at the time that the Cathedral was completed in 1710.

The main ground Cathedral floor houses many fine statues.

Above left:  A statue of writer Samuel Johnson.
Above right:  A statue in memory of Horatio Nelson.

Below: Standing in front of Britannia is The Admiral Earl Howe K.G.

Below:  The first set of wider steps that took me up to the outdoor
viewing gallery, and more than 500 steps in all.

Below:  Once you almost reach the top of the wider steps you are
then faced with several medieval tunnels and doorways (below)
which then leads to a quite narrow as well as steep staircase
that takes you to the outdoor viewing platform.

Below:  That final set of steep and narrow stairs that takes you
up to the outdoor Stone Gallery viewing platform.
And most of us climbing these final stairs were huffing
and puffing... not surprisingly.

Above:  Finally made it to the top at the Stone Gallery with some great
views of the London skyline.

Above:  Looking out to views of The London Shard building.

Below:  Looking over The Thames River towards Tate Britain.

Above:  Looking across views of The River Thames.

It wasn't until I left the Cathedral that I looked up and saw an even higher viewing
platform situated above the Dome. This was apparently the Golden Gallery which
I was unable to locate, only reaching the Stone Gallery at the base of the Dome.

Above:  A few visitors enjoying the highest point views from
the Cathedral's Golden Gallery.

Above is the final resting place of Admiral Horatio Nelson who was laid to rest here in the
lower floor Crypt at St Paul's Cathedral. His funeral at St Paul's on the 9th January 1806
was described as one of the grandest State occasions of it's era and lasted over five days.

Below:  Almost 50 years later Arthur Wellesley The 1st Duke of Wellington
was also laid to rest in the Crypt of St Paul's in 1852. He was given the
honour of a lavish State Funeral. And there was nothing to compare it to
until the State funeral of Sir Winston Churchill in 1965.


ABOVE ILLUSTRATION IS OF A PACKED OUT ST PAUL'S CATHEDRAL FOR THE
STATE FUNERAL OF THE 1st DUKE OF WELLINGTON IN 1852.
IMAGE VIA THE ST PAUL'S HOME PAGE.

Above:  Also situated in the Crypt is the Cathedral Gift Shop as well as the
Cafe and Tea Room.

Well, if you've got money to burn then you might like these set of bookends
for only £175 each from the Gift Shop.

Above:  The Cathedral Choir stalls. Of course it must be quite
something to actually hear the Choir performing in the Cathedral
particularly around Christmas when they regularly perform in
Carol concerts.
Amazingly the first St Paul's Choir was formed around 900 years ago.

ST PAUL'S CHOIR FACEBOOK PAGE.

Above:  Looking up towards the Dome ceiling.