Today - as on many other August Bank Holiday Mondays in recent years - I have been to the Notting Hill Carnival. I am shattered - having left home at shortly before 9am and arriving home at around 5.30pm. We could not park Heather's car near the float as in past years due to the ring of steel to prevent possible terrorist attacks - so have walked about two miles to reach the float and then some three miles back again on what must have been one of the hottest Bank Holidays in memory! I will say nothing more today for I need to lie down - except for two things while they are fresh in my memory.
At 2.55pm riding on top of the float I turned to Heather and said that I doubted if the one minute silence to mark the tragedy of Grenfell Tower would take place at 3pm. The noise was deafening from the sound systems. The dancing was in feverish spirit. The laughter and the calling were at their height. No way would this stop.
But at 3pm there was absolute and complete silence. It was so moving. Most stood still. A few walked and then stopped. It was almost eerie. And then the sound came back again. A fitting tribute from so many folk who were determined to enjoy Carnival whatever.
Secondly I have included a shot of my daughter Heather, meeting Miles, a friend of Luke's. That lass is something special. Who but Heather would agree to her 84-year-old father's request to take him to the Carnival once again this year? The responsibility must have weighed heavily and had I passed out in the heat the crowds were such that Heather would have had a big problem to deal with.
But we survived! Thanks Heather - you are a star! Your Mum will be proud!
More tomorrow!
