Had originally planned to visit Jean in West Harrow this afternoon, but she was not feeling well and called it off. She’s due for surgery next week and trying to get rid of any lingering illness so that it won’t be postponed.
So downtown. Our route not disrupted by the Extinction Rebellion - not that we disagree with the cause- and we walk down Charing Cross Road in the warm sun. Haven’t been to Leicester Square in a long time and this is a lovely day for people watching. Probably few of them local, although people from other parts of the UK may be having a long weekend in London. Certainly there are a lot of families as people enjoy Easter holidays sightseeing and listening to buskers. Remember singing “goodbye Piccadilly, farewell Leicester Square” as kids in elementary school with no clue where these places might be, or where Tipperary was for that matter.
Stop in at the little French Catholic Church, Notre Dame de France just off Leicester Square. It’s draped in purple for Holy Thursday and there are, as often, a few people in there praying. Well, some of them are presumably praying. There are also three men lying full length on benches across the back of the church, one of whom is gently snoring. This leads me to look a little more closely at some of the kneeling people - heads buried in their arms, faces obscured - and note that one man has removed his shoes. More comfortable maybe, though it is a religious custom elsewhere. Home through the streets of Chinatown, noting likely places for another day. See that there is still a Mr Wu buffet establishment and take a look in the window to determine whether most dishes are still primarily onion. Disproportionately, yes.