I live in London, and as is traditional for Londoner, I've done hardly any of the typical tourist activities that this great city has to offer. Well today to re-address the balance some what, I did one of the big ones and went on a tour of the Houses of Parliament, the home of our government.
It's not the easiest place to get into that's for sure. OK its easy to find but then finding the place to collect the tickets from and then finding the place to enter are another matter entirely. With very few signs its hard to find the box office (which is on the other side of the road behind a anonymous white building) and then the actual tour entrance is by way of a tent (yeap very regal) about half way down. It's all a bit disorganised and without asking a couple of policemen and the ticket collector you've got no chance.
Anyway once past the tent the whole thing improves remarkably. A very professional airport style security room is down a little walkway. Where you are scanned and checked for all sorts of weapons and I assume bags of flour. Next its out and around to the HUGE Westminster hall where the tour proper begins.
It was a fully escorted 'blue badge' tour which starts by following the route the Queen takes on the opening of Parliament. There were many impressive things about the tour not less of which was the tour guide being able to pour out details about the pictures and architecture and day-to-day workings of the rooms for a whole 75 minutes. We travelled from the Royal robing room round to the House of Lords chamber to where the Queen gives her speech. The levels of decoration in this area are quite breathtaking and mostly in gold.
Then it was on following the route the Black Rod takes to the House of Commons via the Central Lobby that most people would recognise from political TV reports. A quick diversion into a voting lobby (we voted No) and then it was into the main chamber itself entering around the speakers chair.
I picked the time and day of the tour so I would be in the chamber at the time PMQs (Prime Ministers Questions) would normally be on if the houses were sitting. We just managed to get in the chamber before half twelve.
The Chambers, just like the whole place are quite small and with a dozen or so tours groups of around 25 people it was quite busy. Standing in the opposition back benches I couldn't imagine what it would be like full of 1400 odd MPs and Lords.
On the way out I paused at the Bar of the House (the white line at the entrance way) a took a look back across the floor to the front benches. Then touching the mark the Black Rod has made in the door I headed back to the group and we returned to the Westminster hall and the end of the tour.
All that was left for me to do was buy a portcullis fridge magnet in the gift shop and of course have a cup of tea in the cafe.
