The Changing of the Guard.

I was perousing the streets of London when I stepped into an odd scene - thousands of tourists were crowded 'round Buckingham Palace.

Unbeknowst to me, the Changing of the Guard was about to take place - a ceremony in which hundreds of the Queen's Guard parade around the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.

The scene started with a trumpeting of bagpipes. Somewhere in the distance, a column of costumed men were charging the streets, but the view was obscured by the Queen Victoria Memorial - a colossal statue aloft which rests a huge, golden angel.

The men, replete in suede-coloured skirts, ceremonial jackets and green berets, were led by two policemen atop strident horses.

Behind them, wearing bear-skin hats (which now may be synthetic) and red uniforms, several guards led, keeping time with their drums. Also, there were red-bereted men - two of which held swords outstretched and the rest of which held guns of some sort. (Perhaps semi-automatic machineguns.)

A few minutes later, a few dozen bear skin hat-wearing guards arrived, playing brass instruments - mostly trumpets, trombones and the odd tuba or saxophone.

Once inside the gates and regimented, their commander - sounding rather pained (as if constipated) - ordered the men to start marching, which they did - but only briefly.

Next, black-suited men on horseback arrived, wearing golden helmets - a white gold - with red tassels coming out the top of them. Their leader sounded a trumpet.

The guards assembled their stands and planted their sheet music, ready to perform, whilst a few started to sound their bagpipes. The captivated audience was continually told by a fiersome-looking, horse-mounted policeman to keep from the centre of the pavement.

A gentle song started to be played. With a gentle flute sounding, crashing cymbals, soft horns and rapping, wooden sounds, the song started in a playful manner.

After a while, though, the dullness wrapped in colour started to gall me, so I vamoosed; it's a 24-degree-hot day and there are plenty of other amply packed attractions to see. I hope Queenie enjoyed it, though.