Monday 7 September 2009

Two Trips: or to the cliffs and to the docks

Saturday: after parking the car at Beachy Head, Zero and I walked along the cliff top to Birling Gap, and then back again across the fields. A cool breeze but beautiful sunshine.

First, the view at Birling Gap as we sat eating our lunch:




The light house at Beachy Head:



Wind swept on the cliff tops:




This evening: I joined a vigil outside the Excel Exhibition Centre in London, on the eve of the Defence Systems and Equipment International exhibition. The exhibition is hosted by Excel every other year, and each time this evening vigil is organised by local religious communities. It is intended to witness on behalf of and in solidarity with those who are victims of the weapons that are marketed at fairs such as DSEi. We simply stood in silence for one hour, at the entrance steps to the exhibition centre as it went dark. This is very moving, particularly as the last exhibitors are coming and going as they finish setting up for the next day, and then return to their nearby hotels.


The group of about forty assembling, and forming into a circle for our one hour vigil:


The memorial to dock workers, only recently unveiled/opened at the entrance to the Excel Centre (this is at the heart of the former London docks):


The moon, taken as I arrived home:

UPDATE: Brentwood Diocese has a report of this vigil on their website: here.

4 comments:

FatherTF said...

Beachy Head, can't beat it! The view, the wind, the cliffs! Hoping to get up there this November.

Joe said...

Zero has suggested that I am smiling in the photo above. I don't usually do that when having my picture taken.

I am just worried about what people think of the spectacles - I hadn't quite realised how dark they turned in bright sunlight!

Anonymous said...

zero says
I think you might be getting the hang of it!
Don'y worry ,the glasses don't make you look sinister!

Anonymous said...

zero says
Take lots of hat pins for the biretta Fr!