One of the two places that former Russian spy Alexando Litvinenko visited before he fell very sick and died, apparently from radioactive poisoning, was the Millennium Hotel at Grosvenor Square. 

The Millennium also happens to be the hotel that I stayed at when I was in London two weeks ago.  I was in fact on the premises on 1 November, the day that Litvinenko was apparently poisoned.

Well, I don’t feel sick yet.

See report : "People who visited spy sushi bar urged to contact British authorities" (CNA, 26 November 2006).

… this - my Canon 350D !

Regular retail price is $1399.  Am thinking of selling for $1229, including 1GB CF card and camera bag.  Only 1 year old and in good order, with 4 years (Harvey Norman) extended warranty remaining.  Uhm … price and accessories negotiable.

It’s Sunday, and one of the things we decided to do was attend an evening service at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Now St Paul’s Cathedral is one of the major tourist attractions in London, so there were a fair number of tourists present that evening.  I thought that this presented a good opportunity for the church to welcome people who might otherwise never get step into a church, but was disappointed to find that it was rather "tourist-unfriendly" (the lack of clear signs to direct visitors from the tube to the church being one and the least significant failing).  I attribute this largely to the "inapproachable-God" atmosphere that the church so successfully created.

How the sanctuary was divided - one section for worshippers and another for visitors - didn’t help to make visitors feel welcome.  I suppose it could give the impression that visitors were unworthy to mingle with the worshippers (Christians) and / or God.  (Now while I think it is important to emphasise the holiness of God, there’s not much of a point in doing this is a way that keeps people away from God).

The section for worshippers was larger, and stretched all the way to the front of the sanctuary.  It was barely occupied.  The section for visitors was smaller and occupied the last few rows.  I think this physcial chasm between the clergy (who were conducting the service at the front) and the visitors (who were at the back) further created the impression that God was distant and unapproachable.  (Joyce and I sat at the back).

Finally, the service was highly liturgical and consequently, would more likely appear more ritualistic than meaningful to a visitor who is unfamiliar with history and theology of the Christian faith.  Aha … so this is the obscure God that Christians worship !

Been so busy lately that I haven’t had the time to blog about the remaining days of the London trip.  Anyway, a friend who happened to read my Days 1 - 3 thoughts dropped an e-mail in relation to what I said.  I thought it was rather meaningful, and so decided to put it up -

Read about your London experience and fully identified with it. I think being in a foreign place without the person you love or a good friend can make the experience somewhat empty and meaningless. And this emphasizes the fact that it’s not the place that you go to which matters but the company you’re with …

After checking into our new (and cheaper) hotel, we checked out the National Gallery of London.  Having been to other museums in the past, such as the Lourve (Paris), and Rikjsmuseum (Amsterdam), amongst others, I was pretty cool about visiting yet another museum.

And I was disappointed.  It wasn’t that the collection was poor (though the much-vaunted collection of Monet and Manet paintings was somewhat meagre), but I am tired of looking at religious (ie. Catholic / Christian) paintings with Jesus Christ painted according to the European form and dressed in European garments.  The last I checked, Jesus was a Jew who wore quite different clothes from the average European peasant.

I think, in art as well as in life, that’s one part of Christianity that went horribly wrong.  Whereas Jesus wanted Christians to follow Him, many times Christians (or those who would call themselves Christians) twisted His teachings and got Jesus to "follow" them.  Sadly, that’s how atrocities and injustices - wars, genocide, torture, discrimination - are perpetrated and justified in the name of Christ.

Following which we walked to Leicester Square and discovered - Wagamama !  Wagamama v City Centre Restaurants is one of the cases that remains wedged in my mind since my university days, and I told myself that I would try the restaurant if I ever visited London.  The case basically involved Wagamama, the plaintiff and registered proprietor of the "wagamama" trade mark, bringing an action against the defendant for trade mark infringement and passing off through his use of a "Rajamama" mark.  The court found that there existed a real likelihood of confusion, and "Rajamama" had to be changed to "Raja-mama".  Not sure if the latter restaurant still exists though.  For some inexplicable reason, I’ve never had the desire to seek the latter restaurant out.