Guinness Book of Records

I would like to be able to report that I finally achieved my goal of getting in the Guinness book of records. But I didn't manage it, not even as a participant in a big crowd event. I almost made it. I was so close. Unfortunately... they ran out of coconuts.

Here is a yahoo link that I'll probably have to fix in a few days.

World's Largest Coconut Orchestra
Everybody who's seen 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' will remember the knights running around with another member of the Monty Python troupe running behind them clapping together two coconut halves. What probably started out as budgetary limitations turned into a very funny running joke. Kind of a trotting joke as well.

Fast forward a few decades and tonight in Trafalgar square I was privileged to witness the World's Largest Coconut Orchestra. With an official 4382 people, witnessed and certified by a representative from the Guinnuess book of world records, the Orchestra clipped and clopped their coconut halves together in time with the whistling part in the chorus of that Monty Python classic 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life'!

Pictured are a couple of other people's coconuts being banged together. There was about 10 minutes of training for those people lucky enough to get a coconut and then at 7pm there was a performance of Always Look on the Bright Side like no other performance seen before. Actually there was a similiar performance in New York with 1500 or so people but in London they managed 4382 people and coconuts.

I could mention that the whole thing was a publicity stunt for 'Spamalot', a musical adaptation of 'The Holy Grail' playing in London but that seems a bit mean considering how much everybody enjoyed participating in and watching the whole spectacle.

For those of you who haven't been to Trafalgar Square recently, I have to inform you that the large floating foot isn't a permanent feature. That's the bottom of Nelson's column sticking out of the video screen in front of the crowd (there's a better photo down below) and every corner of Trafalgar square was packed with people for this event. The weather looks a little grey but the day was actually quite warm. I was wearing just t-shirt and jeans soon after I took these photos.

St Georges Day
Incidentally this was all part of the St George's day celebrations in London. St George being England's patron saint and 23rd of April being his special day. I get the impression that the English want to have a National Day and St Georges' day was chosen. They know they're copying the Irish and St Patrick's day, they don't care, they really just want an excuse to drink and I don't blame them.

Anzac Day
And from St George's day to speaking of a day that is virtually Australia's national day. My housemate surprised me by telling me she was heading off to Turkey and Gallipoli this week. Which reminded me, of course, that Anzac day was here. My housemate is a New Zealander and is going there as part of the huge migration of Antipodeans who head down to Turkey for Anzac day every year. I'm not a big fan of crowds so it's not the time of year I'd choose to go but I'll be interested to see her photos. I hope she has fun.

The premier for Spiderman 3 was on in Leicester Square tonight. Big video screens, happy fans, Hollywood stars. If I was excited about the movie I would have taken photos. I'm slightly regretting I didn't. It's really cool living in a city where they have world premiers.

More photos of the crowd in Trafalgar square and of Nelson's Column.