London New Year Parade

After having a great fondue dinner with friends at home on New Years Eve, we ventured into London for the New Years Day parade and a tour of the Churchill War Rooms (a fantastic museum). Here is a bit of the parade:

Piccadilly Circus getting ready for the parade

The parade route

One of the hosts commentating along the route

The American teenagers handing out parade programs

A marching band from Hawaii

International Ambassadors (Italy and Spain, I think) who came to enjoy the parade

The Town Crier

Old fashioned carriage

Equestrians

Miniature Horse

Kites created by the brother of The Kite Runner author. The diamonds are attached to honor the Queens Golden Jubilee (she will have been on the throne for 60 years in 2012)

Medieval Players

The Olympic Bear  in honor of the coming Olympic Games to London this July

American cheer leading All Stars

The Donkey Breeding Club

A parade spectator standing on a telephone booth, of course. I'm sure he had one of the best views in the parade.

Donations, please (Money was raised for all sorts of charities throughout the parade)

Steam Engines

Biking Club

A Mayor of a surrounding British Town

Peter Pan

Smee in his row boat

Captain Hook

Marching Band from the Congo

Darth Vader and a Star Trooper

Additional Star Wars characters

Eagle Kite

Marching Band from Italy

Amazing Horse

Stilts

A grass rhino, of course

The most photographed car in England, The Beauford Belle

The Queen's Carriage, in honor of the Queen's Golden Jubilee

University of South Dakota Marching Band

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SD Flags flying in London. We loved it!

University of North Dakota Marching Band

Miss. Christmas