UNVEILED VISIT! WITH PICTURES YOU WERE NOT MEANT TO SEE!

...mainly because my pictures suck.  But my thinking is, if you want high-quality footage of the visit (and numerous LLDD cameos!), you go to RTVM's youtube channel or PCOO's archives or any other big media outlet.

On the other hand, if you want hasty shots taken 10 seconds before/after or 10 feet to the right/left of said high-quality stuff, I'm your guy. Thus:

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN  

The Arrival

WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN

Even pilots gotta get them some picture-picture

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN

The Embassy staff greeting line

WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN

About half of the Embassy personnel were nursing coughs and colds that night.  It was probably the combination of London weather, lack of sleep, and cramped and stuffy secretariat rooms.  That we wiped out the junk food tray at the bottom left while the healthy fruit tray right beside went untouched didn't help things either.

Bonus What You Might Not Have Seen: by a small miracle of timing, the official convoy pulled up at the hotel exactly as the nearby Jubilee concert was ending.  Had the convoy approached even just two minutes later, it would have gotten stuck in traffic for ages behind the 100,000-strong concert crowd spilling out onto the streets.  As it turned out, the President stepped out of his car and headed towards the greeting line just as the closing fireworks were going off.  We had half a mind to take credit for the pyrotechnics and say they were really meant to welcome him, until someone wisely pointed out "ok, what if he expects something for his departure?"     

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN

The Museum Visit

WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN

There's nothing more feel-good than visiting a public place and then getting a spontaneous photo-op with happy kababayans who happen to be there.  In the case of the lady above, her British husband who worked at the museum phoned her at home and told her "get over here, your President is here!"  She then rushed to the museum to try and catch the President and maybe get some picture-picture.  When she arrived, most of the Presidential entourage were still deep inside a basement exhibit, so she patiently waited at the main hall.  She was excited, but for some reason also noticeably nervous.  In turned out she hadn't been to the Philippines since the 90s, and had no idea what the current President looked like!  So as the entourage began filing out of the exhibit, people began playfully joking to her "O, 'yan na ba? S'ya na ba 'yan? Sigurado ka?" and "Baka kay Presidente mo maabot yung camera mo at siya pakunan mo ng litrato, ha!"  =)       

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN

The "More Fun" Photoshoot

WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN

Ah, the best laid plans.  A fleet of "More Fun" taxis and a double-decker bus were neatly lined up right outside the hotel and ready for their close-up. Then London weather happened.  Everything outdoors was drenched, and the group photo-op as originally planned was no longer doable.  So a spot decision was made: the bus would be re-positioned at the hotel driveway (where it blocked traffic temporarily), and the stage would be rebuilt under the edge of balcony (where those at the front row would be ok, but those in the rear [such as me] would get the backs of their clothes wet).  In the end, they pulled off the photo-shoot, but it was very much think-on-your-feet makeshift stuff.  

(speaking of makeshift, you may wish to keep a mental note that those "More Fun" goodie bags apparently also make excellent interview backdrops)

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN

The Speech to the Fil-Com

WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN

The ballroom where the speech was made had a big main entrance, and the audience thought the VIPs would be entering through there and therefore all faced that way.  So anyone (including moi) who walked into the room close to the scheduled start of the program was greeted by excited shouts and flashing bulbs, like they were movie stars on a red carpet.  I may or may not have entered and exited the room several times just to milk this.  Anyway, the crowd will realize the President actually arrived through a small entrance at the opposite end of the room in 3...2...1...

....there we go

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN

The Official Luncheon

WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN

Alas, we've come to the stage of the visit that was so high-level, I wasn't invited or allowed anywhere near any of the activities.  So for the official luncheon, I got nothing for you except pictures of our advance site recon (I still refuse to call it " 'reccy'-rhymes-with-Becky"), and the bit of trivia that the place where the lunch was held was also where they shot the climactic scene of the critically acclaimed and award winning "The King's Speech."

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN

The Official Meeting



WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN

Again, I didn't get a sniff of the place during the actual activity.  All I have are these recon pics and the assurance that No. 10 in person looks nothing like what was shown in the critically acclaimed and award winning "King Ralph" 

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN

The Palace Visit

WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN

Well, duh! If I couldn't get in the luncheon or in No. 10, of course I wouldn't be able to get into into the Palace!  I just told myself that it's not the place for someone of my rank and stature, and only the highest officials and crème-de-la-crème of society may enter and grace its regal grounds  

  

what the bloody hell...