Sailing to Byzantium

This isn't Rome or Ravenna, it's Westminster Roman Catholic Cathedral, which I discovered has some superb byzantine-style mosaics. The cathedral was opened in 1903 but without the mosaics, which have been gradually added ever since. Two large chapels are complete.

It was very dark inside - the entire main ceiling is dark indigo - but the light was good around the gold mosaics, for example this angel and this saint.

I was in London for a meeting in Victoria, and also found time for a quick look at the Tate Britain gallery. The gallery is being refitted and so virtually all the pre-20th century works (apart from Turner, who quite rightly occupies the entire east wing) were all in one room, often too high to see. However, they seemed to have relaxed their attitude to photography so I was able to snap away at some of my favourites like Millais's Ophelia and Rossetti's The Beloved.

On my way to the station I found this strange man in the garden by the Houses of Parliament.