Side Note on Visiting Westminster Abbey

In my travels today, I came across Westminster Abbey. (I realize that makes it sounds like I stumbled across some tiny place on a seldom-seen backroad.) I wasn't really planning on visiting the Abbey today, since there's an admission fee and I had a movie ticket for a showing in a couple of hours. And, when I checked the gate, the Abbey was closed to tourists today anyway (it was the Annual Day of Prayer). Nonetheless, a crowd of tourists was standing at the gate.

I decided to continue my wandering. Passing through a gate (the man in the guardhouse ignored me so I ignored him and went through), I found myself in a courtyard with another gate, this one leading to the museum at the Abbey. After more wandering and a visit to the museum, I stopped to read the list of events at the Abbey. Evensong, the 3:00 service, was due to begin in about 15 minutes.

Walking back to the main gate (the one with all the tourists looking in vain at the main doors), I went up the the one of the gatekeepers. "Is it possible for me to attend Evensong, Sir?" I quietly asked.

"Certainly," he said softly and moved aside. I passed through the gates, leaving throngs of tourists behind.

The moral of this story is to pay attention. Wander about. Read the notices on the walls. Not only was I able to visit the Abbey (without paying admission) on a "non-tourist" day, I was able to attend a service complete with songs by the Westminster Abbey Choir.