In the evening, we headed to Tower Pier. The City Swiss Club London has invited us to a river cruise on the Thames with dinner and dance in celebration of the new Lord Mayor. The party takes place on the replica of a Mississippi steamboat. Roughly 200 people, many of them Swiss citizens living in the UK, participate in it. It’s quite strange that over here in London, suddenly everyone speaks Swiss German. Amongst others, we meet my work mate Daniel who is here together with a young Swiss abroad from Italy to promote the newly founded Swiss Abroad Youth Parliament.

We embark and the show starts almost immediately: Tower Bridge opens to let us pass. We have watched down through the glass floor of the walkways on top of Tower Bridge last week, watched up through the glass roof of our car when we drove over the bridge, and of course we have watched Tower Bridge open from the Shard. We therefore enjoy this fourth viewing angle a lot. It’s the crowning finale of our trip to the UK.

As we travel downriver, dinner is served. Even Swiss celebrity chef Anton Mosimann seems to be pleased with the dishes on offer from the buffet. Chicken, pumpkin risotto, potatoes, salmon, vegetables and salad all are really delicious. It’s good we’ve taken a cab: After some champagne and white wine we already arrived at the second glass of red wine.

After about one and a half hours, we reach the Thames Barrier that protect the city from high tides and storm surges. We turn around and go upriver while dessert is ready on the lower deck: champagne cheesecake (and apple crumble and rhubarb compot which we don’t get). Then, a band starts to play and gets the party going. Old and young dance to the music that covers songs after everyone’s fancy. Time flies by and we soon arrive back at Tower Bridge where the bascules open again to let us pass underneath. What a great party and a great last evening of our trip!