Kyoto

A day at home, which wasn’t too busy, and then an after-work train into London. The West End was packed; there were queues to get into all sorts of venues as we were walking up from Charing Cross to Tottenham Court Road. The line at the Angus Steakhouse amused me and blocked the pavement. I am not sure I have seen it this busy for quite a while. Hopefully, the trade is helping improve the nighttime economy.

If I wrote that we went to see a play that dramatises the 1997 climate change treaty negotiations in Kyoto, it would sound a bit dry. If I added that a big scene featured arguments over the placement of a comma, you might think to avoid it. In fact, the high stakes of the event – and the politics for the ten years leading up to the Kyoto summit – were gripping. A fantastic piece of theatre at Sohoplace.

It was the first legally binding agreement to commit industrialised countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The US never ratified it. The UK met its obligations for the first commitment period, to 2012.

Our Valentine’s dinner was post-theatre at a Middle Eastern restaurant, Sogohas. We had a booking, but the later hour meant we were the only ones in the restaurant. They seemed very happy to serve us but were packing up around us: just as we were about to leave, a car full of people arrived to start moving the outdoor seating inside.

The food was delicious, but the ambience was – perhaps – not so romantic.