Yesterday was my appointment at the embassy to get a letter notarized. Why I needed this is a long story related to banking bureaucracy and my mother's estate, but basically I had to send it in lieu of flying back to Florida and being there personally to complete some business.
So yesterday I took the tube down to Vauxhall and walked to the embassy, which is relatively new. It's a boxy glass building with a rather exotic sunshade that makes it look much more architecturally interesting than it otherwise would. That's a corner of the building above. It would have been a better photo on a windy day, with the flag on the pole fluttering instead of hanging limply, but as the Rolling Stones famously said, you can't always get what you want.
The building is surrounded by a wild-looking sea of grasses and wildflowers, as well as a pond and a waterfall.
In the background you can see the Sky Pool suspended between two nearby apartment buildings.
I went through security, was sent to a sterile, cold-looking white marble waiting room on the second floor, and maybe half an hour later emerged with my document done. I was intrigued to see a quote from Robert F. Kennedy etched into one of the embassy walls -- and now we have his crazy son running for president.
Other than seeing the embassy for the first time and absorbing something of the surroundings, it wasn't a very interesting visit. The only hiccup occurred when I presented my letter for notarizing and they said it didn't include any "notary language." I was given two sheets of paper featuring slightly different phrases, and had to choose one to append to the letter, basically attesting that I'd proven my identity and signed the document in front of the notary. So I did that, praying that the bank wouldn't kick it back to me for using the wrong language.
Then I zipped back to work, scanned the letter and sent it off. So far, so good.
Workwise yesterday was very busy. We took down two displays and put up two new ones, and I bet I re-shelved three cartloads of books. I also found a couple that had been missing -- I think some kids mischievously moved them during a recent class exercise -- so that was a bonus.
Did you have to pledge the oath of allegiance and zing "Born in the UZA" at reception?
ReplyDeleteThe building IS interesting from that first angle. Thanks for pointing out the flag. I would have missed it. The notary process from here after my mother's death was a royal pain in the... And we had paperwork to notarize for a long time. I'm sure yours isn't that mess (we had guardianships involved).
ReplyDeleteThis reminds of when my brother was trying to close my father's Hong Kong bank account. They wouldn't accept the signature (he opened said account in 1961 and by this stage was in his 90s and had had a stroke). Nor would the accept a statutory declaration or any other form of identification. They wanted him THERE in the bank to prove his identity. Needless to say the small amount of money in that account is still sitting there.
ReplyDeleteAnother time I was trying to deal with the UK pension people after my dad had died and had to explain why I couldn't put him on the phone!
I am glad your experience was relatively pain free.
Admirable and you get three cheers dealing with all of that legit business- I get a tension he ache just reading about it.the building is a curiosity , I remember some big deal about it being built, moved from where the old USA embassy was. Folks were not pleased and the cost was exorbitant. Bush? I think.London ,so loaded with cool stuff!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I understand the reasons, it still feels like tremendous overkill to have to go to the embassy just for a simply notarization. Kind of like bringing a fire engine hose to a squirt gun fight.
ReplyDeleteI'm having my own estate issues. Undetected by me when my grandfather died, his insurance policy listed my grandma as sole beneficiary and her insurance policy listed him as sole beneficiary. So now that she died and there is no secondary beneficiary, evidently even though it is her only asset that doesn't have specific beneficiaries, we must go through probate which will take nearly 20% of it's value and who knows how much time. A will dictating how to divide it up is not enough for the insurance company. Fortunately, it is a very small part of the estate so the lions share should be divided up in a few weeks/months.
Weird building, but then the embassy I remember was from half a lifetime ago. Looks as though its security scheme involves a moat, not a bad idea now that I think of it.
ReplyDeleteWe went to the old one when we first arrived for my father’s year at the Imperial Defense College. His cover was State Dept but he was actually CIA.
Everything you see externally at the building is about security, gardens included.
ReplyDeleteGood that you had a smooth process.
To say Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is crazy is the biggest understatement of the year. Our politics here have just become ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got that done and off! I'm sure it will be fine. It's a most unique building. And yes -- beyond crazy. What on earth would his dad say?
ReplyDeleteI'm more intrigued by the sky pool ....
ReplyDeleteThis is so unlike the gracious home style of a lot of embassies. I'm wondering why the elaborate trip to the embassy for this, and I hope it works.
ReplyDeleteFor no real reason, that sunshade reminds me of a pangolin. Scaly, sort of. A little strange.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got that chore done. Whoa! What a hassle. Anyway, I suppose it was an excuse to visit the embassy.
odd looking building. not sure what I think of it. those weird shapes are screens? I wonder what it looks like from the inside, inside looking out I mean.
ReplyDeleteI do miss my library shelving days, altho, I always wore out the knees on my pants from kneeling down for the lower shelves! Do you have that problem, Steve?!
ReplyDeleteHope the estate paperwork is all done for you. It does seem to be made more complicated than it needs to be!
Government burocracy should lighten up. Yes things should be well written but they don't need all the legalize.
ReplyDeleteThat is such an interesting looking building. I would not have noticed the flag if you hadn't mentioned it. It is a little weird to have to go to the embassy to get a letter notarized.
ReplyDeleteJust thinking about RFK makes me think how different things might have been for our country if June 5th never happened. The trajectories of hatred and violence.
The sunshades on the building are very interesting. I would like to see it in person, and from the inside out, too!
ReplyDeleteI've had to notarize things without the notary language - my book has some examples to use in that instance, but I'm always pushing back - are you SURE you need a notary? The form doesn't look like you do... I'm annoying. Ha!
ReplyDeleteRighteous Photos And Thank You For Being A Responsible Human
ReplyDeleteWell Done
Cheers
Yes. Our politics are unbelievable. Just insane. I was reading about the embassy. Do those sails 'close'? What does the building look like when they are closed. I saw a picture taken from the inside looking out between them and it is just not appealing. That being said, Andrew is right. It is all about security, and environmentally sound construction.
ReplyDeleteYP: Is your S key not working?! It makes you sound like Frau Blücher.
ReplyDeleteMitchell: Fortunately my mother left things pretty well organized so I don't think we'll have much of this to do. Fingers crossed!
Caro: That is so ridiculous! I wonder if you could hook that account up to PayPal and spend down the balance?
Linda Sue: They did it primarily for security. The old embassy was right on the street and had no perimeter.
Ed: It IS ridiculous, and the letter was notarized by a vice consul! On the other hand, it makes me look important. LOL! What a nightmare about that insurance policy.
Marty: Don't blow his cover!!!!
Andrew: Yes, definitely. That's one of the reasons they moved the embassy to an area that could have a much larger perimeter.
Elle: Haven't they?! I really wonder what John F and Robert Kennedy would have to say about Kennedy Jr.
Jeanie: Ha! As I said above, I often wonder the same thing.
Bob: It's intriguing, but we're not members so sadly I'm never going to get any closer than the street.
Boud: Well, I could have gone to a handful of London law offices, but I felt more secure having an American notary.
Ms Moon: It IS sort of animalistic -- reptilian, maybe. It gives an otherwise boxy building a distinctive look. (And maybe it serves a purpose -- protecting the windows?)
Ellen: Well, I was inside it, and it didn't strike me as anything very remarkable! But then I was only on the second floor.
Ellen D: Yes! I usually manage to get my pants to last through a school year, but the knees look pretty worn by June!
Red: It does seem like overkill, but I guess they want legal attestation that it's really ME signing that letter.
Robin: It is interesting to think how things would have been different. No Watergate, possibly an earlier end to Vietnam, and possibly deeper lingering trust in our federal government.
Kelly: I wanted to take pictures inside but I was afraid I'd get yelled at!
Bug: Well, I guess there's no HARM in notarizing something with no notary language, is there? I thought the stamp the notary uses includes the language, but apparently not.
Padre: Glad you like them!
Debby: Yes, security is really the main goal. I've never heard that the "sails" adjust but maybe they do.
It seems like there is always some snafu when dealing with bureacracies! I'm glad the paperwork could be worked out. "Interesting" looking embassy.
ReplyDelete