This is a central point on my commute into work, whether I cycle or take the train. On a bike I skirt around the edge of it when I get to the end of Whitehall.
When on foot, after getting off the train at Charing Cross in the morning, I pass through the square, which I find as beautiful as ever, and puts me in an uplifted mood at the start of my day. At that time of the morning there aren't many people around, so it is easy to walk through the square and you can also appreciate the architecture and the statues. Going home in the evening is a little different though. By then, the square has filled up with tourists, and a number of buskers.
You get the usual person with their guitar playing an Oasis classic, or something by Eric Clapton. Often you get people that are pretty rubbish - people who sing out of tune, others who just shout to get the crowd to gather around, do a silly dance and the tourists cheer and clap, even take photos! (It's amazing how easily people lap up that stuff, just because they're on holiday!)
However, for once I saw someone who could play, and he looked pretty good - a classical violinist playing pop songs. His rendition of "Clocks" by Coldplay was particularly good, and led to spontaneous applause by tourists and commuters alike.
If only all buskers in Trafalgar Square performed to the same quality as him. Auditions should be the way forward. Even if it's just so that we don't end up like Covent Garden!
