Ismaili Community Centre visited

Today I went on a guided tour of The Ismaili Centre in South Kensington. It was very informative and covered both the building and the facts about Ismaili community, its leader and the foundation. Our guide, a retired ophthalmologist and active member of the Ismaili community, has been living in this area for a long time, even before the centre was built, and so was its chief architect. However, few people turned up for the free tour. Everybody is fully occupied with preparations for Christmas, I guess...
Well, I have things to do as well so must skip on writing more about this London landmark.
I received permission to take pictures through the top floor window and from the roof garden, as well as of a lapis-lazuli mosaic portrait of His HighnessThe Aga Khan 49th Nizari Ismaili Imam!

The picture is too dark and doesn't do justice to the beautiful blue hues of the stone making up the portrait. We were shown another work by the same Pakistani artist, a large abstract painting. It was fascinating to hear how Ismail Gulgee worked on it. Our guide actually saw him at work and consulted the artist's wife about the technique...

Someone described the Ismaili Centre here.

Having left the centre, I took a new friend on a stroll towards Knightsbridge as she has never been there before.