Camden Markets & Portobello Road

Ok so this is a two in one entry, Yesterday we went to the Camden Markets....oh my goodness. Set on a Lock with boats cruising in and out and in an old horse stables this place is amazing. The pub called ''The Worlds End' sits on one corner and all along the streets and down the seething alleyways are the wildest shops you can imagine. Goth, punk, retro, vintage, modern, shoes, piercings , tattoos, food jewellery you think of it and it's there. The people, tall, tattooed, mohawked, shaved, painted, pierced, goth, punk, every colour every tribe every tongue. What a melting pot. Then today Portobello Road markets. You know you really can become just too famous. You could not literally swing a cat in there. Streets filled to over flowing with people just jostling along. You couldn't really shop because you couldn't get in the shop fronts and if you stopped in the way of anyone you just get shoved and well you just have to keep going. A shame really because there were some really beautiful antiques and jewellery. Leather handbags sooooooo cheap from the middle east somewhere, pashmina's silk scarves, cashmere scarves, silver ware, antique signs and china, really aladdins cave.

Then we went to the Kensington High Street and came across the Whole Foods store. Shopping in England is so different to Australia. The stores are so inviting. You walk into the front of this store and the smell of freshly baked bread hits you smack in the face. Stand after stand of baquettes, panini's rolls, cakes, scones, meringues, breads...then the fresh fruits, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, salads, pre cooked foods, cheeses, hundreds really hundreds of cheeses. Soft, hard, goat, buffalo, bries camemberts, oh so yummy. Rounds of waxed and coated cheeses stand next to fridges of olives, tomatoes, wines and breads. I just want to wander around for ages. Shopping here is an experience not just something you do because you have to.

But I am tired, my feet are sore, I have blisters under my toe. how does that happen. I am tired of walking for 15 minutes in the wrong direction and then having to walk back only to find that had we gone left and not right we would have been where we wanted to go about an hour ago. It was fun in the beginning and now I am sooooooo over getting lost. But I have to say London and its outer suburbs, Kensington, Camden, Holland Park all these little places are quite beautiful. The parks at this time of year so different to when we were here at Christmas. Everyone goes to the park. They sunbathe in their togs, they throw frizz bees, kick soccer balls, eat, read, lay on deck chairs, sleep, kiss, play with their children. We have the beach and the Brits have their parks. Wonder what we will find in Europe.