London: Walking and Gawking

Walking and gawking (with the possibility of shopping thrown in for good measure) is a lovely way to spend a sunny day in London.

We had two such weekend outings to nearby outdoor markets.

But just because you walk to a market, even a world-famous one (the 4th most popular tourist spot in London!) does not mean you actually buy things once you arrive.  Not when you go with a couple of guys.  It means you walk and enjoy the stroll, note the destination and its extreme busyness, and then head home!
 
Our journey from Paddington to Notting Hill and the Saturday market on Portobello Road was certainly interesting enough.  We were charmed by the ethnic feel of the neighbourhoods as we passed Middle Eastern shops and restaurants, and trendy stores.  But the Market itself?  It was crammed with shoppers, so I had a hasty look at one or two of the 100-plus stalls, and that was the end of it.  I enjoy poking through antiques, but I did not want to inflict my indulgence on Bruce and John who were Not. At. All. Interested.

Although I suppose I could have sent them off to a pub while I joined the mob.  Why didn't I think of that at the time?

A tiny bit of the huge antique market on Portobello Road

On Sunday Bruce and I made another foray to another major open-air market.  It was a good day for walk.

We went to Little Venice by foot, and then by water bus on The Regent's Canal  past the zoo in Regent's Park, to the market at Camden Locks.

Little Venice, where many canal boats are permanently moored and used as "house boats". 

 On the waterbus and heading for the tunnel.

The end of the ride: Camden Market

It seemed as if all the gawkers and shoppers who had been on Portobello Road the day before were now crowded around the stalls at  Camden Locks.  I might have braved the crowds if I had been with someone keen to see what this famous craft market had to offer, but Bruce's enthusiasm for this sort of shopping experience was, as expected, zero.  Maybe even less than zero, if that is possible.

It was just as well.  I had no need for crocheted finger puppets of Royal Guardsman. 

We did have a cup of coffee at a Costa shop  (the same Costa folk who sponsor the literary prize for first novels),  and then we walked all the way back along the canal.  Our return journey on foot took exactly as long as it had on the water bus.

The return journey took us past all the boats which have put down roots by the canal.

In retrospect, these two "shopping trips" were completely about the journeys.

So when I was eventually asked at Customs how much money I had spent while in the UK, I was able to answer: "$55.00 for children's picture books from art galleries, and $5.00 for brown socks from Marks and Spencers."

I tried to feel virtuous.