What does a girl do when she only has two days in London?
In past trips, there was always pressure to see the sites. Since I've visited many of the museums and historical sites I decided to just go where the wind blows me...as long as it blew me towards the food.
A lazy Saturday morning in Notting Hill and Portobello Market was such a change from Tower of London and Westminster Abbey rush and I have to say I loved it. There were antiques and goodies everywhere--if only I had an inch of space in my suitcase.
First things first, I'd like to give a little shout out to whomever thought this up. These little reminders save my life at least a dozen times each day as I'm crossing a street in the UK. Thailand should adopt this too.
I was pretty excited to spend a morning wandering around Portobello Market because I'd heard so many great things about the food stands and coffee shops along the way. In the end, it really is all about food. I think I could happily live in London and head to Portobello Market each Saturday morning to pick up goodies.
Quite possibly the best olives in the whole, wide, ginormous world.
Yes, while the olives and the loaf of olive ciabatta I picked up were fantastic, Portobello Market is etched in my mind as the place where tables of donuts line the streets. Just so you know, this is the equivalent of heaven on earth and it just struck me now that I completely forgot to buy one.
After Portobello Market, I just started walking. No map, no agenda, just a big umbrella in one hand and a camera in the other. Because the tube can sometimes take awhile, I guess I thought Zone 1 was a lot bigger than it is. I walked from Portobello Market, through Regency Park, Russell Square, Covent Garden, down to the Houses of Parliament and across to the South Bank from one side to the other. After all was said and done, FitBit said I only walked 15 miles. Who knew London was so walkable?
Everytime I plan a trip to London, I forget to look into tickets at the Globe Theater. It's inexplicable really since it's been on the top of my bucket list forever...see one of Shakespeare's plays in the Globe. Since I only seem to remember once I arrive, all tickets are of course sold out. Next time.
I started taking a photo of this poster at the Globe because I loved how clearly you could see St. Paul's reflection. The play's poster is just a bonus.
I've been to the Tower of London a few times so didn't have any plans to go inside or even stop but part of my walk took me right back by the Tower. The Tower currently has a special commemoration entitled "Bloodswept Lands and Seas of Red" to honor the fallen soldiers of WWI. There are/will be over 800,000 red ceramic poppies filling the moats and after sunset, they read off names of some of the British that soldiers that lost their lives in WWI.
People continue to surprise me. I don't know who's brainchild this was, but it was powerful, moving, beautiful and a bit haunting.
It's the little surprises that make travel all that much more memorable.
10 comments:
Those flowers are amazing, I can see how it would me so moving to be there and participate. I love the Portobello Market food photos and the picture of the London Eye is really cool. I've never seen anyone take it from that angle. These are all so good as usual.
And just so you know, 15 miles is a long distance to walk girlie.
What a neat memorial and unique way to commemorate. Love all of the teapots in the first pic!
I love that poster. I had to look it up because it was so intriguing but doesn't look like a play I'd like. Still love it though! I also love the flowers, what a beautiful memorial it must be to se in person.
Notting Hill is my favorite London neighborhood. I lived there for 3 months for work once and Portobello Mkt was a weekly event if we were in town over the weekend. I actually remember this olive stand, she always had the best flavors and we'd try a new one every week. I love all of your posts but this one was really fun since it was a personal walk down memory lane.
I hope you were able to "Drive on the Left Side of the Road" while you were there. :)
What a beautiful walk around London. I have to agree that I'd be on the tube rather than walking all of that way but you make it sound so lovely. I like your willingness to wander off the beaten path and just find things. I'm too much of a planner.
I love just a few stops outside of Zone 1 on the Picadilly line and have always found everything within Zone 1 to just be a lovely walk on a nice day. Nothing is really that far and there's so much to see that the only danger is being distracted by all of the shops. The poppies installation is one of the most beautiful things I've seen in a long time. We've stayed for the reading of the names quite a few times since we lost my great grandfather in WW1.
I am such a planner that I can't imagine not having every minute of my trips planned out and final. I love that you just go with the flow and discover things.
The olives look too delicious especially with all of the spices.
I am such a planner that I can't imagine not having every minute of my trips planned out and final. I love that you just go with the flow and discover things.
The olives look too delicious especially with all of the spices.
We go to London every year at least for a short visit. Sometimes it's at the beginning of a trip to Rome, Paris or somewhere else in Europe, but we definitely try and add London onto the trip if at all possible.
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