It's been an interesting day! We still are not really acclimatized. Went to bed last night at 11-ish and awoke at 2 a.m. for several hours. Hopefully, this won't go on too long.As a result, we didn't get going till almost noon again today - but that was plenty of time.
Portobello Road really jumps! I can't imagine what it's like in the summer when there are bound to be lots more tourists! The road was just jammed with people - a pickpocket's delight, they say, and I believe it! I'd hoped to be able to take some photos of the overall impression, but there were always too many people right on top of you to do that!
There must be hundreds of stalls and small shops selling everything from junk jewelery to Persian carpets, and from silver teapots to lace collars! Very few of the kinds of textiles I was interested in, though. I don't know enough about lace to purchase anything, and the one stall I saw with some needlework items, the person running the stall was on the phone and not inclined to get off! I'd have loved to know the price he wanted for the one sampler he had. Not that I would have bought it - it was nice enough - no holes, only a little staining, though very faded. A pretty strawberry border, and a verse including the maker's name, age and date, and God Save the King, which I haven't seen before. The date was 1803. But other than a cute little red brick house with a bird on top of it twice the size of the house, it was pretty non-descript and the colors had faded so badly. It was in what I assume is the original frame, and must have been hanging on a wall in the light for a long time, as there was virtually no color left on it. Still, it was so nice to see, and as I said, it would have been nice to see what they wanted. I did note that other things seemed to me to be overpriced, and there was a lot more junk than treasure there! 
I'm really glad we went to see it - and we only did about half of it - it goes on for blocks and blocks, and we finally got to a point where we figured if we walked one more block, we'd never get back, haha. So we headed home and had lunch at our pub next door - the Swan - a very cute little spot. We may be regulars there!
The one "culture clash" thing we really notice is the smoke. So many people here smoke - and in small, enclosed spaces with no ventilation. And in the restaurants, the "no-smoking" section is a table right beside a smoking table - so there's no way to escape it. I expect we'll be used to it by the time we've been here awhile, but it sure is noticeable now!
See you all tomorrow!
2 comments:
You won't get used to it. I never have and I really hate it - the smoking that is. Next year they are banning it YAY!!! Even when I smoked (many many moons ago) I never ever smoked in a restaurant. There are quite a few that don't allow it but you have to look for them. You have to go and have something at http://www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk/index.php?sid=210084f142af&p=outlets&o_id=1 the pastries are just to die for and the fod is really quite good and the really big plus is THEY ARE NO SMOKING!!! Have a great time and no doubt we will email again.
Patti x
Hi Julie,
Strange things are afoot! I left a message here on Friday and it seems to have mystereiously disappeared! Well, anyway, it's good to hear you are settling in so well and have had a little taste of what good things there are to come.
I am so glad you enjoyed your trip to Portobello. I can't remember the last time I was there, many years ago, I know that! You will find that vintage needlework and accessories are really expensive over here. The days of finding a bargain are more or less over. Sadly, we don't have the little bric a brac brocante markets that France and other places on the Continent have!
You sound as if you have done really well with your apartment, slap bang in the middle of all the action and with a M&S just down the road, you won't go short of gourmet food ;>)
I'm really looking forward to hearing your next installment. You sure have managed to do a lot in a little time.
Can't wait til Thursday!
Warm hugs and take care. Angela
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