This morning, I went with Sienna, Tierney and Sinead to the Portobello Market, at Notting Hill Gate to look at the thrift stores and the market that’s down there. We found a £5 store, or several, and everything in it was £5. It was amazing. I bought myself a nice jacket (which I had been looking for), some new pants (which I had also been looking for), shoes (YELLOW CHUCKS! I couldn’t NOT get them…) and a cute animal bag, which will be nice to bring to school, since my backpack is getting pretty banged up. Further down the market, however - which goes on for what seems like miles - was packed with people. It was very unpleasant, slow moving and reeked of cigarettes. Tierney left us after a little while to go meet a friend of hers, then Sinead broke off to mosey around at a slower pace than us. Then, I needed to get out of it, because there was just too many people and it stank, so Sienna went back off up the way to do more shopping and I headed home.
After nearly four weeks of being here, it was about time I behave like an idiot on the underground. The nearest stop was on the Hammersmith and City line, which stops at Paddington, which is where you can go to get on the Bakerloo line, which gets us home. The only thing is, Paddington is also an above ground train station, and it’s massive. And the only way to get from the Bakerloo line to the Hammersmith and City line is to walk about ten minutes through the station, including swiping your card twice. So I decided I did not want to do this, and that I would rather ride the Hammersmith and City line one extra stop to Edgware Road, which is where the District and Circle lines intersect with the Hammersmith and City line, and I can just take one of those one stop back to Paddington for an easy switch to Bakerloo. Seems logical… Well, of course Edgware Road is in the middle of nowhere and poorly labeled, so after twenty minutes or so of getting off and on trains and going from platform to platform, I get on a District line train going west (the right direction) towards Paddington. Paddington station comes around…. and I just stay on the bus, until I go all the way to school. In any case, I did get home, it just took about an hour.
When Sienna got back from her lovely shopping, we both went to the Paddington Recreational Grounds in Maida Vale, which is very close to where we live. We even walked back and it was a nice simple stroll. We spent a while in that park, walking around, watching dogs and babies and cricket and football, and not a single person played frisbee. It was amazing. Then, home for a very pleasant dinner with my roommate and wife before heading out to a pub called Paradise (doesn’t that sound like a brothel?). It had a really strange atmosphere, very classy. Chandeliers and fake art. It was fun. Once we found a place to settle ourselves, some guys came up and were talking to us and were very nice. Strangely enough, two of them were American. But we talked for most of the time that we were out, and they bought us some drinks, and that was a fun thing I had never experienced before. The pub was insanely crowded though, and I’d really like to go back there one day when there’s not a private party going on, because it was difficult to navigate. After they left us, we stayed for a bit more, and then decided to try to catch the last train home instead of taking the night bus, which we managed to accomplish. Yay, Saturday! It was a good day. Lots of crowds, but good things, too.
Oh yeah, and fear not, for my new yellow shoes have been named. The right one: Romeo. The left one: Juliet. I figured it had to be something Shakespeare since I got them in England, and left side/moon side is your feminine side, so she had to be Juliet, and vice versa for Romeo. Can’t wait to label them when I get my label maker back!
Tags: london
I wish you could see the smile on my face reading this post. I also can’t wait to meet Romeo and Juliet. A pic maybe?
Will you get to see these nice boys again?
I assume the weather is clement if you can walk all over the place like you describe. Can’t wait to go to the Portobello market myself. Haven’t gotten a chance to do it yet.
What is “Fake Art”? Something that looks like art, but somehow isn’t? Yes, “Club Paradise” sounds like a strip joint. It sounds like such a great day. It makes me smile to read this and imagine you traipsing around London, learning your way around this world metropolis, finding your own favorite little shops and pubs and eateries and places to go where no one plays frisbee. I think about our few days there several years ago, and how far you’ve come.
So what did you have to drink at the pub this time?
Your Mum told us about your website .. thanks so much Ann Marie, I
know we will have fun catching up on all your doings! You may even
make me homesick. I do hope you had a Bitters in the Pub .. it is an
acquired taste but a lass like you should be able to handle it. Of
course, your Uncle would be saying a Guinness but don’t even go
there.
Your new shoes sound great. Portebello Road is great but, I agree,
with the smoking, smells and those Brits do walk very slow going through the bargains. Could we please get your official
address .. thanks
So take care of yourself … xoxox