Well this weekend has been a big one, I feel like I need another weekend just to get over it.
Heres a quick break down of what I got up to, just on saturday:
-Notting hill markets on portobello rd
- Visit to kensington gardens, palace and hyde park.
- visit to British mueseum
- Visit to regents park and lake.
It was a big, big day. First things first:
NOTTING HILL:
what can I say about a market which has so much charm you just love it and want to capture it in a bottle to take with you always. As you walk down portobello rd towards the start of the markets, the hum and buzz of it reach you and you can't help but add a little bit a skip to your skep. You are going to notting hill markets.
I couldn't get past the jewellery, vintage gear, fresh food, cupcakes, clotheses and knick nacks. It wasn't like any other market I have been to before. I fell in love with it instantly, at first sight. The brightly coloured houses with their coloured doors just made you smile a secret smile to yourself, in one street in london is home of eccentricity, then portobellow rd is it.
I indulged in a decadent strawberry chelsea flower show cupcake which was a delight to the taste buds and then took in some of the stalls. From the photography, to the antique clocks and milk jugs. It had everything and anything. I loved the pictures of the red telephone boxes at odd locations, the charming vintage rings, and beads of pearls, the side street cafes and charming vendors. I couldnt resist some fresh italian paella, served by an italian street cafe, best 4 pound i spent the whole day.
Their scarves were amazing, mum I'm going to get a coupel for u, i saw a green one that would suit u so much!.. and nanna too!..I bought a couple for me, and have already decided to go back next weekend to take it all in again. if there is anything i could say in london that is my favourite thing right now, I would have to say notting hill markets.
The next stop for me was kensington gardens and palace. It was beautiful, with a lovely large lake and deckchairs u have to pay to sit in!.. i just sat on the grass, the view from there was just the same. I was snapping away taking pics, when a older gentleman came up to me and asked if I would take his photo. I said sure, and asked for his camera, and he said, no with your own camera, so someone will remember me. i was touched, he told me a bit of his story, that hes a history professor from sudan, had lost his wife and family in the war and was over here teeaching history. I took his photo and he said please remember me, which of course i will and said goodbye. I was of course aphrensive when he first approached me and I'm fully aware there are lots of charlatons over here trying to rip off people but this was just a lonely old man wanting to tells someone his story then move on. It was lovely. I felt quite priveledged.
I then meandered into the gardens which were alight with colour and flowers. it was just gorgeous. then a little squirrel ran right up to me, i didnt know what to do, clearly he wanted food. so i leant down and with nothing in my hand he took offense to that and bit my toe of my shoe! i was so shocked, cheeky little thing, but it was so cute the way it bounded away that all was forgiven at once hehe.
After soaking up the atmosphere in the park and meeting more than the occasional dog owner, theres a whole group of chocolate lab owners over here who walk them in hyde park. they are gorgeous!.. so i spent a bit of time cuddling them, but none of them cuddled hte way paddy does hehe.
Then i went onto the british museum, i loved it, allbeit overhwelming, i soaked it all in, the egyptian life and death section with mummies, mummified cats and bodies, sarcofaguses, greek bowls and armery, roman artefacts and jewellery, rennaisance paintings and drawings. i was in my element. I loved it, mind u i was rather exhausted at the end and needed a coffee to boost my energy levels. In the foyer there were museum staff dressed up in old period dresses from courtier days and my god they were amazing, i took some pics and will put them up.
I then went to regents park which was amassive, aboslutely massive, i got lost but enjoyed doing so and loved watching hte boats on the lake, it was a gorgeous day. By the end of it all, i got home at 6.30, and crawled into bed.
On fri nite i met up with kate for dinner and amovie and ended up getting home at like 1am because i caught the wrong train, i blame that on mick, i was on the phone and distracted hehehe..
then sunday i went and saw sex and the city with ali and kate, and just relaxed. but i must be the only person in the world, not to have liked the movie, it was so sad, serious and rather emotional. I cried, bawled in fact, it made me miss mick and home more, and i didnt like the overall judgements of the film. email me if u agree or not, i dont want to reveal anything about the story line for those who havent seen it.
anyways, thats it for the weekend, i came face to face with mummies, squirrels, history and a whole lot of green parkness.. a good weekend in all.
please keep emailing and letting me know whats going on over there, loving hearing whats happening.
xxx
jess
