Portobello Road

Photos: March 31, 2015

In all my trips to London, I had never gone to Portobello Road. We took advantage of a sunny day to stroll, poke around the stores and soak in the atmosphere.



Antiques mingle with newer items; antique stores with tourist shops.



You can find jewellery, and household goods as well as fruit and vegetables!



Just around the corner I found these buildings. Each tries to stand out from the others. This is definitely a colourful area.

A Taste of London

I have been to London a number of times because my brother lives in England. Family sometimes guides vacation plans. I still manage to do some "sight-seeing" during my British sojourns. There is something special about emerging from the tube and being in Trafalgar Square. This is a view of the National Gallery. I went to the exhibit, Inventing Impressionism, about Paul Durand-Ruel and how he brought the art of the impressionists to public attention.




Just off Trafalgar Square is St. Martin in the Fields (no fields around now!). Apparently there has been a church on this site since Medieval times. On this visit I only saw it from the outside, but many years ago I went there with my children. We ate in the cafe in the crypt and did some brass rubbings at the Brass Rubbing Centre.



A visit to the British Library to see the Magna Carta exhibit took us past St. Pancras. What an imposing building! The exhibit was quite extensive and fascinating. As always, I am moved when I am so close to touching history.



Another stop was at the British Museum.We went to the exhibit Defining Beauty: the body in ancient Greek Art. While it was interesting and worth seeing, the two exhibits mentioned above made more of an impact on me.



Not all was about museums. I love to walk in London and walk we did! It was great to have a taste of spring after the cold winter in Montreal. I feasted my eyes on the flowers and green grass, celebrated the blossoms and enjoyed walking with my head held high instead of being pulled into my coat like a turtle. And for the two of us - early music lovers, no trip is complete without concerts (we went to 2) and a visit to a music shop (I bought a few pieces and am looking forward to playing).

Buskers

There seems to be a new style of busker in London. In the past I have seen people dressed in costume, made up to look like a statue. They barely move until someone drops money into their box and then there is acknowledgement of the contribution. Now this idea has been taken to a whole new level. These buskers seem to be suspended in air.



I did manage to get a look at the frame that is inside one of the costumes, but I still cannot imagine the strength it takes to stay hanging there in one position. I saw the top person near Covent Garden. Then near the National Gallery I saw many in costumes varying from what you see above to movie characters and even a witch.



I have no idea how much money they take in each day, but it must be enough to make it worthwhile.




This guy had a totally different approach. He behaved quite dog-like but had an amusing patter, interacting with anyone who came close by. Better him than me. I can't imagine how stiff I would be trying to get up after being scrunched down in this box for hours!

Near the British Museum

Near the British Museum, a photo by susanvg on Flickr.

The last few days of trip were spent in London. We walked many miles - it's such a great city for walking.

Both my spouse and I feel there are places we have to see each time we are in London. I love to walk the South Bank. I love the views, the river and the fact that we can walk in a place without cars.

Walking over the Millenium Bridge we got a view of Tower Bridge - one of our musts. Then walking on the other side of the river we passed by St. Paul's. On foot you see things you would not otherwise see. We explored small streets and lanes. Here's one find:



A little gem hidden away. We stayed near the Marble Arch - another favourite that we like to see.

We took a long walk through Hyde Park, stopping to admire the water fowl in the Serpentine Lake.

            

A rain shower sent us into the Victoria & Albert Museum where we stopped for lunch. Here's a view of where we didn't eat, staying dry indoors. It was a pleasure to eat in the Poynter Room. I recently read The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt. Many chapters take place in the V&A.

Another day we took the tube to Westminster and walked from there back to our hotel near Marble Arch. We passed parliament, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and walked through Green Park and Hyde Park. A good way to prepare for the long flight home.

More photos: click here