Camden Markets

She wot must be obeyed took me to London this weekend. It was my Christmas present (Christmas last year not the up coming one!). The intention was to visit Greenwich - the Maritime Museum; the Planetarium, The Royal Observatory and the Cutty Sark. sadly we managed to time it with the passing of the greatest storm in the UK since 1987! It passed over London on the very day we were supposed to visit Greenwich! Nough said. The Royal Parks were closed and consequently we were unable to get to the Royal Observatory, Harrison's clocks or the prime meridian....gutted!

Still we did manage to visit plenty of quirky places, none more so than Camden Market! Here they have restored old former canal warehouses and canal-sides into markets. The sheer variety of what was sold was breathtaking; some was true craftsmanship and exquisite; much was tat! I love London - the sheer variety of cultural and religious diversity that walks those streets in one morning is amazing. It makes me very proud to be British, to have such ethnic diversity living in what is mainly harmony.

Anyway, here are some of the photos......how does it link with the blog? Tenuously....canals....water.....boats!

Steve

The day started at the Victoria and Albert Museum. In all the years we have been up and from London, we have never managed to visit it

A second breakfast...in rather ornate settings

the Victorians knew style and opulence didn't they

This is the new cover of the forthcoming republishment of Arthur Ransome's book

Apparently this artwork won plaudits and competitions!

the original puppet from War Horse on display

Now this was genuinely quite impressive

 Camden High Street came with some quirky surprises

Exactly what it says on the sign!!

We rather liked early morning along Camden High Street

 

definitely different!

My favourite - very Gothic!

 

although this one was in the running for favourite too!

 

down at the converted warehouses...............

the old viaduct arches which carry the railways had been converted into little boho shops.....

this glass work was exquisite

an old cobbler and his stall

this photo does not do justice to the colour of these fabrics, the smell of the incense burning or the Indian music playing in the background. An amazing assault on the senses

many of the stalls were in the old stables quarter where in Victorian times the horses pulling all the carts were stabled

the only vespa I saw all day

so strange we didn't even bother to go in - how out of place will two fifty two year olds look?

across the high street on the other canal side, the stalls were sheds selling mainly tourist tat and dresses and clothes. Still worth a wander around though

Camden Lock - worth a visit? Absolutely but get there early if you want to enjoy it before the heaving masses arrive