London.... arvo session

So after Portobello Markets, I took Marty over to Spitalfields Markets, just near Liverpool Street station. It is a really lovely market, and before arriving at this classy location, I took her through the, not as lovely, Petticoat Lane Market. She wasn't quite as impressed as when we arrived at Spittalfields, where she could observe and enjoy the world that is "alternative" marketing in London. I think Spitalfields has a really lovely feeling to it, and is also full of fun things to see, diverse people to stare at, and innumerable coffee places to refuel at. We strolled and looked at the random stalls. I love how next to a pig on a spit, you have a stall selling hats, or one with haikus written in calligraphy. That is what inner city markets should be all about. Unless it is purely about mouthwatering, jaw dropping, nose tingling foodstuffs.... they are my favourites.
I am sure there is a hidden message in here.....somewhere....
He was all hats and trousers.
I put my hat in the ring.
This portrait is very lifelike and only one pound!!
I think these are old Milk cans, or maybe film cans, or......
We lost the M to finish the sign. But she is indeed like an artform.
I swear this is a zebra's arse.
Which country is London in again?
So onto my tradition of markets being the food. However, I didn't take many as I was actually not hungry, can you believe it?! Don't you love that little Asian girl in the corner?
So this makes me think of being back home and going to a Greek party. Gotta love an animal on a spit!
This was when Marty was trying out her new dentures.
Ahhhhh pretty.
The Leadenhall Markets are slap bang in the financial district and, alas, only open during the week. But it is a beautiful construction to stroll through with the sunlight streaming in to greet you.
I think they have won me over!
Surely they don't serve animals here! Or Alan Lamb for that matter!
1881, nice year for buildings that.
From the old to the new, in a similar style to the Gherkin in the finance district and reputedly Europe's most expense office space, we cross the brown tidal ooze named the Thames via the Tower Bridge and find what we have called the Cabbage to give London an even more Polish feel Ogoreks and Kapusta.... could there be more traditional Polish fare? Anyway, this is the Olympic building trying to sneak a kiss from its neigbour.
And to wrap up our cultural tour of London and architecture we hit Big Ben, and Westminster with some ominous clouds. After this tour we headed out to dinner with Pilk and Beebs, Jase and Ewa to Putney, a good time was had by all. Then, back to Earls Court for a lovely few pints of Discovery. If you want to find out where we walked there is an attached map below. Sunday night, with Marty rubbing her feet almost dead from the knee down, she asked sweetly "How far was do you think our tour was today?". "Oh, only 5 or 6km", I replied with a grin. If you want to know how far away my guestimate was chek the map below.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/gb/london/394126506301866050

Old Londonia Town - the morning edition.

So I took Marty to London for a whirlwind trip, a little over 40 hours in the largest city in Europe (if you don't count Istanbul or Moscow). So we landed rather late, as the plane was delayed. Then we missed the first train from Gatwick and at 11 at night, it means that you have a half an hour wait or so till the next one leaves. Luckily for us, it was proving to be mild in London compared to what we had left behind in Warsaw. So it wasn't such a bad wait. Into London town, get Marty the old Oyster card and then we are off, only a couple of tube stops to
yes, the stereotypical location for Aussies in London. Though we weren't there looking for a Walkabout pub and some vegemite, we just happened to land a hotel there on the cheap. Barkston Gardens, not too bad when it comes to London hotels, that is. Jason Langdonian from Adelaide and Marty's friend Ewa caught up with us after we checked in, but with it now being midnight and being in London, all was closed with the exception of KFC, McDonalds, Burger King and the Kebab shop. So we grabbed a couple of drinks at the off licence; alas, even they couldn't sell alcohol so it was just a couple of ginger beers and a redbull. We had a few hours chat to prepare us for the next day.

Ok, so we rose on the Sunday at a reasonable time. Had a massive eat-in breakfast at the hotel and hit the happy trails. First stop was two tube stops awayat the popular Notting Hill Gate home of Portobello Markets (also before you get bored and click onto some internet porn or gossip site, this is the last tube sign photo, I promise). I was very glad we did this first thing, as previously I only ever seemed to visit these antiquities markets in the late afternoon on sunny days. Which spells crowds and pushy tourists.
Some of the stalls have faux antiques, where as most of these things are straight off the boat from China.
While others are too, but they sure look pretty in the sunlight.
I have always had a thing for fobb watches. They just scream regal class.
I took this one, right before seeing the sign telling me not to photograph. Another advantage of the early morning, people are too busy setting up, drinking coffee and wiping the sleep from their eyes to care what you do.
A photo like this wouldn't be possible in the afternoon rush, as A) I wouldn't have seen it and B) it would have had a million map reading tourists in the way.
Contrats and colours and morning sunshine. Also nice to see some red bricks again after Warsaw's fear of bricks.
I didn't know who was looking the more worse for wear, the delivery bloke or Horace, the wobbly legged Giraffe.
Sometimes even the public toilets can be attractive. This is the curved exterior of one at the bottom of Portobello Road.
I just love long shadows, there is nothing like crisp early morning light.
So enough blending with the locals, it is time to make Marty a tourist!