11 July 2009

Portobello Market

Kay and I went along to Notting Hill in North London today and headed for Portobello Market in Portobello Road. It was heaving with tourists of a hundred nationalities all taking photographs of the area made famous by Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant in the film Notting Hill. It took us 20 minutes alone just to get up the steps in the Underground station, as it took the crowds that long to shuffle through.


We spent all day just browsing the shops and stalls on one side of the street and then browsing back along the other side. For those who have never been there, it is a very long road indeed (I believe about a mile long) and boasts the former homes of Lord Asquith and George Orwell. The sights and smells (of street cooking - paella, crepes etc) were amazing

and, of course we managed a bit more shopping for our holiday, even calling into the Travel Book shop (featured in the film) for a holiday guide book.


As it was Saturday, all the antique stalls were out in force today too. Our aching feet told us when it was time to head home again. Feel free to click on the pictures to get enlargements.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

The market pics give me the fear just looking at them. Far too many people crammed into a confined space for me. The smells though must have been amazing. I love the smell of outdoor cooking.

Great photos.

Nechtan

ADDY said...

Thanks nechtan - they are library pictures from google, not my own! You would have hated the bit where we were trapped in a crowd underground and had to shuffle slowly up lots of steps to get out. I also spent most of the day staring at someone's back in front of me as we tried to get along the crowded street!

Anonymous said...

I can well imagine it. I've been in those situations before and it can be very disorientatiing.

I hope you are all packed now and raring to go to Greece. Have a great time.

All the best

Nechtan

Flowerpot said...

I lived just off Portobello Road in the late 70s - my God it's changed now!

Anonymous said...

Haven't been there for years but suddenly had a great yearning to be there.

Is the holiday going to be hot and exotic?

GG

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