Wonderful Weather

May 17th 

Everyone says a heat wave is going through. Can a heat wave always be going through? The last few days of weather of have been bliss. I do not want it to end!!!

Tracy and I were supposed to go to the Chastworth House today. It is Pemberley in the new Pride & Prejudice movie. Sleeping in finally happened!! We were ready to go before ten, but when we double checked the plans we realized it would take longer and be more expensive than we first assumed. Frustrating. Tracy decided it was a no go and she would rather do the markets with everyone else today. That was fine by me even though I was really looking forward to Pemberley.  It doesn't seem like I'll get out there, or to the Downton Abbey house, by the end of our trip.

Portebello Markets is known for its antiques. I think my favorite part were the houses in the area. Lots of cute, fun colors.

Coming back here! Had to take a picture to remember the address. All of the shops look the same.

Market Funness.

For Miranda. Found in the Highland Scottish Store.

This is a real saying in England. It is everywhere. They "mind" many things. Most often you are told to, "Mind the gap," in tube stations.

They must not have an HOA.

Dear Siblings, I considered it.

So I think this is at Portebello. I got bored of the whole antique scene after awhile and started wandering around (hence the pictures of cute houses above). I hopped on a bus to go to a tube station, but then found another entrance to Portebello Market. I must not have made it down this far the first time I walked the street. This area is much more of an open thrift shop. I think I saw clothes from every decade going back to the 40s. There was much more diversity with products being sold and a whole lot more food too. I almost bought a coconut since they were cutting those open and selling the milk.

I must have been observing far too long since something just snapped. I started bartering and looking for deals and comparing prices at other stores. I came home for lunch and Skyping around two and then was back at Camden Market before five. At the end of the day I had sun glasses, a scarf, a wallet, postcards, three presents, and a mission for next time. My advice: do not buy ANYTHING at Camden Market until you have gone in as deep and sketchy as you can go. Suddenly everything becomes half priced. I saved at least eight quid.

To the Savoy Hotel and Theatre! It's a classy place. I decided I was seeing Dirty Rotten Scoundrels sometime during the day and then just went for it. Every time I have brought up around people they are politely disinterested. That's okay. You're only in London for roughly six weeks. You have to take what you can get. I got a dress circle seat (first balcony) in the middle for twenty-five quid. That's $40. 

Shopping, Shows, & Sunglasses. I love London.

It's hard to get lost in the city; the handy maps are everywhere, there are plenty of stores to walk into to ask someone, and The Cloud is present at most of the big tourist areas. The Cloud is free London Wifi. Holla. The show was one of the best I've seen so far. It is tied with Once and Much Ado About Nothing. All three were so good and so different. After the show the Covent Garden tube station was closed so I had to walk further down to Leicester Square, but traffic control was doing a good job. Surprisingly, it was not the most crowded the tube has been while I've been here.