We decided a few weeks ago that in order to fulfill the inherent demands of the phrase 'carpe diem' that we will always refer to what we are doing on a particular day as how we are celebrating that day. So how did I celebrate the weekend of November 13-15? With food, friends and ENGLAND!
On Friday (the thirteenth...ah!) I met up with a few friends at Brick Lane, which is the very eclectic area of East London where Kendall has been interning. We wandered down Brick Lane and came upon a restaurant that Kendall has had her eyes on for a while and decided to go in for dinner. When we entered I felt as though I was walking into the tangible equivalent of the abstract paradigms of my mind. It was romantically lit and was wall-to-wall covered in tapestries, photographs and posters from all over the world. The soundtrack playing overhead consisted of everything from Black Eyed Peas and Justin Timberlake to Led Zeppelin and the Beatles. Instead of tables, there were dark wooden coffee tables surrounded by velvet couches and quilted cushioned arm-chairs giving off a very welcoming and comfortable feel. Not only was the atmosphere wonderful, the food and drinks were absolutely life-changing. The menu was some Mediterranean and Middle Eastern hybrid that brought in the best of Greek and Indian cuisine. Four of us opted for the sharing platter, which consisted of everything from fried chicken to feta cheese to be dipped in different sauces like hummus, a spicy red sauce, and a tart Greek yogurt. There was felafel, there was naan, there was eggplant... there was HEAVEN on the large platter of food. I have never been so satisfied by a meal simply because the tastes were so diverse and invigorating and the food filled me up just the right amount. After finishing our food and basking in the glory of our surroundings, we retreated to the Crofton to prepare for the day ahead.
On Saturday morning, a large group of us girls embarked on a journey with Boston University to Bath, a city about two hours or so by bus outside of London. Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side. It rained the entire way to Bath, thus preventing us from truly enjoying our peak at the outskirts of the city. It continued to rain on and off when we arrived at Bath and wandered the Roman Baths that have been there since 76 AD. I found the Roman Baths to be very interesting because they are still in their original form and are functioning in the same manner that they did when they were built almost two thousand years ago.
From the hot springs to the baths themselves, the same drain system and overall structure are all as they were since their beginning. How those people were intelligent and crafty without any technology or research ability is completely beyond me. After exploring the Roman Baths, Kendall, Evan and I decided that we would rather remain in Bath for the day instead of embarking on the rest of the BU journey over to Avebury. So, we parted from the group and headed to an adorable little tea room that we had spotted from the bus on our way into town. Walking to the tea room gave us the opportunity to really look at the Roman and Georgian architecture of the town. Even with rain pouring down from a classic English overcast sky, even the most insignificant of buildings in Bath were beautiful in their own rite. After getting some tomato basil soup, sandwiches and tea, we decided to head up to the top of the hill in Bath to see the Assembly Rooms and Fashion Museum. We literally battled the elements during our trek up the hill, as at one point I actually was blocking horizontal rain from attacking me by hiding behind my umbrella as I held it perpendicular to my body. Unfortunately, Evan's umbrella did not survive the fight up to the Assembly Rooms. However, hers was not the only one... every single rubbish bin that we passed on our hike was overflowing with impaled and injured umbrellas of all shapes, sizes and colors.
The Assembly Rooms and the Fashion Museum were both very interesting and beautiful. The chandeliers in one of the Assembly Rooms were made in the 1700's and have been hanging there since the room was first used around that time. The Fashion Museum was intriguing because it explored the 'look of the year' from the middle of the 20th century into the 21st century. I would have to say that the look for 2007 did not really appear to be too representative of what I wore the year I graduated from high school...
... however I guess it is supposed to be a distorted version of the style of that year? Maybe? Another aspect of the Fashion Museum that we enjoyed was the room where we could try on corsets and hoop skirts like those worn in the 18th and 19th centuries. Let's just say that even though it was fun for ten minutes to suck our tummies in and float around the room like members of the Tudor family, I am quite glad that it is generally socially acceptable to wear nike shorts and Chi O t-shirts in public on a daily basis here in the 21st century. After the Fashion Museum we wandered about Bath a little more, did some shopping in the vintage stores and boutiques, then made a pit-stop at a fudge shop we had seen earlier in the day before catching a train back to London. I really enjoyed seeing Bath because it had a lot of history to it and gave me a better idea of what an area of England looks like other than London. After returning from Bath still slightly damp from our battle with mother nature and exhausted from our day of wandering, Kendall, Evan and I threw together some dinner and relaxed as we attempted to work on our papers that are due this week.
On Sunday morning, Kendall and I awoke quite early and made a dash for another new destination in London named Camden. Camden is in the central, northern area of London and is known for its out of control market scene.
. And as you can see... it absolutely deserves its reputation for being one of the most incredible markets in all of England. From the copious amounts of smoking paraphenalia to the numerous Middle Eastern shops selling wall-hangings and pashminas, Camden Market has to be one of the most eclectic places I have been in London. The variety of stalls and shops we found put Portobello Market to shame and kept us busy for hours on end. One of the most incredible parts of the market is that its main part is built around what used to be a horse hospital!
Many of the shopkeepers and vendors set up their tables in and around the stalls that used to hold horses back in the 19th and early 20th century. So when you walk around, it is quite likely that you will look up to see bronze colored stallions cantering above your head.
Camden was hands-down my favorite place in London so far. I wish I had enough time (and money) to go back, but I have so many more things I want to do before I go home next month. I am glad that I experienced Camden Market on a Sunday at all and will absolutely recommend it to anyone that comes to London even just for a few days. I really feel as though Camden epitomizes the niche that I identify the closest with in London. It was overflowing with diverse and interesting people selling all types of crafts, styles and gizmos. The food was cheap and tasty, the people were kind (though sometimes aggressive when trying to get you to buy their things) and the atmosphere was cozy and crazy all at once. It isn't going to be Big Ben that I dream about when I'm back in Winston-Salem. Nor is it going to be the Crofton. It is going to be the rush of bargaining with a Middle-Eastern man in the middle of a bustling market, it is going to be stuffing my face with Asian noodles and almond, butterscotch and cream crepes knowing that within the hour my stomach will be churning with discontent, it is going to be embarking on journeys to new places only to find that there is so much more to a city than what meets the eye in a picture book or on a website.
I love this town. Please don't make me leave?
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