Today I discovered Old Spitalfield Market. I was given the destination by more than one person....a sure sign of a great place.
It involved The Tube...the Underground that everyone says is the easiest system ever. Leave it to me to make it complicated. Going there was a breeze as promised. John and I both got tickets at the same time...same machine. We left Green Park and arrived at the Tower of London...easy peasy.
I met my husband's co-workers. One co-worker was SO kind as to let me borrow an umbrella that was about my height and width. I tried to politely decline, but she kept insisting. I hopped aboard The Tube and landed safely in Liverpool Station. I opened the umbrella ONCE. I believe it is frowned upon, in the busy Liverpool business district, during lunch break and mass construction, tiny sidewalks, etc., to open a 5 foot wide umbrella. I was a sight. Did I mention the umbrella was raindow striped?
For the first time in 4 days...I got lost. As in... Super. Lost. My little map was becoming tattered in the rain, I do not have a cell phone here and I got a little nervous for a moment. I got trapped in the "curry district" and men kept grabbing my arm and trying to pull me inside their restaurants. I looked up and saw a little black pointer sign. "This way to Old Spitalfield Market". WHEW. I scurried from the curry.
I walked in and I KNEW I had arrived. THIS is what I have been looking for as far as 'shopping" goes.
I did score some fun stuff, but I basically just looked, and circled and looked some more. SO many good display ideas and merchandising. My brain was buzzing! I wish we had something more like this in Portland. As a seller of vintage items, there is so much to be said for selling one day a week and collecting GREAT items the other 25 days. I was frustrated that many booths didn't mark their items because I KNEW the moment I opened my mouth & they saw I was American, the price would shoot up.
I still did just fine for myself.
I scored an old tin box FULL of skeleton keys...I think I gasped when I opened it. (Gasping is usually frowned upon if one wishes to do some bargaining).
One the way back. My Tube card blinked "seek assistance". I bought a new card. I almost lost it and couldn't get OUT of the Tube. Found it. Wrong card. "Seek assistance" again. Found the correct card. Met John. Used the new card "seek assistance". John's card STILL worked! I tried the old one. "Seek assistance". Are you KIDDING ME??? And WHY oh WHY did John keep going first so I was the one left behind? I bought a new card. Made it through. Made it BACK out at the end. Whew. The Tube is supposed to be an inexpensive way to travel. I think I could have OWNED a taxi at the end of the day with the amount of money I shoved in that ticket machine. John is still snickering. Still not funny.
Sleep. It seems to either elude us or wash over us suddenly.We've been living on about 4 hours night with a one hour afternoon nap. That is SO unlike John and I. I think this is SOME kind of jet lag, eh?
I am off to hunt, gather and eat the best Indian food I EVER have eaten. Cheerio!
