(2-1)– Now smack in the middle of our weekend, we woke today in a completely different UK than we had gone to sleep in. After months of dispute, Brexit finally passed through the British government overnight; although not nearly educated enough to speak about the matter, I am very interested to hear from locals and through class what this means for the country, as well as see how it affects those living here in the next few months.
Somehow, I still managed to wake up earlier than most and headed out with Nicole, another student, to go thrifting/antiquing, around 10:30am. We decided, after reading an article in the Brit publication Time Out (basically a free and really nice classifieds) and my limited introduction to the place, we popped over to Camden Town once again on the tube. Although the street which the tube put us out in was interesting, full of tourist traps and goth/punk people playing guitar, we followed the crowd to the Lock, where we were immediately barraged with food of every kind and stalls set up with a wide variety of goods.
With the almost overwhelming sensory smorgasbord available, we set off to make our way through as much of the market as we could. Weaving our way through crowds expertly, we saw turquoise rings, hand-weaved sweatshirts, fine silk button-ups; we saw books and art and old vintage film; we saw jewelry and candles and home decor. Anything you could ever want was available, and Nicole and I were like two kids in a candy store. At every stop we made, extending further and further back, we met friendly Londoners and people looking for deals just like they do at home. Even though somewhat the result of tourism, it felt nice to feel at home in a place so far from our actual home; this experience just confirmed for me how universal some experiences are. I guess looking for a bargain unites us all!
Eventually, we reached a part of the market called the Stables. It’s an apt name– the location of Camden Market used to be the historic Pickfords stables. Many of the shops in which these goods are located, before the 20th century, used to house horses rather than people and goods. Along with the smell of old things, it’s history hangs in the air with a dramatic, slightly noticeable mustiness. Even the routes which people walk through are narrow, cobbled and big enough to fit no more than a few people abreast.
In the sections near the main street, every entrance was different and unique. Aside from being able to find almost anything I could want, I felt like I was crossing into parallel worlds every time I walked into a new part. Divided into 5-6 sections, there was always something new to see
Nicole and I eventually decided to finish up our shopping– my personal haul of an evil-eye charm bracelet, a sweater, and an antique camera (made in England in 1951!) for my collection at home safely tucked away– and went to get lunch. From our wide selection of worldy foods at our fingertips, it was really hard to decide where exactly to spend our hard-earned dollars. After passing an interesting statue of a cow with the words “Not Your Mum, Not Your Milk” (fig.), we settled down at Rudy’s Dirty Vegan Diner.
The first of its kind, the food was delicious regardless; I ended up getting a “Dirty Burger,” a grilled soya beef patty with “baycon,” “cheeze,” grilled onions, mayo, ketchup, pickles, and lettuce, as well as a vegan vanilla milkshake.
Finally, we finished off in the market around 4pm. We grabbed some groceries and stopped at a tiny bakery that had some beautiful Chelsea buns. It was a good end to the day when Carly and I ran down to the West End in search of show tickets, and ended up snagging the last three seats in the stalls for Waitress on Monday, which is starring Sara Bareilles starting this week! I can’t wait– Bareilles performing in NYC was one of my bucket-list shows, and I missed it. It seems like fate to me!
(2-2)– Today was a bit more relaxing! Most of us slept in, and there’s a group consensus that it already feels like we’ve been here for over a week. We all did some school work nearby and hung out and laughed together. Although there are twelve of us in the flat, it doesn’t feel too crowded yet, and I’m really enjoying the dynamic of hanging out with the different groups that have arisen. We all get along really well, even though we’re all really different people– although we do seem to have a tendency towards wanting to do things our own way.
Perhaps this was one reason why it was slightly more difficult than normal to start planning our weekend trips. Everyone had an opinion of where we should go– Italy, Scotland, Ireland, Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin… the list went on and on. Eventually, some of the girls and I planned a trip to Prague and two separate day trips to Oxford and Cambridge, and others are going to Amsterdam around the same time. I have at least three more weekends (including Spring Break) to plan, so if anyone is reading and has a recommendation for something we can’t miss, please let me know!
We ended the day coming back together for the Super Bowl, even though no one was really a fan of either team. With the five-hour time difference between here and home, the show didn’t start until 11pm, so we all grouped together in our tiny kitchen and spent some time together. It got a bit warm, but it was still fun to yell at the screen and laugh at the unusual British commentary.
Talk to you tomorrow about Waitress, my second Regent’s Park run, The London Tower and more!
Ethan Knox 
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