I know it's pretty quick for a new post, but yesterday was a whirlwind of a day so this is also for my records. :)
I got up early and headed out to Saint Pauls. Because of some delays, I ended up walking along the South Bank from Embankment to get there. I am glad it worked out that way because it was a beautiful walk to do in the morning. I was nervous about making it in time for service, but I got there just in time for the 10:15 Matin service.
I had never been to a Matin. Basically the choir runs the show and they sing everything except the apostles creed, the readings, and the sermon. It was gorgeous. The cathedral alone could take your breath away and then to have this choir singing everything. Their voices echoed off the walls.
After that I met up with Nick and Christina. We headed off to the Brick Lane Market. This almost a sensory overload. It was teetering on the balance. There were so many smells, tastse, sights, sounds. You walk into this huge, fieldhouse like building and there is stall after stall of clothes, jewelry, handbags, jackets, anything you can imagine. All the colors are bright. The big fashion here right now is bohemian chic. Lots of bright colored, full skirts with these really wide belts. There is also a section with food and that has every nationality you can think of. My two favorites were the olive stand that had all of these brightly colored olives in baskets and a greek bakery.
After Brick Lane market, Christina and I headed to the City of London museum. We pretty much walked through it until we found the Victorian walk, then we took some more time. We took a break for tea and talked to a calypso singer about carnival.
Then we headed to Harrods for the Food Halls. Harrods is extravagence. The food halls are works of art. There is a room for meat (we didn't spend much time in that one), a produce room where they had dried strawberries which I found very expensive interesting, a deli/ready to eat room, and our favorite- a chocolate/tea/coffee room. Both of us bought chocolate before we left. Gourmet and organic chocolate has been a recent and dangerous discovery for me.
We took a break after Harrods and stopped at our dorm and then headed to Camden street for dinner. Going to Camden and Harrods in one day was an experience. Camden is kind of the punk area- or at least the market sells a lot of that style of clothing. I have also never seen so many body piercing. Not being able to pass up another piercing I....didn't get one. No more piercings for me. We had dinner at Wagamama and then headed to Hampstead for a fringe show.
Hamstead is an oasis in London. It has the Heath- big huge area of fields and woods, quaint houses, and hills. Before the fringe show, we explored the Heath. We went in a back entrance and felt a lot like Hansel and Gretel. One minute we are in London, the next on this little dirt path in the woods.
The fringe show we saw was Victoria Plums and it was basically an actress sharing her research on the Victorian period. It was really fun. We were the only ones in the audience under the age of 60, but we both really loved it.
That was my Sunday and now it's on the record. Have a great week everyone!