Portobel-No Market

Since I’ve returned to Queen Mary, it has become more difficult to write blogs, because it’s feels like I have returned home after being on vacation. But I’m not home, I’m still overseas and having fun, so I have to keep writing blogs. Oh how I wish my life would stop being so fun!

Anyways, I feel compelled to write because a topic of familial importance, namely the visit of my elder brother, has come to hand. He arrived last night around eleven, and was not too tired to walk down to Brick Lane from my flat and get some midnight treats from the all-night bagel shop. My mom called me as we were falling asleep because I forgot to call her and confirm that Matthew made it to my apartment. Whoops. Sorry, Mom.

We went with Antoine and our friend Giulia, along with her four friends visiting from Rome, to the famous Portobello Market today. We were less than impressed though. I don’t know if we found the heart of the market, but we only saw a few shops set up on the street in the Portobello area. There were many people around, but I think the main attraction was the assortment of established shops. It was not a very strong street market atmosphere. We had lunch at a Thai restaurant in the area, and Antoine, Matthew and I parted ways with the Italian girls because we wanted to visit Brick Lane today and they wanted to see Hyde Park.

Brick Lane was very cool, as usual. On Sundays it comes alive with street performers and shops set up on the street and in empty warehouses along the thin lane. Specially reserved for the Sunday markets, they are empty for the rest of the week. Today though, the two warehouses were full of delicious food, clothes and jewelry salesmen, and the place was packed with a young, trendy British crowd. It’s very fun to hang out in an area not frequented by tourists, but by a genuine London clientele.

Tonight I took Matthew (well technically he took me because he paid) to New Tayyabs, the restaurant to which I took my little brother and my parents. The food was just as good this time around, especially because I halfway knew what I was doing. It’s so busy! I made a reservation four days in advance, so we had to wait only five minutes for a table, but there was a long line of people without reservations waiting patiently for a table in this cheap, extremely popular restaurant. I’m sure I talked about it when my parents came, but it was introduced to me as the only restaurant on the list of Top 10 Restaurants in London where a meal will cost 15 pounds instead of 150 pounds. The food was great, and I’m very glad I had a chance to go back there again.

It’s very nice to have Matthew visit. We have no shortage of things to talk about, and I think he is enjoying London so far. I have a test on Wednesday, so tomorrow I will study, and Tuesday, if need be, I will study, but after that we will have a full four days or so to do whatever we like. This is good though, because this way he can do the things I’ve already done in London for the next two days, and we can do things together for the rest of the time.

No pictures today, I’m afraid. Matthew took some, but he’s sleeping on my floor right now. He’s so peaceful when he’s asleep.