Portobello Market Morning

Saturday morning marked our first full day in London and we certainly made the most of it. We set alarms early to take the tube out to Notting Hill to the Portobello Market before the crowds. At 8am, the stalls were just being set up for the day and we had the full attention of dozens of sellers. We made our way through the antique shops, rife with ancient books, real linotype prints (not modern tourist “tat” as one seller claimed) and empty, intricate bottles for everything from medicine to milk to meat. The flower and food market were equally overwhelming in terms of color, smell and sheer volume.

Next time we’ll know better than to arrive on a full stomach. The aromas wafting from the giant paella pans of snap peas and marinated drumsticks was so pungeant it’s still making my mouth water. And the miles of fresh bread with quiches filled with painstakingly layered vegetable slices was beautiful and oh so appetizing. My favorite stall amongst the food displays was the olive and Mediterranean set-up. Barrels of olives brining in everything from giant bay leaves to lemon rind to parsley butted up against fresh feta soaking in olive oil so rich I could smell it from 10 feet away. Hanging dried red peppers and lavender only added to the exotic aromas.

At 10am when we realized we needed to make a beeline back to the tube for our 11am London Eye reservation, the crowd was immense like a wave pushing in the opposite direction. We were so glad to have come before the crowd, before the heat, to enjoy the Portobello Market tradition.

After nearly an hour in line and a 4-minute, fully interactive (meaning we were sprayed with water, hosed with fake smoke, and 3D goggled) introduction video, we were rising slowly above the London skyline in the Eye. When St. Paul’s and the Gherkin came in to view to the east, I really felt like I was in London. It’s remarkable to see, at one time, so many renowned landmarks. Parliament. Big Ben. St. Paul’s. The Gherkin. Buckingham Palace. London Bridge. It was a great introduction to the city even to show the incredible size of the modern metropolis. Nearly as far in either direction as you could see was what could be considered “downtown” London.

Technically Notting Hill, 5 or 6 tube stops from our London Eye vantage point, is within the city, north of Hyde Park. And equally as far in the opposite direction to the east, St. Paul’s rises up to indicate the old, walled city of London. It’s like looking at Manhattan in terms of size, if there existed a vantage point in Manhattan that actually allowed you to see all of it!

And all this before lunch. Across the street from our hotel on the most adorable little street: Great Russell Street, a quiet, poetic Japanese restaurant had our number. We ordered beautifully colorful bento boxes with tempura, freshly grated radish and agedashi tofu. It was the perfectly simple format with complex flavors to recharge and relax us. I’m a fan of agedashi tofu when it’s done right, and I must say this was a nice treat. Hakuba felt like a retreat from the bustle of the city, in fact, Great Russell Street in general was always a nice street to come “home” to, just around the corner from the Tottenham Court Road Underground station. The only silly thing about our thoughtful hour over green tea and bento was the argument between the two American women sitting next to us! Hilarious.