Portobello
@Nov/'98 UK
[Europe] [Articles 2004] [Top]
One of the World Largest Antique Complex: Hundreds of shops on street in weekend
It is 10 minutes walk from my apartment house in Ladblock. This is one
of favorite place to visit on holiday in London. Portobello, one of the
world largest antique complex. Hundreds of shops open on the narrow street
of Portobello in every weekend. You will find almost anything what looks
curious. Antiques sold here, some genuine, some not so quite genuine. In
the scene where mixture countless peoples and endless raw of makeshift
shops seen in the street, you might call the place a flea market instead
of famous and traditional antique shop street.
Human being would be sometimes strange creature. People has strong desire,
whatever one finds something odd or strange, to see, touch, feel, listen
and taste it. Therefore, this is just the place people’s curious desires
are fulfilled. On every Saturday, tremendous mass of people rush to the
street. This number of the people multiplies the pleasure to stroll there.
People’s watch is one of the best hobbies of the people.
Not a few of street performers are in the street.
They looks performing with their best under the cold London sky , obtaining small
amount of money from the on lookers. Their mind to entertain the audiences is strong
and genuine. Their performances interest our minds and give us pleasure to see.
African drum beater, Mexican group singers, pant-timer, magician in Pierrot suite,
old lady playing organ with a lot of puppy in a big cradle bag, flutist, cellist
and etc. All these performances are free.
I entered into one of atelier in the
Portobello. Narrow entrance, but huge space inside, like funnel, it expands
further as you walk inside.
I can not afford the expensive one, but
when I find one I like, I almost immediately purchase the one. A British man
was talking with the master of the shop. From the conversation which heard in
the room, it seemed the man wanted to buy a particular painting but he did not
have enough money with him at that time. The man said to the master, “I will be
back in a couple of days with the rest of amount.” Handing money what he had
that time to the master. It assumingly, was approx, 2,000 pounds he presented
to the master. Perhaps, the price of the painting would be around ten thousands
pounds. I was little amazed how people buys a painting. There might be a lot of
fake painting among displayed in the room, but it is true there are many
genuine ones. There were several paintings that I found fine, but all these are
too expensive for me to afford. I got out the shop not buying one.
SM restaurant is one of the small
restaurants we find in the far end of the street. Prices here are cheaper than
central part of London. I like these places I can feel more close to ordinal people. Several
long wood tables and assorted long chairs are placed on the restaurant floor. A
young waitress came to take my order. She sat close to me, so close, I mean
touching to me. I thought that I made mistake being entered the club or the
like. But, it was just a small restaurant in Portobello. It was a restaurant
specialized for sausage. I ordered two pieces of sausages and mashed potatoes.
It cost five pounds, cheap in London but little expensive in Portobello.
There is a small antique shop that I drop in every time I come to Portobello.
Interior of the shop is nice and shop keeper is typical English lady, she
speaks Queen’s English in elegant manner. You will find all sort of weird,
eccentric or mysterious things in the every corners and shelves. I usually
buy one small item. It is not so quite peculiar or weird thing. It is made
of bronze. A small animal shape is shining or not shining in bronze color.
Probably, this is nothing for anyone else. But it is rather important for
me to buy one, since it diffuses my stress great deal living alone in London
far away from home in Japan
Nov/'98 Rinzo@London UK (Updated on 29/Aug/'05)
| [Europe] [Articles 2004] [Top] |