First Weekend Part III: Sunday

My inner clock is still confused.  Although I stayed up quite late, maybe like 1:30AM, I still slept until noon today.  Just never felt like the right time to get up and I certainly had no trouble sleeping.  Anyway, out of fear of sleeping until dinner time, I did finally force myself to get up and plan the day.  Same goal - walk around some neighborhoods to see if I could live there.  Today I would head up to Hampstead (via Tube).  This is a quaint neighborhood in Northern London, about 8 tube stops from my office, and right on the ridge of London's largest green space Hampstead Heath.  It has an almost Hamptons like feel to it ... I almost felt like I should smell salt in the air.  Maybe even reminded me a bit of Lake Geneva.  Can't quite place it, but I would have felt I wold have fit in better with a baby blue cable knit tied around my neck.

There were children eating ice cream cones, lots of sidewalk cafes, breath taking windows of pastries and breads, antique shops ... have I mentioned that so far everyone in London seems really happy?  Anyway, I took a nice stroll down the "high street" (Main St. USA =  High St. UK).  Saw the Tom Ford sunglasses I have been yearning for $100 less than the U.S.  - good sign, didn't buy.  Stopped off for a bite outside (cappuchino, smoked salmon on the best bagel I think I've ever had) and then continued down the way to see a few more hoods.  Hampstead is so, so pleasant, but I am still not sure it is the place I would live every day.  The flat they want to show me there though is in a vintage building with stained glass and within walking from the park, so I still will no doubt check that out.

The plan was to walk down toward Belsize park, then toward Chalk Farm and finally Camden where I would hit a major tube stop and could decide what to do from there.  Well, I missed a street, got into a residential area that I wouldn't want to live in and then all of a sudden got spit out right smack dab in front of this MAJOR market going on.  

So, even though by this time my feet and legs were tiring, I had to check this out.  OMG, everyone needs to see the Stables market in Camden.  It literally is a humongous old horse stable from the late 1800s and today holds a gigantic maze of a flea market with goods from all over the world.  I just kept walking and walking.  The interior of this place is beyond description with the woodworking and horse sculptures.  The afternoon was absolutely gorgeous. 

I ended up making a couple purchases - a wood ring and earring (because one can never have to much wood jewelry), and necklace made of little brass beads, and a black leather bag (because every purse I have is too small to carry everything I need on my journeys).  Man, this was a wonderful surprise.  

By the time I left it was 6:30P and I was in need of some more food.  I decided I wanted a little pizza and decided to take the tube back down to Covent Garden.  Once I got there everything was closing again, but did allow me to see the area again.  I do like this neighborhood, even though it is quite touristy.  One final surprise for the weekend  ...  as I was walking around up and down small brick streets I literally deadended into my office.  Whoa!!  Can I just say, AWESOME location.  Not only that, but there was a little Italian eatery right there with just what the doctor ordered.  I am sooo looking forward to working there.  That way perhaps I can get the Covent Garden bug out during lunch hours and after work happy hours and be more content living in a different hood.  All things to consider ... for now, off to bed.  Tomorrow is the first big day in the office.  I am here to work, you know.