Playing in London’s Colorful Camden Market

Despite the numerous trips we’ve made to London, I had never visited the well-known Camden Market.

This time, I visited twice and was inundated by the 700+ stalls that make up Camden Market and the funky, quirky, retro stores that line Camden High Street. Wow! The storefronts are like giant, in-your-face billboards screaming their particular product – a lot of shoes. I couldn’t resist buying a new pair of Vans with neon pink shoe laces!

Hubby and I playing along Camden High Street and stopping in one of the local pubs for a pint.

Warning: on the weekend, this street and the markets were absolutely mobbed with tourists and potentially some locals as well when we first visited. However, stop by on a Monday like I did or another weekday and you’ll find the markets much less crowded.

Continue walking up the street and you’ll find the lively Camden Market, which is actually made up of three separate markets – Union Street, The Lock and The Stables. The Stables Market gets its name from its previous incarnation as a horse hospital because, in Victorian times, the stables were where horses injured pulling barges down the canals were treated.

Today, you’ll find a catacombs of stalls selling everything from Turkish lamps and kilims to military jackets, cheap T-shirts and homemade clothes, belts and more.

The Camden Market is enormous! I spent about five hours wandering around the tiny lanes on a Monday afternoon; I still didn’t even cover all the stalls because there’s just too much to see and photograph! Every turn yields a new discovery in the numerous nooks and crannies here.

I love these old doors in the Stables Market!

The view along Regent's Canal in Camden.

After I wandered through the markets and ate a delicious gluten-free falafel lunch, I strolled through some of the neighboring side streets and found colorful houses like I did in Notting Hill as well as come cool street art.

Every time I visit London, I discover something new and I love photographing those little discovery moments. That’s the joy of big cities – they are constantly morphing and changing – meaning there are always reasons to visit.

Have you visited Camden Market?

Read More

Rainbow Row in London’s Notting Hill Neighborhood

During our recent trip to London, I had the opportunity to roam around by myself and simply take photos.

Forget about spending the day in a museum, I’d rather just aimlessly wander down London’s quaint streets and see where they lead me. So while hubby had to work in the local office, I was free to explore the city. Sorry honey!

On a rare partly-sunny day, I decided to head toward Notting Hill because I remember enjoying my day there four years ago. This time, I tried to explore the side streets off the infamous Portobello Road. I’m glad I did because I quickly became distracted by all the beautiful colored row homes I found! Different shades of rainbows and muted pastel colors filled many of the streets of this now posh neighborhood.

These colorful beauties are located along Lancaster Road in Notting Hill.

It's almost like each home owner tried to outdo his/her neighbor!

One of these stunning row houses can be yours for the bargain price of £3 to £10 million ($4.5 to $15 million). Cough, cough! I knew London was one of the most expensive cities in the world, but really?

Even though these were the same color, they look pretty. I love the arched windows!

Well, if you don’t have a couple million in the bank, you can do what I did. Grab your camera and see where the lens takes you. It’s easy to while away a few hours, stopping now and then for a coffee or glass of wine at one of the many cafés in Notting Hill too.

Which colored row house would you want to live in?

These blue doors decorate one of the so-called British "mews houses," which are a row of former stables that usually had carriage houses below and living quarters above and were built around a paved yard or street. These were popular in London during the 17th and 18th centuries. Today most mews stables have been converted into houses.

And I couldn't resist these colorful front doors too! New Yorkers should definitely take note!

Read More

Following the Rainbow in Istanbul

I looked up and couldn't believe the bright colors in the mid-afternoon sky.

As I walked out of the camera han in Sirkeci - there was a nearly complete rainbow in the sky above me! The sun was peaking out of the clouds and there was just enough sunlight with the remaining moisture in the air to create an amazing rainbow.

I took this photo as I walked past the Sirkeci Terminal (train station) in Istanbul.

Since my camera lens was fixed, I decided I should use it. So I followed the rainbow.

For once, I was in the right place at the right time with the right equipment!

I walked towards the rainbow. It looked like one part of the rainbow ended at Topkapı Palace while the other half disappeared somewhere into the Bosphorus.

Istanbul's suburban train "graveyard" area in Sirkeci.

The rainbow's bright colors appeared to be fading, so I headed back to the shore near the ferry docks at Eminönü. I wanted to capture as many photos as I could.

I didn't get a good shot of the complete rainbow, but you can check out one person who did over the Golden Horn on Twitter here. Many other people also tweeted rainbow photos so check it out.

The rainbow went over the car ferry port at Sirkeci in Istanbul.

Yesterday was one of life's reminders to literally follow the rainbow.

And I listened.

Read More