Week 34

Me, myself, and I had just the most fabulous time this week ambling around Covent Garden and the surrounding pedestrian avenues for the first time.  I had walked near it on a Saturday a while back with Keegan and Liam, stopping in a men’s clothing shop on the edge of it, but by the time we reappeared, I had no desire to engage in the endless crowds of tourists that were starting to swarm.  A Thursday late morning arrival of 10 a.m. proved to be a much better alternative.  There was a quiet, calm before the storm feel as the glorious spring sunshine began to stream through the glass roof of the market and greet pre-coffee-ied jet-lagged visitors seated at outdoor cafes desperate for some warmth and espresso.  My nose and tummy begged to join them, but I trod on, camera beckoning me to get some work done first.  I made a full loop, taking my time to soak up the atmosphere of local artists busily setting up stands to sell their work, cupcake stores going to great pains to lay the fancy treats out just so, and street food vendors firing up their grills.  My walkabout coincided with the Thursday “Real Food Market.”  I made about 5 laps around those 10 stands (the owners were starting to look at me funny after about the third lap without a purchase) all in the name of photography really, but secretly I was making great plans for the lunch I would later devour as I sat on the cobblestone square, people watching and absorbing every ounce of those ultraviolet rays.  As the lunch crowds started to descend, school groups filtered in, and the tourists' caffeine started to kick in, I quickly packed up to go. I came home with a tummy full of an organic beef burger with local stilton cheese, a few mini cupcakes (for Liam, of course), a painting by a local artist, and a newfound appreciation for this lovely little pocket of the city.  In fact, we are returning there this evening for dinner and a pint actually!  Cheers.