Spitalfields Market and Highgate Cemetery

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I guess this is it, my last blog post from London. I'll just write enough here to explain the last photos I want to post. We took a day trip to Stonehenge and Bath on Thursday, but spaced out the camera. The return car ride back into London was an adventure, to say the least. Pretty awful, really, yet we survived it. I need more distance from it to be able to talk about it.

So, last Sunday, Graham and Rhys and I went to Spitalfields Market, in the East End of London. This is definitely my favorite of all the markets we've been to. Absolutely fabulous crafts and fashion, lots of vintage clothes, and just overall very inspirational to me as a knitter and aspiring crafty person. On our way home we stopped by King's Cross station to do the obligatory visit to Platform Nine and three-quarters.

We are staying very near to the village of Highgate, which is lovely. Bob and I went out for a few pints one night at a pub there, and on two occasions we shopped at the charity shops on Highgate High Street.

Rhys was the only one interested in joining me on a visit to Highgate Cemetery. We only visited the East Side (not the West Side, with the really scary Dracula connections), but it was really cool and fun to roam around. There was a great map with famous people's graves marked, and Rhys enjoyed helping me track down the interesting ones.

I did venture all the way to Waterloo, south of the Thames, to visit a great shop called I Knit London. Wednesday and Thursday nights they have a knitting social (they can serve beer and wine) and the place was packed. There must have been 20+ people in a rather small space. I managed to find a chair and knit for about an hour. The people around me were very friendly and chatty. Again I found that knitting is a really great way to connect with locals.

Home tomorrow morning. It's been a lovely trip, and we all love London, but we're all really ready to get home.

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Photos

Original designer dresses
The assortment of vintage and original design clothing at Spitalfields Market (on Sundays only) was just amazing, and afterwards, we learned that we had only seen a portion of what was on display in this neighborhood on Sundays.

Vintage scarves
One pound each.

Whittington and Cat
The park in our neighborhood, near Archway, is called Whittington Park, for Dick Whittington, who was Mayor of London back in the 1300's. The story goes that he came to London to seek his fortune, but decided to return home. He was leaving London via the Holloway Road (1/2 a block from here) when he heard the bells of a church calling him back. He ended up being Mayor for many years. I vaguely remember the story of "Dick Whittington and his Cat" from when I was a kid, but don't remember how the cat fits in. Lots of things in this area, including the hospital, are named for him.

Piccadilly Whip Truck
We saw these everywhere, and patronized a few.

Bus with Harry Potter poster
We really enjoyed riding the buses, especially when we could sit up top. Many had movie posters on the sides, including several different versions of the Harry Potter poster.

Anna Mahler
She was the daughter of Gustav Mahler, and a sculptor. The statue on the grave is a copy of one of her own sculptures.

Douglas Adams
Author of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"

Rhys at Waterlow Playground
This was next to Highgate Cemetery and near the Highgate High Street.

Rhys at Platform 9 3/4, King's Cross Station
As we made our way through King's Cross Station, Rhys says, "Every year, packed with Muggles."