Portobello Market

Portobello Market is hopping. Especially on a Saturday, which as it turned out was the day that fit into our itinerary. Getting off the tube at Notting Hill station, and surfacing at street level, we only had to follow the sea of humanity to find our way to the market. The crowds flowed down the road and there were so many people it was hard to see what was for sale in the market stalls. No one was getting anywhere fast. Patience was the order of the day! Fortunately, as we walked further down the road the crowds thinned a little and we were able to get to the market stalls and shops that line the street.

It's a bustling carnival atmosphere with lots to look at! Antiques galore, there are also no shortage of souvenirs, clothing and all sorts of interesting things. There are also food vendors so you needn't go hungry and entertainers, like this stylish headless couple who were happy to pose for a photo with you!

The Charm is in the Details

Sometimes it is the details that catch your eye. These cute little fellows were often part of a larger and more complex whole. But singled out for the spotlight they are perfect in their own way. They were spotted, from top to bottom in: Barnstaple, Torquay, Bath, Bath, London and London. And in every case, all you needed to do was look up!

Signs of the Times

These are some of the signs that grabbed my attention while on holiday in England, some amusing, some nostalgic and some simply evocative of this country's wonderful style.

Bloomin' England

Flowers flowers everywhere. For those of us who are challenged container gardeners, it is quite awe-inspiring to see the fabulous potted plants in England. Flower pots, hanging baskets and planters drip blooms just about everywhere you go! They enliven and embellish facades that are already beautiful of their own accord. From a single pot on a window sill to a wall of continuous window boxes, flowers reign supreme!

Who's There?

As always, I find myself drawn to the doorways of buildings. Perhaps because that is the part that welcomes people to a dwelling. Some doors are old, some are new, some brightly coloured, some in need of paint, but each is interesting in its own way. The green door at the bottom has an amazing Pharaoh door knocker!

Knock, Knock

These door knockers are just a few examples of the wide variety you can find on doors all over England. I could have taken hundreds of photos. I spotted the Devon pixie in Clovelly, Devon.

Clovelly

Not far from Buck's Mills, mentioned in yesterday's post, is the better known village of Clovelly. On the quaintness scale, Clovelly is off the charts. Visitors start at the top of the village and travel down the steep cobbled roads, too narrow for cars, to the harbour and beach at the bottom.

To Public Footpath

The coastal cliff paths from Abbotsham towards Bucks Mills in Devon provide some challenging climbs and lots of beautiful scenery. What a great way to shake off jet lag. These are just some of the views we had from the footpath as we walked for miles, up the cliffs and down, up and down, again and again. High on a cliff one moment, then down at the beach another. Tremendous exercise with lots of bracing air and seaside breezes.

If you look closely you can make out the footpath in some of the photos, evident as zigzagging lines or stairs.

As we walked along that late morning and early afternoon, I kept having to tell myself that it wasn't all a dream. Here I was in England again, after all these years.

Across the Pond

So sorry, dear readers, for my absence. We have been in England for three weeks. Over the coming days I will share some of the photos I took with you.