CaMdEn sQuArE mArKeT

The next morning we got up the earlier than usual and ate breakfast with my Aunt. We played with her baby grandaughter for a while. The baby is teething and did not sleep at all the night before keeping everyone up. Everyone but Tyson and I though because we are dead to the world when we are sleeping. We managed to get out of the house before noon for the first day during our time in London. We topped up our Oyster cards (the transit loyalty cards) and caught the bus to Greenwood station. I bought a pair of shoes there at the Primark, and then caught another bus to Camden Market where several people had suggested that we go. Camden market is basically a street full of stalls and shops selling anything and everything. There are also offshoots that branch out into every nook and cranny in the area and one can basically find and they are looking for and more. All sorts of items were represented from from around the world. The goths, trendsetters, emos, eighties rockers, fashion forwards, slutty sluts, youngsters, stoners, oldies, skinnies and preggos can find their products represented. The place was decorated with a young bohemian vibe and people were loving it. We were unsuccessful with our shopping goals but we had a great time meandering through the tight aisles of the market looking at all the stuff and things people were offering. There was a very large food section as well where they offered foods from all over the world. Every country was represented and the food looked and smelled very authentic. We tried several samples and reminisced about when the same items were only one fiftieth of the price.

We walked past a hairdressers that specialized in dreadlocking. I stopped in to see if they could fix what has slowly become a tree trunk with frizzy brances. The two women in the shop both looked at me with pity in their eyes and told me they were not sure if they could help. I had been putting my dreads into ponytails and using a headband everyday for months without pulling the dreads apart at all. I learned (too late) that I was supposed to pull my dreads apart every night and maintain them every three months. None of that had been done. After about ten minutes of ripping my dreads apart from one another and shaking her head the whole time, the lady finally came to the conclusion that I would have to cut them off. I decided that ignoring her advice would be the best step for me to take at this time. Our next destination, was another place recommened to us by my friend called the Roundhouse. It is normally a theatre that hosts very famous acts including Jimmy Hendix and The Doors. During the summer however, they had imported soft white sand and created a beach on the roof. The weather was lovely and we enjoyed our feet in the sand for a few last minutes of our trip. We walked back up the other side of Camden Market and spent the very last of our English money on food. We will worry about transportation to the airport later.

Unsure of where to go next we caught a bus to Oxford Circus in downtown London. It was very busy and we tried to find a few last things that we needed but it was a lost cause. Although even if we had found the things we needed, we wouldn't have had the money to pay for it. I passed by a T-shirt that said "Abby Road" on it and asked Tyson why he had not mentioned to go there. He had thought it was very far away but a little investigation proved that it was only one bus ride. We caught the thirty minute bus to the famous crosswalk and took the infamus photos that everyone goes there for. There were a couple dozen others trying to time their photos so that they would not get hit by the cars going by. Tyson snuck into the actual studio parking lot and I snapped a couple shots of him there. As I was taking his photo mid step on the crosswalk, cars lined up and honked their horns only to hear my wrath. I was a bit embarrassed about lashing out at the drivers but some of the other tourists reassured me that it was ok. Tyson took a photo with three other strangers to equal a group of four and we even got one with the two of us so the trip out there was well worth it.

We caught four busses back to the house while getting a full tour of the city on the top level at the same time. Back at the house our host was also hosting twenty other people for dinner. Most of the guests had already arrived by the time we got there so we snuck away to change our clothes and freshen up before joining the group. We met a group of my Aunt's friends, some of whom were from work, some from the local Bahai community and some were family members. We all got to know each other over fruit and chocolate appetizers and then came the big Persian dinner. There was enough food to feed at least three times the people there and it reminded me of home. We ate all sorts of authentic Persian dishes including ghormeh sabzi, fesenjoon, coocoo, chicken and rice. It tasted the same as it does at any Persian household and we enjoyed it thoroughly. We had tiramasu, chocolate cream puffs with cherry centers, eclairs, cheesecake, fruit and nuts for dessert. We were so full that there was only one thing left to do-dance. My cousin is a professional dance instructor so she taught us simple salsa and chachacha moves. We all practiced and laughed with each other. After more dancing including Persian, brazilian and the macarena styles, things moved alond to rapping and singing. Again my cousin showed off her rapping skills and then her wonderful singing voice. Tyson even belted out a beautiful tune. The guests did not leave until about two thirty in the morning at which time we visited with aunt and helped to clean up a bit. We were up late enough to watch the sun rise on our last full day of our one year round the world trip.

"If we are not happy and joyous in this season for what season shall we wait"