may 13

It was a busy day.

Went for a walk in London to learn more about Notting Hill and Portobello Market. It wasn't my first time in Notting Hill but I learned some new things today. I didn't know there was Notting Hill (for the rich) and Notting Dale (for the poor). Notting Dale is a mainly residential enclave in the west London district of Notting Hill. It has been associated with Irish, Catholic and Gypsy populations. Today, the houses you see there are very expensive, but it used to be a poor area.

I also heard of a very interesting street called Pottery Lane. Pottery Lane is a street in Notting Hill. Today it is part of one of London's most fashionable and expensive areas, but in the mid-19th century it was at the heart of a miserable and notorious slum known as " Potteries and the Piggeries", named after pig keepers and brickmakers. who settled there. It was a place to avoid of course.

Now many artists live in the area.

The walk ends at the Portobello market where there was a crowd like every Saturday.

A funny anecdote. Got lost on the way back and got stuck in a crowd heading to the stadium for the football game. It was a very strange moment. I finally found my way back and was happy to step into the comfort of my home in Fulham. It was chilly today in London.

Jacinte and Jeannine went to the Victoria and Albert Museum in the morning and to a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in the afternoon. It was the gala: Film Music, by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.  The first comment they made went they have been back was:  Everything was beautiful!!  

At the museum, they visited many rooms on different floors.  They were impressed by all the marble everywhere.

Before going to the concert, they took a trip to the Natural History Museum to see the gigantic dinosaur.

The concert was a spectacular sound and light show.  It lasted for more than 2 hours.

Happy girls!

Tonight we went to an Italian restaurant, not to far our home.  It was delicious. For once, we managed to pay with paper money.  Not easy to pay cash in London!

We came back early and are ready to go to sleep very soon.