Ode to Hamstead

We're having so much fun on this trip. There are record breaking temps right now and everyone is out and about enjoying it. Last night we caught a comedy show on a boat on the Thames. The comics were hilarious, and what a lovely setting. We hit a pub in Soho on the way home, then passed out from exhaustion.

Today we were up and at it early---we headed to Camden Market, which I just adored. The place goes on and on, it's a maze of shops and stalls--a smorgasbord of handicrafts, clothing, accessories, furniture, you name it. Also lots of cool goth stuff. We bought lots of souvenirs--a handpainted still from Kill Bill, a plaque of a pub sign, earrings for me, a Sid Vicious tee for Cakes. The variety of food vendors was incredible too. We had some excellent Indian food for lunch.






We spent the afternoon lolling about Hamstead Heath--a gorgeous, gorgeous park, twice the size of High Park (800 acres). Afterwards, we had dinner and strawberry beer at my favourite pub so far, The Spaniards Inn in Hamstead. Playing fields of the Highwaymen. Byron drank there. Keats supposedly wrote Ode to a Nightingale there. It was a huge, beautiful beer garden.





After that, we grabbed Belgium chocolate crepes, then went on another London Walk, in Hamstead. What a stunning place (and over the years, home to many celebrated figures, and many writers. Keats Museum is here (I still haven't made it to any museums though, the weather's too nice to be indoors). We saw the home where Sid Vicious lived and wrote God Save the Queen. Of course, we patronized a few more pubs.

Now, it's time for a tea and biscuits, and off to bed.

Pub tally: 14