Day 5 we explored Portobello Road Market, Courtauld Gallery, Covent Garden, and Neal's Yard. On our way to the Portobello Road Market we found the best tacky souvenir shop! These shops are all over London and it looks like the Union Jack exploded everywhere. This particular shop had really good prices on most of their items and we found mugs from the royal wedding with pictures of Will and Kate for 99p! Definitely worth a look if you are in the area.
 |
Tacky London Souviner Shop
|
After we left the tacky souvenir shop, we made our way to the market. It was so much fun! The market is divided into three sections: antiques, food, and clothing. There are permanent shops and dozens of temporary stalls selling everything you can image as well as entertaining street performers. I purchased two silver teapots and my friend got a super old Winnie the Pooh book.
We only made it to the antiques and food sections because it started raining pretty hard. We bought some sandwiches for lunch and found a park to take shelter in until the rain died down. While we were trapped in the park we met two kids with their dad. The dad gave us some good tips on places to visit in Notting Hill. All three of them were extremely curious about us. They wanted to know what types of food we ate for breakfast and I tried to explain biscuits and gravy to them, but I don't think it translated well lol. When the rain stopped we found the Travel Bookshop from the movie Notting Hill. Caution, the shop is extremely tiny!
 |
| Taking shelter in the park |
 |
| Lunch from the market |
 |
| Park where we took refuge |
 |
| Book shop from the Notting Hill movie |
Next we made our way to the Courtauld Gallery. This was hands down my favorite museum we visited. They have so many amazing impressionist works! Manet's painting Bar at the Folies-Bergere is there and it greatly exceeded my expectations. It is one of those works that is bigger and better in person. The Courtauld Gallery has some amazing pieces, but you should go just to see this painting if nothing else.
 |
| Courtauld Gallery |
 |
| The room formerly housed casts after antique statues for study by students of the Royal Academy. The initials of the Royal Academy are visible in the corners of the celing (pictured), flanked by paintbrushes. |
 |
| Ceiling detail |
 |
| Even the vents are pretty |
 |
| Peter Paul Rubens, The Family of Jan Brueghel The Elder, ca. 1613-15 |
 |
| Peter Paul Rubens, Left: Visitation, 1611, Center: Descent from the Cross, 1611-13, Right: Presentation in the Temple, 1611-13 |
 |
| Edgar Degas, Two Dancers on a Stage, 1874 |
 |
| Pierre-Auguste Renoir, La Loge, 1874 |
 |
| Edouard Manet, A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, 1881-82 |
 |
| Vincent van Gogh, Peach Trees in Blossom, 1889 |
 |
| Peach Trees in Blossom detail (impasto galore!) |
 |
| Vincent van Gogh, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, 1889 |
 |
| Pierre Bonnard, Two Oxen, ca. 1912 |
 |
| Two Oxen detail |
After we finished at the Courtauld Gallery, we explored Covent Garden (not my favorite area in London) and we accidently stumbled upon Neal's Yard. Neal's Yard is a cool hidden area where all of the buildings are painted with bright colors and has tons of hanging plants. It seems very hippie/green/alternative.
 |
| Covent Garden |
 |
| Neal's Yard is tucked away on one of the side streets |
 |
| Neal's Yard |
No comments