Tuesday September 27, 2011
Ty and I woke up to our last "Full English" breakfast and hopped the tube to Buckingham Palace for the changing of the guard to find out they are only doing it every other day. Poop! So we grabbed a cab over to Camden Market which was one of our favourite stops yet, with hundreds of stalls full of unique gifts and souvenirs and we stocked up in good measure. We would tell any future visitors to London not to miss this market! Imagine if you will, the inviting scent of Indian curry and chinese sweet and sour sauce wafting up the street as you wander through colourful booths full of clothing, jewellery, keepsakes and knick knacks. Music from around the world entertains your ears while your eyes behold items you have never seen before. Very nice and it stretched for several blocks in every direction.
Well we were having such a good time, Tyler convinced me to try smoking a persian Hookah for the heck of it and we enjoyed it very much, though we won't be making a habit of it!
It reminded me of the old Crosby Stills and Nash song, the Marrekesh Express:
Looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes
Traveling the train through clear Moroccan skies
Ducks and pigs and chickens call
Animal carpet wall to wall
American ladies five-foot tall in blue
Sweeping cobwebs from the edges of my mind
Had to get away to see what we could find
Hope the days that lie ahead
Bring us back to where they've led
Listen not to what's been said to you
Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express
Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express
They're taking me to Marrakesh
All aboard the train, all aboard the train
I've been saving all my money just to take you there
I smell the garden in your hair
Take the train from Casablanca going south
Blowing smoke rings from the corners of my mouth
Colored cottons hang in the air
Charming cobras in the square
Striped djellebas we can wear at home Well, let me hear you now
Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express
Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express
They're taking me to Marrakesh
Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express
Wouldn't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express
They're taking me to Marrakesh
All on board the train, all on board the train
All on board
Then we jumped the tube across the river to the Borough market, though most of it was closed (Its open Thurs - Sunday). None the less, we had a burger and watched the world go by for a while before jumping back on the tube.
We went over to London Bridge and after a break at a starbucks back at London Tower, we hopped on a river cruise, going down to Greenwhich on the Thames, which is where the 0 line of longitude is and what the world sets its clocks by. We set our I Phone clocks and walked around the naval college and museum and also walked past the Cutty Sark which is being rebuilt after a fire a couple years ago.
And now we find ourselves on our last evening in Europe... grabbing a shower and heading out for a nice dinner. We will take the tube to the airport at 5:30 am, get our other suitcase out of storage and head for Calgary. I have a hundred thoughts about this trip, the people, the experiences and the lessons learned which I will refine and add to the blog as I can.
So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
