Portobello Market 9AM

Every Saturday morning at 6AM, Portobello Road closes off to street traffic and the open market takes over. My hotel is on Portobello Road, so this this the view I got as I walked out of the door.

Described as an Antiques market, Portobello Road is your basic flea market, with everything from real antiques to just plain junk. Throw in your basic fruit and flower stands, t-shirt stands and you have the right idea.

The stalls were for the most part in the street, but many were up onm the sidewalks, leving narrow passages between then for access to the busineses or homes behind. This was the view out the window of the pub below my hotel.

Your basic Underground ( or Tube ) Station. Covent Garden here, the closest to the London Transport Museum, my initial destination.

What I didnt know was how deep below the surface this station was, so I blindly followed the crowd up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. I should have looked at this sign a little more carefully. 193 steps is a LONG way...

More Market: Covent Garden was originally a flower market and was converted in a mall with lots of shops. The central portion is open air, and the place is surrounded with musicians, jugglers and peddlers.

Back on Portobello Road, most of stalls long gone, this girl was still making butter toffee peanuts. Got a still-hot bag to take back the room to snack on.