Thompson's European Adventures 2011: Three Hours in London's Portobello Road

July 5, 2011

NINA Our vacation is finally coming to an end. After waking up at 4am to catch a 7am flight from BCN to LHR, we thought we had run out of energy just getting up that early. But a five-hour layover in London meant we could do a short outing and I could not resist. Thankfully Doug and I agreed on a mellow visit to Portobello Road, one of my favorite places to visit in London. We just walked up and down the streets and re-visited shops I loved on my past visits. The kids had a great time, too, because we didn't dare bring them to another museum or famous monument. They were great and hardly complained the whole trip but bringing them to another one would have put them over the edge. Of course this taste of London will make them want to go back for more!

For the kids, it was an experience in itself
to take the London Underground tube.

Books for Cooks is a super charming bookstore on one of the side streets. I LOVE this place. And now they have a Filipino (Visayan) sous-chef working in the yummy cafe in the back of the store.

I love this ceramics store, too. Last time I was here I bought a beautiful Italian bowl. They still carry the same brand. A must on any visit to Portobello Road.

The Travel Bookshop has the fortunate (or unfortunate) reputation for being in the Julia Roberts movie called Notting Hill. It really is a great bookstore, small, but has a good selection.