BES Assignment One - Markets

The two markets I went to were Brixton and Camden. When I first arrived in Brixton, it seemed like a rundown part of London (it didn't help that it was raining and gloomy). Although it did look like a bad part of town, there was something in the air that gave me a vibrant feeling as if the true personality of Brixton was hidden away. I ventured there on a week day, but I would love to go back on a weekend to see if that hidden personality surfaces during the busy weekends.  I loved seeing the open meat shops mainly because I have only seen those sorts of stores on TV. We don’t have open stores like those in Iowa. As for the outdoor stands, there were a wide variety of stands. The stands ranged from clothes to fresh fruit and vegetables. I would like to buy some fresh food from the market sometime. It seems a little cheaper than at a supermarket. There were two stands that I found odd and possibly legal questions could be raised by one of the stands.

As I walked through the market, sitting between a clothes stand and a fruit cart was a stand selling explicit movies. This was odd to me because I consider a market to be a family friendly place; not to mention, the fact that it just was out of place at the market. The second stand, which could raise legal questions, was selling passports. A group of 6 passports from various countries sat on a table for all to see and/or purchase. I am not sure what the law is in the UK with selling passports, but the vendor did not seem too concerned. Brixton has some secrets, some good some bad, but it was still an enjoyable market that I will return to.

Camden Market was my favorite by far! Stepping out of the tube station, I was automatically transported to a strange and colorful world that resembles a carnival. The buildings had artistic twists to them, and the people, what do I say about the people? They are some of the most interesting, colorful, scary, and strangely beautiful people I have ever seen.  Everyone has their own style, and Camden is a place where anyone can be who they want to be. The stores are more souvenir and clothes shops than anything, but the shops are not what really draw me to this market. It is the food!

Camden is filled with food vendors from every ethnicity. The explosive fragrance of the food mixed with the assertive personalities of the vendors makes for a fun lunch.  The Chinese vendors are the most assertive. They do not grasp distance; I was walking on the opposite side of a wide aisle from one of the vendors, but the Chinese lady was still shouting “Hey you; Are you hungry? Come try! Free Sample!” I did not stop at that stand; however, I did stop at another Chinese stand. At this one, the lady behind the counter would start spooning different items in my bowl as she simultaneously asked me if I wanted it. After doing that for three different items, she stopped asking me all together and kept adding different types of chicken. As she handed the strange mix of Chinese food to me, she said “You can’t say no to me; it’s because I so cute.”  The mix did not taste the best, but it makes for a great story. I think I will be spending a lot of time in Camden.