Five days in and we have already experienced Portobello Road Market, Oxford Street, Changing of the Guard, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, Big Ben, London Eye, Westminster Abbey, Hampton Court Palace and Camden Market. We bought groceries at Marks & Spencer and ate peri-peri chicken sandwiches at Nandos. In addition, we have gotten very few hours of sleep. But what I really want to talk about is the food we ate at Camden Market.

Camden Market is in an area called Camden Town. It is completely different from all other areas of London. Graffiti fills the sides of buildings and tattoo parlors occupy every street corner. The neighborhood is known for shopping, crafts, various foods, and an exciting mix of people. I guess you could say it is the equivalent of the East Village in Manhattan.

Different ethnic food stalls were set up in the market. After doing a lap (and picking up a yummy smoothie along the way), I decided on Russian perogies filled with potatoes and cheese. My roommate, Allix, got a gluten-free meal consisting of pork meatballs, quinoa rice, and pita. My other roommate, Shelby, got a Spanish chorizo and manchego cheese bocadillo! We didn't even make it to the clothing section of the market -- partly because the crowds were out of control and partly because we were so overwhelmed with food options.

For my Vancouver-ites, this is similar to Granville Island. For my New Yorkers, this compares to Smorgasburg. For my North Carolinians, well...

Something I have noticed is that the food here is so colo(u)rful. Maybe it's because I'm eating more fruits and vegetables rather than pasta (as I cook ravioli for dinner tonight). But I swear everything looks much more vibrant and tastes fresher. I can't wait for my dad to come... he is going to go crazy!

P.S. More photos are located in my "Travel" tab -- captions and all! :)