| I never meant to buy anything! So how come I | | | | Portobello Road lies 3 kilometres west of Marble Arch |
| returned from the | | | | and it isvery easy to get there. If you take the |
| Portobello market to my especially chosen cheap | | | | underground you can exitat Ladbroke Grove |
| hotel with twoexquisite (and much too expensive) | | | | (Hammersmith & City) or Notting Hill Gate |
| 200 years old candlesticks? | | | | (Central, Circle and District trains). |
| I didn't have any object at home older than 10 | | | | What |
| years... | | | | When browsing this extremely interesting market |
| I blame it on the otherworldly atmosphere. I blame it | | | | you will noticethings that'll cost you from just a few |
| on thefriendly and interesting faces of the stall | | | | pounds up to severalthousand pounds... depending on |
| owners. I blame it onmy travel companion who | | | | what you are looking at. So whatattracts you? |
| kicked me in the side and said: "Come on,you know | | | | Candlesticks? Books? Articles made of glass? |
| you want it!" | | | | Watches? Jewelry? Silverware and cutlery? |
| If you love browsing, especially older things, you | | | | Wonderful oldtelephones? Victorian furniture? |
| should reallypamper yourself and visit this | | | | Clothes? Or simply some fruitand vegetables? (Not |
| extraordinary place in London, | | | | antique though...) |
| Portobello Market, Notting Hill: | | | | I've already admitted it. I did buy something although |
| It is said to be the biggest antique market in the | | | | I didn'tmean to. Honestly. I saw these beautiful 200 |
| world. Over | | | | years old bronzecandlesticks at stall nr. 155 where |
| 1500 shops and stalls selling everything you can | | | | Mrs. Elizabeth Pullman kindlyassured me that yes, they |
| possibly think of | | | | were original and yes, they wereexquisite. I finally |
| - IF the thing is old. And most of them belong to the | | | | decided that these were the candlesticks ofmy life |
| Portobello | | | | when I found out that Mrs. Pullman was Danish and |
| Antique Dealers Association. Be prepared to enter | | | | had beenattending her stall every Saturday for the |
| another world! | | | | last 30 years. Don'task my why. I just decided. |
| When? | | | | Code of Practice |
| The market itself is open on Saturdays but the | | | | Mrs. Pullman was keen to educate this strange |
| shops on the | | | | Icelandic travellerand told me among other things |
| Portobello Road are of course open six days a week. | | | | about the Antiques Dealers |
| Early on Saturday mornings, at about 5:30 am you'll | | | | Association Code of Practice. A most interesting |
| see the placeawaken. The Antique dealers deal | | | | reading: |
| among themselves and some of themeven come | | | | And of course I got a detailed description of my |
| from other countries to attend. | | | | candlesticks onmy receipt as it says in the Code of |
| Most of the stall owners are there at 8:00 and | | | | Practice along with theprice, where they were |
| around 9:00 the | | | | bought etc. |
| Londoners and travellers like you and me are already | | | | My beautiful and memorable candlesticks now have |
| there withcurious faces and excitement shining in | | | | their place ofhonor in my apartment and every time I |
| their eyes. The market isvery much alive and will | | | | look at them I recall withmuch joy this funny little |
| remain so until late in the afternoon. | | | | world, real but otherworldly of the |
| How? | | | | Portobello market and stall nr. 155. |