Notting Hill is Hugh Grant's "Favorite bit of London" in the namesake movie. Anyone who has set foot in this area can understand why. While, yes, it is a veritable trap for tourists; it doesn't have the same kind of feel as most of them do. It is home to The World Famous Portobello Road Market; located in West London. Saturday is THE day to check it out and the masses do just that. The atmosphere throughout this narrow strip of stalls is contagious. It doesn't feel that way upon arrival at the Notting Hill Gate Tube Station where the crowds can overwhelm even the most seasoned Londoner. It seems as though you are destined to be swept along a sea of people and become shipwrecked at some innocuous point. If you are lucky, the shipwreck will occur once you have gotten to Portobello Road.
Once you have been engulfed in the crowd at the entrance of Portobello Road your ears are overtaken by the sound of a steel drum and then you look around and your senses are assaulted and you can do nothing but smile. The first step you take will inevitably lead to you being jostled about and bumped into and for those really lucky ones that chose to wear sandals it may even be met with another person's foot meeting the tops of your toes. However, it all seems more bearable in this infectious atmosphere
Everything you could ever possibly imagine is for sale on a Saturday in this tiny bit of London. As you try to take in all the sights and move along your nose is suddenly overwhelmed by the most wonderful, and maybe some not so wonderful, smells. Yup, you have hit the fruit and vegetable stalls and the food stalls. This portion of the market is strategically placed about halfway through because fighting your way through the first half was strenuous and you are ready to refuel by this point. It's here that you will find those veggies you need for dinner or the paella you were hoping to have while perusing. Don't forget to finish that off with a fresh Nutella and strawberry crepe. Once you have gotten some food stop and look around. Everywhere you look someone is enjoying something; people popping strawberries warmed from the sun into their mouths and children enjoying bright yellow bananas. Regardless of the amount of food available at these stalls, you will still find the cafes and restaurants jammed with hungry tourists and locals alike. The lack of seating when enjoying the street food gives you the opportunity to see people sitting on the curb and stoops.
A bit further on, after you've replenished your energy, you will find the fashion market. This part is just as noisy as the rest but in a different way. The vendors here are selling everything from Union Jack shades to full mink coats. As you wander through you wonder who would wear some of this stuff; then you see it in front of you and you realize that people do actually buy these funky bits of clothing and some can even pull them off. For those of you who didn't yet replenish their energy and like Mexican food you have struck gold. Within this market, and recently moved a bit further along, you find the Best Bucking Burrito stall. This vendor makes the best street burrito this traveler has ever had.
Sensory overload is one way to look at this life experience. Yes, your senses may need to rest after this, but you will not be sorry for fighting the crowds and exploring this eclectic market.
