Markets: May 23, May 24, June 12

After visiting the Tower of London, the group headed to Old Spitalfields Market. There, I had some nice curry and later, a latte. While drinking my bevy, I did some watercolor. As I stood to leave, a staff member who had been on break behind me stopped me and asked if I wanted to be on their “wall of fame”. I obliged, and now me and my quick painting remain in Noxy, at least until they change out the board. This interaction had lifted my mood, and I set about the market with intention to talk. I would not be lacking in this department that day.

I came to a stall full of trinkets, where I met a man named William. Will had been a world-traveler, and was now selling his trinkets. He had a piece of wisdom for each piece of merchandise, and eventually he gave me a long talk about judging the quality of Jade. The conversation was one that I hold most treasured from this trip. It was strangely life-affirming, this older gentleman’s words on self-discovery amidst travel, and made me excited for both this journey and those to come.

Our day trip to Camden Market started with a lovely walk along a mucky canal. We saw interesting new waterfowl, a saddening amount of plastic waste, and a great deal of graffiti. The stonework of the canal extended up to meet the entrance of Camden Market, matching it in tone and texture. 

We were stopped on the way to the shops by a piece of interactive theatre. A mad scientist and his assistants began rambling about some new strange lore about the area, and engaged our group and others with participatory word games. The show seemed to be a smaller part of a larger show, called Storehouse Live, which would be a grander spectacle also involving audience participation. 

I admired these actors’ commitment to their characters. They were improvising over a loose script, and managed to hold the casual audience pretty well. I think their wonderful costumes and set probably helped a great deal, both in my perception of their success and for their own ability to stay in-character. The whole vibe was that of an intricate cosplay of a show I’d never seen, their characters just barely skirting the generic and recognizable into the sort of iconic.

After seeing some interesting and strange art at the Tate Modern Museum (a doomed yuri psychological thriller short film and a Rothko or two) and getting a haircut, I found myself back at Old Spitalfields again. It was an accident, but one I didn’t waste. I was feeling bold; a new haircut was putting me in the mood to challenge my food palette. I ordered a Turkish Wrap from Nelly’s (the cheese option). It was in some ways familiar, the bread reminiscent of a variety of naan, the cheese likely feta (one of my favourites). In some ways, it was extremely different; it had a kind of seasoned bean-paste as a core ingredient that I was unfamiliar with, but enjoyed deeply. The side items included in the dish were some greens and some kind of cooked grain in a fermented sauce. The couscous-like side was too sour for my taste, and I avoided it. I think a more daring eater would appreciate the contrast it provided to the rich and buttery wrap. In the end, it was a filling and enjoyable meal, even if it didn’t blow me away.