The locks were great, the food fun, the market interesting, but may not return.
Camden just seemed completely set up to take a tourists money. I was pleased with the market and got myself a new backpack. If you go be sure to head for the locks, take a look, then cross over to where the food and most of the better shopping is.
When I arrived I saw a sign over a few t-shirt shops that said Camden Market so I thought that was all there was to it. Then after seeing the locks and crossing over the bridge I saw there was a whole lot more.
Still a bit touristy for me, but the shopping was good.
I had a sandwich from The Patate – actually it was a French Burger. I think it was pork and cheese with a sauce on a terrific bun and I was able to walk around with it. I have to admit it really was very very good. And I got the most interesting thing- a resealable can of water??? And it worked!!
Of course the locks were the most interesting part of the day, perhaps because I have always liked locks and these were wonderful. Just large enough for what I assume is a standard length riverboat, and manually operated. I was lucky to see a boat pull in.
Then watched two ladies work the locks. There were watchmen on duty but I think the ladies working the locks were having an experience on a day out.
What was super interesting to me was that after the boat pulled in the ladies worked hard to swing the doors closed, but they didn’t really make it and the captain called out for them to open the other side slowly and the pressure seemed to pull the first doors closed behind them. It took about ten minutes and then the were able to pull out the other side. Amazing really when you think about it.
The food was all sort of concentrated in an area that overlooked the river and there were tons of choices with plenty of places to sit and by non it was starting to fill up.
And you can pay to use the toilet. In hindsight I should have gone in to see what you get for 40 pence. And you tap your card to get in. This is another huge difference from the U.S. There we tap for nothing, apple pay is pretty unheard of, we still sign for everything.
This was the other side of the bridge… where I initially arrived via the tube.
It definitely was fun to see but don’t be fooled and think that is all there is to Camden.