Navigating Notting Hill

And what else in that trendy area of West London, if not the renown market along Portobello Road.

Growing up as a teenager, I had swooned over the 'Boy Meets Girl, and despite the most different of circumstances, Boy Falls in Love with Girl' concept depicted in the movie 'Notting Hill'. I had been smitten with Hugh Grant's easy charm and British accent, and had loved the chemistry he and Julia Roberts put across on screen.

I had daydreamed about this scene on the park bench, and remembered it till this day. Unfortunate (or perhaps fortunate??) to say, it has yet to happen.

And who could forget their eventful encounter in that famous Travel Bookshop along Portobello Road that had sparked the start of all this.

So it was customary that Lynn, YL and I decided to pay a visit to the Road that had made such a distinct mark on my girly daydreams.

No blue door (if you remember in the movie, the blue door on the house belonging to Hugh Grant), but who can resist this brilliant shade of a pink!!! Beats the blue door any day!

Definitely one of the trendier areas of London I had seen so far. The shops were quirky, and so were the little bits and bops that were on sale.

One of the BIGGEST crowds I had ever seen as well, and that is saying something because I live in London and crowds are almost as common to me as pigeons. In fact, I am so used to overcrowded streets that leave pigeons no where to stand on the ground. But the crowd at Portobello Road.....that was possibly in a league of its own.

Obviously we didn't hold out very long amongst the excited antique / trinket- shoppers.

So we ended up here:

A good old cup of Latte and amazing Gelato. Nothing like a caffeine dose and a sugar high to end the day :)

Dri Dri - the gelato bar we were at. Thanks to Rex's recommendation and a prior visit there last year with her.

It's true what they say. London has such personality, such character. Two streets on, and you can find something that surprises you altogether.

And now that Spring is around the corner, hopefully there will be more exploring of these cobbled pathways of Londontown to come.