A visit to Portobello Market in London

As you know, I love taking photographs.  Even more so when we find a situation that is just a wee bit more quirky than ‘normal’ and fun to boot.

On a previous wander through this market, we meet a woman giving out small bouquets of flowers.  This was not to be our last visit to this market or an encounter with a woman who was not all she made out to be.

What a wonderfully kind gesture to do,  we thought.  When there are so many other people creating havoc around London.  As she handed me the bouquet, I accepted it with a smile and a thank you, then turned to carry on searching for that special something.

We were taken by surprise with how her voice changed from a genteel one to a banshee from hell.

“Whoa, Lady where’s me money?”, of course, I replied in a startled voice “Sorry, you gave me the bouquet, I did not want to buy it”, then the curse was spoken, “Your future and present children will be cursed forever, and bad luck will plague you”.  My reply to that absurdity was; “Well, I don’t have kids, and I am certainly over the hill to have them, and I really don’t believe in luck, so you can have your flowers back and please don’t use that on some other poor soul, who may be superstitious, you horrid woman”.

Now there was two annoyed woman, and, one Squire with an amused look on his face.

Well, that made her flounce off in a huff.  What she did not know is, that I would have happily passed over her palm a few coins if she had asked politely and less aggressive.  Moral of that story is careful of the person bearing gifts, it may not be what it seems.  Especially one dressed as a gipsy with a basket of posies!

Now it is with great pleasure to regale a far more pleasant meeting with another woman at our next visit to the biggest antique market in London.

The meeting took place at the Portobello Market, in London, during October 2016.

“Good grief, surely that can’t be the Queen?”, We looked at each other.  Of course, it isn’t her.  Though the woman with the turquoise jacket was here we believe to celebrate the 150 years history of this market.  A bit of a good sport to help out even though she is a year late.

She was a woman of few words and a contagious laugh, with a sense of humour that we got a hint of through that twinkle in her eye when she laughed.  Without further ado let me share with you the photograph of the Squire in the presence of royalty.