Back, and in one piece

So, we all got back in one piece.  Two seperate trips to the hospital emergency room,  five stitchs for one leg, one extended nosebleed, and vomit less than a mile away from the school, but we all got back.  I could have slept for 12 hours; I forgot that 12-year-olds can and will stay up all night if they can.  Sheesh.

Much fun was had by all, but man, was it cold?  Dang.  Spring, my foot.  Yesterday was 63 degrees and I thought I was in heaven.    I really thought things would be warming up by now...

Yesterday, I went to Camden Town to see the markets.   On my way to the train, I see this sign:

I don't know why I like it so much.  Something old-fashioned about it.

Rode the train, rode the tube, and got off at Camden Town Station.  I don't know why I didn't take any pictures of the shops or the markets themselves.  The streets reminded me of funky stores in Los Angeles/Hollywood; lots of vintage clothing and tattooing and piercing places.

At lunch, I ate my falafel overlooking the water:

It was so nice to sit outside and feel the sun's warmth.  Of course, I was wearing an undershirt, long-sleeved t-shirt, a sweatshirt and a denim jacket, but still...

Lots of fun little trinket-y things for sale, but all I got was a scarf (really pretty, lots of colors) for four pounds and some touristy London stuff to send to my friend's little girl for her birthday.  If I'd been here in my 20's, the place would have been cleaned out.

Then, as I rounded a turn in the market stalls.  I saw a woman sitting on a bench in a kind of a shelter, with her feet in a tub.

It was those flesh-eating fish!  Only dead flesh, mind you, but flesh all the same.

Of course I had to do it.  Just for the story and photo opportunity:

(Okay,  I know, my hair is really short. Not my intention.   Drinking before getting your hair cut is not a good idea.  It'll grow).

So I smiled for the camera, but was grossed out a bit too.   And why were they so hot for my ankles?  The dry skin is on the bottom of my feet, and my heels.  Very strange.

Don't look at how my calf resembles a tree-stump, look at the fishies!  The weirdest bit was when they were trying to get between my toes.  Odd, odd, odd.  These little guys are banned in at least 15 states because of health issues (the water is not changed between people, bacteria might grow, are the fish treated humanely, etc.), but I took my chances.

On my way home, I stopped in Enfield Town to buy some nylons (why is it I hate nylons, but don't mind tights?  And did you know that over here, they're all called "tights?"  Yep, nylons, hose, stockings, tights... all the same word), and check out the charity (thrift) shops for books to read.  Got five of 'em (books, not tights), and I was a happy camper.  This is the corner where I wait for the W8 bus:

I love how weathered it is.

Hopefully, I will fare better, and that word won't be used to describe me when I come home this August.

Be well.