While here in London I have visited three different so far, Portobello Market, Brixton Market, and Camden Market. These three markets are very different from each other and showed how diverse London can be. My favorite part of visiting markets is being able to try new foods that are not offered at home and eating foods that are offered in Iowa and comparing them.

The first market I visited was the Portobello Market in Notting Hill. I found the setup of this market to be very interesting, vendors were located along a road that was being used for travel. This market offered many antique shops and vendors as well as clothing stores and clothing stalls. Prices ranged greatly among the many shops, one store offered clothes over £300 while another offered clothes for less than £10. While at Portobello market I tried a chicken wrap from an Asian food stand and a latte from a bar that had a stand there. I am looking forward to going to this market on a Saturday when the weather is nice because there is live music to enjoy while eating and drinking.

I visited Brixton Market last Saturday. This market had lots of fresh fish, meat, and vegetable vendors. Personally, this has been my least favorite market so far because most of the market was selling raw food, which is hard to cook and store in our kitchens on campus. But there were also many restaurants around the market offering a variety of food and drink. This market would be good for someone looking for a diverse range of foods to try. I think I would have enjoyed this market way more if I had not gone on a very windy and rainy day.

Friday and today I visited Camden Market. This market is very easy to get to from campus, making it a place that I will visit frequently. This market had a huge variety of shops and food, some of the shops are targeted at tourists, but they sell good souvenirs for cheap to buy for family back home. My favorite part of this market is walking through the food stands and trying samples that are being handed out, this allows you to sample a wide range of food. One thing about the food here is that it is a little pricey, perhaps due to how busy it is. There are also a few pubs and bars around the market, allowing you to find a place to relax and escape the busy streets. So far, this is my favorite market because you can enjoy it rain or shine, there are many shops that are covered allowing you to escape the weather.

This term I have joined the film society on campus. This club has allowed me to talk with students from a variety of backgrounds and hear their opinion on topics. Last week we watched Pride (2014), which was about strikes for gay rights and strikes for miners during the 1980s, students also talked about the current teacher strike that is happening here at Roehampton.