Today started with a boat ride on Regent's Canal.  We were looking for contrasts and I certainly saw some, particularly in this rundown houseboat with the expensive home seen behind it. 

Most of the boats are in much better condition, and our professor explained that there is a whole community of people who live in these floating homes on the canal.  After passing through a long dark tunnel and letting some passengers off at the London Zoo, we arrived at Camden Market. 
The market is a colorful, busy place with every kind of product and food stall you can imaginable.  The location is historic, having once housed stables used when horses pulled the canal boats. 

I broke the handle on my purse soon after arriving in London and was browsing the stalls for a replacement.  A vendor was demonstrating the versatility of a leather bag he had made and I managed to bargain down the price by offering cash.  Meanwhile my shopping companions had moved on and then noticed I was missing.  One of my flatmates (who we tease about being a human GPS due to her uncanny ability to find her way around a city she has never visited before) returned to save me.  I did buy the purse, and the craftsman gave me the name of his YouTube video that shows him making the bags.  He said his friend had filmed him and shyly added that it has tango music from his native country.

London is a vibrant multicultural city and the people are quite friendly.  I rarely feel the size of the city.  There are many more trees and natural areas like parks than one sees in a large American city. Many parks have small cafes.  While street crossing can be dangerous, other aspects of large cities such as crowded sidewalks are not as noticeable.  I was walking back to campus alone from the British Library the other day and became lost.  As I found my way back I asked three different people for directions and all were gracious and happy to help.  Another librarian and I were browsing in an art gallery recently and the saleswoman commented that she had lived in America for a year and liked it a lot.  She shared her dream of going to Florida. 

 

London is truly a city of neighborhoods, and so far I like it a lot.  I can tell it would take many visits to get really familiar with this city, but I already feel more comfortable than I thought I would at this point.  I am anxious to share details of my visit to the Highgate Cemetery but that will do so later.  We are leaving early in the morning for Oxford, where the Bodleian Library and Blackwell's Bookshop await!