What is going on with my face here? haha. Cass and I on the Camden Lock
Camden... Oh how i love Camden. Its not just the fact that it's loaded with history, funky clothes, great food, culturally diverse people and a lock you can paddle boat through in the summer. It's the sheer cool factor that entails heading down to the market and witnessing all that is great in life. I mean when Cass and i were visiting the sun was out, people were skipping between shops and stalls, picking up cool Indian jewelry and cyber rave goodies galore! The place smell delicious, Cass and i couldn't even count on our fingers the many differing food's being cooked before our eyes. Camden market on a busy day reminds you that life should have a dose of hustle and busy in the everyday. Just to keep you alert and receptive to the wonders of the world.
Camden food court- or part of it. I didn't know that just around the corner Cass would find cyberdog and start jumping up and down like a teenager. Hence my relaxed pose
Cass and I began our day in Camden with a little retail therapy, naturally haha. I bought two gorgeous dresses and a cutesy handbag from one of the permanent shops. The shop is one of millions that sell 'british rose' type clothes. Unfortunately I've seen very few British girls about town still dressing so well. Mostly they just slap on a tshirt and high heels with their fake tan and extensions and off they go clubbing on a chilly winters night. but hey, who is judging (lol)
After the retail therapy Cass and I were happy to walk about through the market checking out all the souvenir shops, food stalls, vintage stalls (with hipster price tags AKA expensive) and then without me really knowing what was going on cass was all of a sudden ridiculously excited about finding a giant robot outside one of the stores... "omg omg omg" she kept saying "its cyberdog!"- she said this as if i would instantly know what she was on about but i just stood there with a smile on my face going 'oh dear, she has cracked' haha.
Look how chuffed she is! :)
Cyberdog is a store that Cass used to shop in when she lived in London, it specialises in cybergoth clothing which is very popular with ravers and the like. Cass naturally shopped here to pick up her weekend uniforms during the 90's. I don't think Ive ever told her but i am incredibly jealous that she got to experience this side of London, i mean when you walk into this store and see all the fluro pink 'Jestson's' dresses and glow sticks and gas masks and all other kinds of cuckoo stuff you instantly get excited! Not to mention the fact that there is a non stop Dj and in the summer (paid) ravers dancing about the shop in their awesome get up. This place is so dark and club like that you could spend all day in there dancing about and then head off to a real rave elsewhere. I instantly loved it :)
It was also a cool blast from the past for Cass and she went nuts inside and went on a mission to buy PJ something as a memento. Some cool cyberdog undies that glow in the dark... haha. I walked about checking out the kids section (yes so cybergoth parents can kit out their too cool for school offspring) and in doing so i found myself staring at mini robot cargo pants missing Rinse, Annemijn and Wende.
Sneaky photo of the cool display inside- photography is not permitted inside. Lame but understandable, imagine the hoarde of tourists posing for photos about the joint. You would never be able to sell anything amongst them all!
After our hoppin and boppin about cyberdog Cass and I headed back into the outdoor world and we were greeted with the bright sunshine and warm weather- it is so easy to forget time inside Cyberdog haha. Our next stop was down the back of some dingy little plaza that Ive since not been able to find. I have no idea why we were in there but all i know is that we came across a gentleman selling fish pedicures. Now Cass and I had been talking about these the whole trip and i think that we may have seen a sign or a promoter who sent us to this store. Basically a fish pedicure for those of you who don't know is where you dip your feet into a small tank of water and let tiny fish eat away the dead skin of your feet... yeah, weird is the word. But its a very natural procedure first popularised in Asia. But in saying that whilst swimming in
Santorini Greece i actually had fish there begin to nibble at my toes- i had two thoughts on this. the first was "wow i don't have to spend 15 euro up the road after all" and the second more pressing thought was "AHHHHHHHHHHHHH Piranhas!!!" and I was out of the water! Back to London however.
Being eaten alive and happy about it
So Cass and I sat on our little chairs about the tanks and lowered our feet in. Cass was quite good at this, she took the horrible first stage tickling (where the fish go into a frenzy and begin rushing about your feet for the best feeding spot) in her stride. The fish settle down about after a minute or so and then you feel just like your feet are in a Jacuzzi. I did not do too well. I hate my feet being tickled, so i spent more time with me feet out of the water than in. And i got such horrible shivers all over my body. Eventually I braved the first tickling minutes and then the fish settled down and got to business polishing my feet. Only occasionally did a fat one get greedy and take a huge chunk out of my foot, apart from that soon forgot i was being eaten alive and enjoyed the experience. I was getting sadder and sadder as the day progressed because i knew it would be all too soon before i had to give Cass a final hug and say goodbye. Then i would be all alone in London...
The tiny fish that were lucky enough to feast on our yucky feet. Perhaps there could be a 'Finding Feeto' or something made about them one day
After Camden, I have no more photos and my memory fails me as to what happened next. I think Cass and I went home from there so she could pack up her suitcase and we could enjoy a quiet night in together. I must have sat on the lounge praying a hundred times over for just a few more days with her here. I felt so safe with Cass in charge that i was sure i was going to fail miserably without her. She had already helped me set up my phone and make an appointment with the bank, with the help of Mick she had helped me organize an interview at a hotel where i would later be employed and most of all she had helped me to just be happy. Happy despite the worry and fear and the huge life change. I was so sad when we said goodbye that night and settled down to sleep that I cried a few silent tears before i remembered that she was going home to 'RAD'elaide. Her new home and a place which she loves, PJ who she was smitten with and her life filled with all her wonderful adventures. How selfish of me to want to keep her all to myself. And so when i woke up in the morning to say goodbye there was one last fierce hug and some loving words and then it was just me inside the flat wondering how the eff i was going to survive in this amazing city...
Finally, I've got these memories recorded :)
