Week 12

© James Kenvin

James Kenvin checks in weekly from his study abroad semester in London; catch up with him every Wednesday on Trazee Travel.

One of the biggest challenges I’ve experienced while studying abroad is my desire to visit as many countries and cities as possible. Thus, I’ve been traveling outside of London almost every weekend since my arrival. Although I have had some unforgettable adventures, I feel like I may be neglecting the city in which I live. So, I decided to focus on visiting the parts of London I haven’t yet seen.

Every weekend, London is filled with street markets that offer amazing food, interesting antiques and beautiful art and clothing. A few friends and I decided to check out the Camden Town Market in East London. The market isn’t much of a secret, so the whole area is packed with people, but the shops and pop-up restaurants there make fighting through the crowds worthwhile. The shops are diverse, offering unique styles of clothing, jewelry and much more. You can pretty much find anything at this market if you search hard enough. The eateries are equally as diverse, selling food from vastly different cultures — all of which taste absolutely delicious.

Now that Christmas is just weeks away, even more street markets are popping up, (but these ones are all holiday themed, so they’re better). I went to the Christmas market/festival on Carnaby Street. The entire area transformed into a Christmas wonderland with lights lining every street and huge holiday decorations hovering above. Every block featured a multitude of shops, each offering a special discount for Christmas shoppers. Some stores even had bands playing live music. I ended the night sipping on a cup of the most delicious hot chocolate while listening to some Christmas carolers. The environment was magical and mesmerizing. London truly is a magnificent city,and one of the best places to be during the holiday season.