Cll - Friday, May 18, 1984 - North Shore News London is abandoned weekends ON WEEKENDS London sis abandoned to tourists, pigeons — and residents. The tidal wave of commuters that ebbs and flows around the city all week stays home, mowing lawns in suburban Cheam and chatting with neighbors over garden fences. In central London, as ‘when Wordsworth saw it one morning in {802 ‘‘the very houses seem asleep, and all that mighty heart is lying still.’’ The theatres and many of the ‘‘temples’’ and spires, however, are no longer open to the fields and the sky but squeezed between towers of glass and concrete. But the dome of St. Paul’s is sull a defiant landmark, and although the tourist in- formation office there was closed on the Saturday | visited, tour-bus loads from the continent and itinerant backpackers crowded the cathedral steps. Many photographers stood in the middle of Ludgate Hill to get the definitive shot — im- possible on a weekday, as St. Paul’s stands sentinel bet- ween the frenetic activity of Fleet Street and The City, the financial hub of Britain. A weekend visit to London can have other advantages. As well as most of the major tourists attractions being open, 1 is when the street markets come alive. Por- tobello Road on Fridays and Saturdays, _ Petticoat Lane and Brick lane on Sundays — and Camden Lock on Saturdays and Sundays Emerging from the Camden Town underground station | ask directions and am soon on Camden High Street walking north While the central business district May be empty on weekends, the outlyimg areas ate ox uberantly cesidential, and on this first} sunny Saturday after a dreartlh wet month, there is a festive shap to the all Customers spilb trom the pubs restaurants and cates to sit around tray stdewalk Puples and the afomas ate By HILARY K. BLAIR ~lantalizing. Punks, with orange, spiky hair and studd- ed jackets bulldoze through the crowds of Saturday shop- pers, while across the’ read the cinema advertises ‘*Passion”’ Right on cue, as if she had stepped from a book of English fairytales, a wall- eyed flower lady presses a lit- tle bunch of white heather in- to my hand ‘‘‘Ere y’are luv — this is fer luck, yer goin’ t’ travel you are,’’ she says, eyeing my camera bag, ‘‘Just give what yer can.’’ The heather looks shrivelled, but she is very persistent. To my shame | have no change nor time to chat. Camden Lock is just where the High Street becomes Chalk Farm Road. Here old stables have been converted into workshops and studios for craftspeople and artists — in stained glass, silkscreen, pottery, leatherwork and graphics-- The Lock Shop sells many such high quality wems as well as jewellery, knitwear and wooden toys, all hand-made with loving care. Right next door, hke a poor relation muscling in on the action, is Dingwall’s Market where hundreds of small stalls are set up on the weekends. They selbevery im aginable second hand item trom top hats and tails. tin helmets, clothes and oriental rugs, (0 brass plumbing fix old bottles and cigarette cards The vendors drink beer and socialize whale customers browse A notice fures. announces that © laivoyant See page C12 OAs you are looking for Sunshine #IONOLULU— HAWAII "9 wevks for the price of ] $499. wn Includes at fare Reef Towers Hotel Double occupancy Departs May 26th & 27th June 2nd & 3rd Space 1s Limited. GONE aE caravans te Sy yh! [Don't Wait “P. LAWSON TRAVEL 754 North Park Re val West Van QP? Arad ® Children's Fare $638 (ages 2? 11) © Seniors can save $25 on return airtare @includes return airtare trom Vancouver ® Transportation taxes not included For complete details, terms and conditions call your travel agent or Pacific Western Holtdays tn Vancouver at 276-9000 or at 112 800-663-0252 from within 8 ( Pa A TYPICAL Lon- don scene at north hall, includes a market trader in the new ‘Apple Market’, selling a variety of fruits and a selection of vegetables. Garshman Super Savers Weekly Specials Cash Bonus up to $100 Cdn. Reno, Las Vegas, Disneyiand, Mexico. Hong Kong & Australia Cruises worldwide Las Vegas Reno LADisneyland Mexico t awwail/Sour waii/South Pacific Horta alls Honolulu Fiv/Tanits Australia ' soe fr $689 mt $1279 Bargain Britain Van/London t. $679 Sea/London fr $289 UK/Europe coach trs tr $209 Low an rates fr London to Europe, Addie East & Tet Aviv Europe Cost Savers Dusseidort/F ranktunt $779 Amsterdam ft US $269 Copenhagen tr $779 Athens $1039 Lisbon fr $999 Some conditions Apply 681-1374 8 am. to& p.m GARSHMAN TOURS 1312 Burrard St. Vanc WE WILL TAKE YOU EVERYWHERE — WITH CARE AND BETTER FARE: All flights are subject to the ABC. regulations of the Canadian transport Comeimiasion 7 eny Ce thei Matar A, ways OW dwery ©