Straight Talk
Being a Tourist for the Day
I don't know if it is just me or whether most people find that after living in a city or town for an extended period of time you become somewhat oblivious to your surroundings. Unless you happen to have guests, going sightseeing just does not make it onto your list of top ten things to do on a weekend or even holidays. London is a city steeped in history and culture and almost every area has monuments and buildings of historical or architectural relevance. Regardless of this, it is very easy to become jaded and even blind to it and I have even found myself avoiding places that are considered 'touristy'! But every now and then when I do find myself in a situation where I am showing people around famous parts of London or happen to visit places that I might not regularly go to, it can be quite an eye opener.
A few days ago I ended up in Covent Garden, a popular shopping area and tourist site. It is definitely somewhere you would not normally find me on a Saturday afternoon but my youngest daughter's birthday had me and my husband traipsing around this popular destination with nine 14 – year – old girls. It was a rather miserable day with the sun on a leave of absence and the cold penetrating even the warmest of jackets, a day I would far rather be ensconced in a warm dressing gown cradling a hot cup of tea than be jostled by hordes of people. It was also quite a challenge keeping the group of teenagers together as it was bustling with people and far busier than we had anticipated. The weather obviously did not seem to have had an impact on or deter the hundreds of people milling around me.
Covent Garden has over the centuries changed and evolved from being a busy Saxon trading port in the 7th century called Lundenwic to a 40 acre kitchen garden for the Convent or Abbey of St Peter at Westminster when it acquired the name 'Convent Garden' and which also became a major source of fruit and vegetables in London for centuries; to becoming the first open square in England and known as the Covent Garden Piazza with residential buildings in surrounding areas designed by famous architect Inigo Jones; to being a place known once again for being a hub for market traders, fruit and vegetable sellers. It is also home to the famous Royal Opera House and the London Transport Museum.
In the late 19th century a flower market was also established in the south Piazza of Covent garden. Some of you might recall the 1964 film 'My Fair Lady' starring Audrey Hepburn, in which the main character, Eliza Doolittle is actually discovered by 'Henry Higgins' in Covent Garden selling flowers. The 1970's Alfred Hitchcock film ‘Frenzy’ is about a Covent Garden fruit seller who becomes a serial killer!
Over the last few decades, Covent Garden Market has been revamped and reopened as a retail centre and today it is one of the busiest tourist destinations in London.
I have to admit that every time I do end up in Covent Garden, I come away wondering why I don't go more often as it holds a certain vibrancy and joie de vivre that is hard to ignore. No matter what time of year, be it spring, summer, autumn or winter, there is always a festive atmosphere and a buzz about the place.
One of the attractions of Covent Garden is that there are always a large numbers of street performers keeping the crowds entertained. Over the years, I have had the opportunity to listen to an opera singer performing in the square and whose voice blew me away, been told my future by a tarot card reader, watched an escapologists try to break free from chains, observed and been perplexed by the sight of a man dressed as a statue levitating off the ground (something which must have a logical explanation but one I have yet to figure out), watched a man juggle while on a unicycle and watched alongside the rest of the crowd sometimes in awe, sometimes in bewilderment but always with delight. People cheer and clap at the performers and drop a coin or two in the hats or boxes placed strategically in front and there is always a party atmosphere.
The Piazza has a number of cafes and restaurants dotted around so there is always somewhere to sit and watch the fun or rest your feet while you savour your cup of coffee (albeit an expensive cup of coffee) or have a meal. There is also a wide selection of shops around the square.
In 2010 The Piazza found itself housing the largest Apple store in the world. But if it's not technology that you are after, Covent Garden is a wonderful place to go and browse for antiques, jewellery, clothing, gifts and paintings that are displayed in little stalls within the Central Hall and Jubilee Hall Market situated on the south side of the square. There is also an eclectic collection of shops to lure in tourists and residents alike. Some of the shops are a bit odd but full of character selling all sorts of rarer luxury goods as well as the usual high street chains and clothes boutiques. The place is unusual in that it's a huge, vibrant open market heaving with people. You can't help but be distracted by the various sights, sounds and smells or rather fragrances emanating from the stores. At times it can feel like an onslaught on all your senses (but in a good way)!
Being in Covent Garden is always a unique experience, a bit like being a tourist every time and seeing it with fresh eyes and from a different perspective. You could actually spend the whole day just walking around watching the street performers, do a little bit of shopping, stop for a coffee or meal and even end up watching a performance at the Royal Opera House or you could just sit and soak in the atmosphere. All in all, not such a bad place to be on a Saturday afternoon even with a bit of bad weather!