Friday, February 26, 2010

Travel Book Shop -- Portobella Road, London


Ever see the movie 1999 hit movie, Notting Hill, with Hugh Grant and Julie Roberts? Well, the Travel Book Shop that the Hugh Grant character owns does exist and we had to visit it in our trip to London in 2006. The shop is near Portobella Road in Kensington which hosts an amazing street fair with all kinds of second hand shops and antiques stores. The Portobella fair was also featured in the film in a montage with Hugh Grant trying to get over the Julia Roberts character. I had to buy a travel book there and actually found a great one on excellent campsites in Wisconsin. So, I go to a travel book shop in London, to buy a book on Wisconsin. Oh well, you never know...

Film buffs will also remember that Portobello Road was also the setting of one of the scenes in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and featured in a song by Dire Straights, Portobello Belle. (Ok, I didn't know that either, but I got it from Google.) If you ever get to London, it is a must see.