We deposited our luggage at the hotel and headed for Notting Hill. I knew this name from the movie "Notting Hill" which was made in 1999. Since then, I wanted to walk around the streets where Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant were cheerfully walking in the movie. Two lead characters come across at a small bookshop and the shop exists even now in a corner of Portobello road in Notting Hill. I had my daughter take pictures of me in front of the bookshop. There was a crowd of people, but few entered the bookshop. I wanted to take pictures inside the bookshop in the same angles as the movie, but refrained from entering the shop so as not to interfere with their business. It so happened that the crowd disappeared for a short time and I was able to take the 2nd picture.
One more thing, the movie was actually shot at a different point, which is shown in the 3rd picture. The layout of the bookstore in the 2nd picture was replicated to this shop and the movie was made. This place isn't a bookshop, but bears the signboard, "Travel Book Shop". The owner would leave it as it was very consciously. There was a crowd of visitors in front of the shop. The movie was made no less than 20 years ago, but its popularity continued.
The next picture(4th picture) shows "The Distillery". I wanted to try some gin, but two ladies didn't want to, though two men wanted to.
We strolled along Portobello Road for about an hour and I had a great time. I wished I had 3 stomachs for eating many kinds of exotic food. More than 10 antique shops entertained us. Lots of silverwork and items from the Mideast were displayed in storefronts and stalls. If I had the ability to appreciate things of beauty, I might have made a real find.
We dropped in at a restaurant, Poppies, which seemed to be very famous for its "Fish & Chips", and I ate cod and haddock sharing with my wife over a glass of white wine. It was very nice.
https://www.arukikata.co.jp/web/article/item/3001828/
ホテルへ荷物を預けた後、タクシーでノッティングヒルへ向かう。その昔、ノッティング・ヒル（邦題：ノッティングヒルの恋人）という映画があった。Julia RobertsとHugh Grant主演のロマンティック・コメディで一度現地を歩いてみたかった。二人の出会う書店が現存し、その前で記念撮影。書店の前には人だかりがあるのに中へ入る人は少ない。たまたま人の流れが切れたときに撮影できた。店内で映画と同じアングルで撮影したかったが、邪魔になると思い諦めた。ただ、実は、実際の撮影はこの書店のレイアウトをそのまま移して別の場所で撮られた。その場所が３枚目の写真。因みにここは現在は本屋ではないが、Travel Book Shopと映画撮影の痕が残っている、というより残しているのだろう。ここも人だかり。２０年も前の映画なのに、人気は衰えず。
その次の写真はこれも有名な醸造所The Distillery ジン発祥の地。一口飲みたかったが、女性二人がアルコールが苦手なためパス。ボーイフレンド氏と僕は飲もうとしたのだが。
１時間ほどブラブラする。実に楽しい。胃袋が３つくらいほしかった。中東系の骨董品屋が多くあり、目の肥えた人なら掘り出し物を見つけるのかもしれないが、僕には無理。歩き疲れて立ち寄ったのがFish & Chips で有名な Poppies https://poppiesfishandchips.co.uk/
codとhaddockという２種類の魚を食べる。美味！
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